robert knox, the conservator of the museum who organised and catalogued the bell and barclay collections, had established himself as a very successful teacher of anatomy in the extramural school in surgeon square. his anatomy classes were so popular that demand for bodies for anatomical dissection exceeded supply. two irishmen living in edinburgh, william burke and william hare, resorted to murdering victims to supply knox's anatomy school. hare turned king's evidence and burke was tried, found guilty of murder and hanged. his body was dissected by alexander monro tertius, the university professor of anatomy, and the museum has on display two items from that notorious episode – burke's death mask and a pocket book made from his skin.