Harvard University library removes human skin from 19th century book binding

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Harvard University has taken a significant step by removing human skin binding from a 19th-century book housed in its library, acknowledging the ethical concerns surrounding its origins. The book in question, a copy of Des Destinées de l'âme, originally penned by French novelist Arsène Houssaye in 1879, became notorious for its unique and unsettling binding.

 

The macabre history of the book traces back to its binding by Dr. Ludovic Bouland, a physician, in the early 1880s. Dr. Bouland, without consent, used the skin of an anonymous deceased female patient, whom he encountered during his tenure as a medical student in the 1860s, to cover the book. A handwritten note by Dr. Bouland found within the volume justifies this morbid choice, stating that a book concerning the human soul deserved a human covering.

 

The book, part of Harvard's collections since 1934 and later housed in the prestigious Houghton Library, sparked controversy and ethical debates over the years. Harvard University recently made the decision to remove the human remains from the library, citing the fraught nature of the book's origins and its subsequent history. The university expressed a commitment to treat the human remains with dignity, placing them into respectful temporary storage.

 

In a gesture of accountability, Harvard apologized for what it described as a failure to uphold an ethic of care in its stewardship of the book. The university acknowledged the insensitivity of past portrayals of the book's "morbid nature" in blog posts, instead of addressing the lack of consent by the deceased patient or the ethical implications of the binding. Additionally, Harvard revealed that former library staff members may have unwittingly participated in initiations that involved retrieving the book, further underscoring the need for reflection and accountability.

 

Moving forward, Harvard's library intends to conduct further research into the book's history, Dr. Bouland, and the anonymous patient. While the disbound copy of the book is now inaccessible physically, it remains available for consultation through Harvard's online library catalogue, ensuring continued scholarly access while respecting the dignity of the deceased.

 

31.03.24

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