Fitzharris publishes biography of Edinburgh surgeon Joseph Bell

A new biography explores the life of Joseph Bell, the Scottish surgeon who inspired Sherlock Holmes. Fitzharris, known for her work in medical history, delves into Bell’s career, highlighting his unique method of diagnosis. Bell could tell a patient’s occupation and personal habits just by looking at them. One famous incident involved Bell figuring out the route a patient had taken by identifying the type of clay on the patient’s boots. This detail was used by Arthur Conan Doyle in *The Sign of the Four*.

Bell also worked with a local police surgeon on some of the most famous murder cases of his day. Fitzharris brings a fresh perspective to Bell’s life, combining her expertise in medical history with her interest in the medically macabre. Her previous works include *The Butchering Art* and *The Facemaker*, both of which explore the lives of notable surgeons.

Fitzharris spoke with Ars Technica about her latest project. She explained that she was drawn to writing about Bell because nobody had written a big commercial book on him. Her new biography, *Sleuth-Hound*, brings Bell’s story to a wider audience.

Fitzharris returns to the Edinburgh of *The Butchering Art*, of body snatchers and surgeons’ discovery of ether, which was also the Edinburgh of Arthur Conan Doyle and Joseph Bell. Her work continues to uncover the fascinating lives of medical pioneers through a fresh and engaging lens.