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A Morning's Work: Medical Photographs from the Burns Archive & Collection 1843-1939
Remarkable collection of annotated photographs taken between 1843 and 1949 featuring medical abnormalities a shamanist performing an exorcism a post-murder cut-up body and other extraordinary images.
- GenresPhotographyMedical
128 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1998
107 people want to read
About the author
Stanley B. Burns
38 books27 followersDriven by a deep commitment to share his discoveries, Dr. Stanley B. Burns’ name has become synonymous with historic photography. Dr. Burns began collecting medical, historical, and memorial photography in 1975, and founded The Burns Archive in 1977. Since then, he’s authored dozens of award-winning photo-history books, and has curated and exhibited at dozens of major museums and galleries worldwide. A New York City ophthalmologist, Dr. Burns’ keen eye for iconic imagery has helped rewrite inaccuracies in medical history and played a large role in the rediscovery of postmortem photography and nineteenth century mourning practices. An accomplished surgeon, author, historian, curator, collector, professor, publisher, and archivist, Dr. Burns has been referred to as “the Johnny Appleseed of photography” in New York Magazine, as he’s actively shared his encyclopedic knowledge and expertise. His contributions to medical and photography history are recognized by his official appointments at several institutions, including The National Arts Club, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, The American College of Surgeons and especially by New York University: Langone Medical Center where he is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry. Over the past 40 years, he has consulted and contributed to thousands of feature films, documentaries, television productions and publications. He has authored 43 photo-historical texts, over 1000 articles and served as editor of several medical journals. When not collecting, Dr. Burns spends his consulting, lecturing, creating exhibits, and writing books on under-appreciated areas of history and photography. Dr. Burns is the on-set Medical, Historical and Technical Consultant for the HBO-Cinemax series, "The Knick." His 44th book, Stiffs, Skulls & Skeletons: Medical Photography and Symbolism will be released October of 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 7, 2008
A beautifully assembled book of photographs/text that cover some pretty strange ground. The first half of the book is all up in your eyes with nasty stuff. From Anencephalic brains to early X-rays, it is all presented to you in low definition, artless, early clinical photography-o-vision. Gruesome enough, sure. But what I want now is a little story to go along with it, something to suss out what I'm looking at here. What happened to that guy and why? Who knew Scarlet Fever could be so... What's with all this damned syphilis anyway? That's where the last half of the book comes in with a paragraph or four about each photo. Great!
This book is totally worth seeking out. It's some cold, ugly stuff for sure, but if your soul can take the abuse, it makes you stronger. And smarter. And less likely to let a bout of the Gonorrhea go by without a little penicillin.
This book is totally worth seeking out. It's some cold, ugly stuff for sure, but if your soul can take the abuse, it makes you stronger. And smarter. And less likely to let a bout of the Gonorrhea go by without a little penicillin.
September 8, 2025
Morbid. Fascinating. From the David lynch book list and it’s clear why— elephant man is in here.
Don’t think I’ve read or seen anything like this before (the closest is bodyworlds). Can feel a bit gratuitous but the book finishes with a section of descriptions, so you do learn!
Don’t think I’ve read or seen anything like this before (the closest is bodyworlds). Can feel a bit gratuitous but the book finishes with a section of descriptions, so you do learn!
April 18, 2023
Beautifully presented book that I read as a Medical Photographer. Really interesting to see how the world of photography has changed over time
March 16, 2010
Stanley B. Burns, A Morning's Work: Medical Photographs from the Burns Archive and Collection (Twin Palms, 1998)
“A Morning's Work” is the title of a photograph, included here, from Civil War times. It was taken by a surgeon and depicts a pile of amputated feet. While Burns talks about other interpretations one can have of the photograph's title, the simple surface of the thing is enough to give you an insight into what you're going to find here. (Burns also mentions in that introduction that Joel-Peter Witkin has made use of the Burns Collection on occasion. And if you don't know who Joel-Peter Witkin is, you're probably not reading this review.) The hundred-odd photographs that Burns has selected for this volume are often grotesque and always fascinating. Like all of the (few) Twin Palms books I've encountered, it is wonderfully put-together; this is a book that will last you a lifetime, as long as you don't run over it with an SUV or something. What there is to be read into the permanence of grotesquerie, I shall leave to the individual. That said, I would go no more than five pages at a time without finding another photograph that said “you need to use me for an album cover.” (And what that says about the reviewer I'm sure is much less a puzzle. I have long been a fan of Joel-Peter Witkin's.)
Reviewing a book like this seems an exercise in futility; you're either going to be struck by it, or you're not. And if you're struck by it, there's a strong chance you're going to pick it up no matter what I have to say about it. But let the record show that I found myself unable to look away, I found the notes illuminating, and I continue to respect the way Twin Palms puts a book together; very few companies these days pay as much attention to the actual, physical construction of a book as they do. Whether you pick up a copy or not will depend on how you feel about the subject matter, but keep my recommendation in the back of your head if you're on the fence. For I do recommend this book if you're at all interested in the history of medicine, the history of photography, or a combination of the two. *** ½
“A Morning's Work” is the title of a photograph, included here, from Civil War times. It was taken by a surgeon and depicts a pile of amputated feet. While Burns talks about other interpretations one can have of the photograph's title, the simple surface of the thing is enough to give you an insight into what you're going to find here. (Burns also mentions in that introduction that Joel-Peter Witkin has made use of the Burns Collection on occasion. And if you don't know who Joel-Peter Witkin is, you're probably not reading this review.) The hundred-odd photographs that Burns has selected for this volume are often grotesque and always fascinating. Like all of the (few) Twin Palms books I've encountered, it is wonderfully put-together; this is a book that will last you a lifetime, as long as you don't run over it with an SUV or something. What there is to be read into the permanence of grotesquerie, I shall leave to the individual. That said, I would go no more than five pages at a time without finding another photograph that said “you need to use me for an album cover.” (And what that says about the reviewer I'm sure is much less a puzzle. I have long been a fan of Joel-Peter Witkin's.)
Reviewing a book like this seems an exercise in futility; you're either going to be struck by it, or you're not. And if you're struck by it, there's a strong chance you're going to pick it up no matter what I have to say about it. But let the record show that I found myself unable to look away, I found the notes illuminating, and I continue to respect the way Twin Palms puts a book together; very few companies these days pay as much attention to the actual, physical construction of a book as they do. Whether you pick up a copy or not will depend on how you feel about the subject matter, but keep my recommendation in the back of your head if you're on the fence. For I do recommend this book if you're at all interested in the history of medicine, the history of photography, or a combination of the two. *** ½
September 10, 2007
Brilliant collection of medical photographs from 1843-1939.
March 9, 2010
perfect vintage medical photo book.
January 6, 2017
very interesting and precious photos, it's a history and art...
September 27, 2012
The best book to gross your friends out with!
February 22, 2016
4.5/5 It looses 1/2 a point for the female genital mutilation performed on a child (that was really graphic!)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews