Satisfy your morbid curiosity with Official Publications

If you have a morbid curiosity about death there is a small display outside the Reading Room in the Library's George IV Bridge Building. For this display I have collected a variety of Official Publications relating to death customs and the hidden practices of death certification, forensic anthropology and NHS mortuary work. These items also chart the shift in cultural and social attitudes to death from ancient times to the present day. You can find out more about these changes and the items themselves in my two part 'Morbid Curiosity' podcast:

listen to ‘Morbid Curiosity: Death in Official Publications part 1’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘Morbid Curiosity: Death in Official Publications part 2’ on Audioboo

'Morbid Curiosity: death in Official Publications' is on show at George IV Bridge, outside the main reading room until 31st July. 'Morbid Curiosity,' a short film, will be available on the NLS website soon.