Gray's Anatomy is probably one of the most iconic scientific books ever published: an illustrated textbook of anatomy that is still a household name 150 years since its first edition, known for its rigorously scientific text, and masterful illustrations as beautiful as they are detailed.

The Making of Mr Gray's Anatomy tells the story of the creation of this remarkable book, and the individuals who made it happen: Henry Gray, the bright and ambitious physiologist, poised for medical fame and fortune, who was the book's author; Carter, the brilliant young illustrator, lacking Gray's social advantages, shy and inclined to religious introspection; and the publishers - Parkers, father and son, the father eager to employ new technology, the son part of a lively circle of intellectuals. It is the story of changing attitudes in the mid-19th century; of the social impact of science, the changing status of medicine; of poverty and class; of craftsmanship and technology. And it all unfolds in the atmospheric milieu of Victorian London - taking the reader from the smart townhouses of Belgravia, to the dissection room of St George's Hospital, and to the workhouses and mortuaries where we meet the friendless poor who would ultimately be immortalised in Carter's engravings.

Alongside the story of the making of the book itself, Ruth Richardson reflects on what made Gray's Anatomy such a unique intellectual, artistic, and cultural achievement - how it represented a summation of a long half century's blossoming of anatomical knowledge and exploration, and how it appeared just at the right time to become the 'Doctor's Bible' for generations of medics to follow.

• Gray's Anatomy is known as the 'Doctor's Bible': an illustrated textbook of anatomy that is still a household name 150 years since its first edition, known for its rigorously scientific text and fine illustrations
• Ruth Richardson here presents the 'anatomy of the anatomy' - revealing the stories of the remarkable people who came together to produce this unique book, examining its legacy as an intellectual and cultural artefact
• The story is framed within the history of Victorian London -- the changing culture and attitudes of the mid 19th century, driven by the social impact of science, the changing status of medicine, and religion, poverty and class
• Explores the skilled craftsmanship, technology, and artistry that went into the book's creation
• 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the first edition of Gray's Anatomy

•    Introduction

Chapter 1   The Words: Mr Gray of Belgravia

Chapter 2   The Pictures: Dr Carter of Scarborough

Chapter 3   The Enterprise: J.W.Parker & Son of West Strand

Chapter 4   The Process of Creation: Person or Persons Unknown

Chapter 5   The Raw Material: The Friendless Poor of London

Chapter 6   The Process of Creation

Chapter 7   The Process of Production

Chapter 8   1858: The Book Appears

Chapter 9   Calamity

Chapter 10   Futurity

•    Acknowledgements

•    References

•    Bibliography

•    Index

Ruth Richardson - Senior Visiting Research Fellow in History, University of Hertfordshire at Hatfield; Affiliated Scholar in the History of Science, University of Cambridge; Society of Apothecaries Examiner and Lecturer in the History of Medicine.

Ruth Richardson is an interdisciplinary historian with particular interests in literature, history, the visual arts and medicine. She wrote the historical introduction for the new 40th edition of Gray's Anatomy, and her previous publications include Death, Dissection and the Destitute; An Introduction to Medical Humanities and The Healing Environment, both co-edited with Deborah Kirklin; H.B. Carter & Sons: Victorian Watercolour Drawing and the Art of Illustration, co-authored with Gordon Bell and Arthur Credland; as well as numerous articles for journals including Nature, The British Medical Journal, and a regular monthly medical history column for The Lancet.