Summary

1851-1868—Childhood

The opening pages of The Resurrectionist describe the book as a historical account of an uncouth medical doctor. The materials presented here purport to have been donated by the Philadelphia Museum of medical antiquities, and also by the estate of Dr. Spencer Black. The introduction makes no evaluation of Dr. Black’s controversial work, but presumes simply to present it to the public.

Spencer Black’s mother died giving birth to him, and he always felt that death was close to life as he was living. His father is a talented surgeon who steals corpses, ‘resurrecting’ the dead, in order to use their bodies for medical research. An early journal entry describes the horrific spectacle of digging up the dead in the middle of the night. While Spencer Black has not yet disavowed his faith...