Resurrecting Bentley: Etiology of a Surgeon’s Detritus

Summary

Seven years ago the National Park Service rehabilitated several of the oldest remaining buildings at Point San Jose (now Fort Mason) in San Francisco. On October 25, 2010, while monitoring lead remediation efforts around the former Army hospital (1863-1903), archaeologists discovered a pit containing hospital waste which included the commingled human remains of multiple individuals. Diagnostic bottles recovered from the feature support a deposit date of between 1860 and 1890. Historic research on the Point San Jose hospital and staff reveals that Edwin Bentley, a surgeon stationed there between 1869 and 1875, was responsible for the illicit burial. Further forensic research on the human remains provides amazing insight into the origin and identity of the deceased, as well as the developing field of anatomy in the late 19th century.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 20299