Immigrant NeighborhoodMedicineWest Boston A black and white photograph of a nineteenth-century medical laboratory, showing microscopes, vials, and other medical instruments.

Allen Street House: Early Autopsies, Morgues, and Pathology at MGH

The Allen Street House, built in 1874 at Massachusetts General Hospital, became the center of early pathology and autopsy practices in Boston. The House’s morgue, autopsy amphitheater, and laboratories were used for experiments, research, and education. For over 80 years, it served as the symbolic and functional heart of the hospital’s pathology department, shaping both clinical knowledge and medical teaching.

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