1830s
MI/1/2 - Case of Catherine Timmins
Catherine Timmins was just 16 years old when she died in the 1830s, probably in one of Dublin’s hospitals.
The illustration shows her reproductive system, which was dissected post-mortem. It suggests that in life, Catherine would have experienced severe pain in the lower right side of her stomach, as well as possible weakness, nausea, and fever. During Catherine’s life little could have been done to help with her pain and symptoms.
Unlike most of our illustrations, this one shows a specific part of the inner body. The artist added both Catherine’s age and name to the image, acknowledging that these singular body parts were part of an actual person. This image was probably executed without the consent of Catherine’s family.