Profile of Jack the Ripper

Dr. Bond's 1889 Profile

The police requested an analysis from Dr. Thomas Bond, a surgeon who had assisted in the autopsy of Mary Kelly. Investigators wanted a specific description of the wounds and procedures, but in notes dated November 10, 1888, Bond offered more. Mostly he stuck to the facts, but he also provided a quick glimpse at the killer's motivation.

The murders had escalated in brutality, he said, and were clearly sexual in nature, with an intense element of rage against either women or prostitutes. Except for the last one, they were clean, quick, and out in the open, often disemboweling the victim in some manner. All five had been committed by one person alone who was physically strong, cool, and daring. He thought the man would be quiet and inoffensive in appearance, middle-aged, and neatly attired, probably wearing a cloak to hide the bloody effects of his attacks out in the open. He would be a loner, without a real occupation, eccentric, and mentally unstable. He might even suffer from a condition called Satyriasis, a sexual deviancy. Very likely, those who knew him would be aware that he was not right in his mind.

Sources disagree over whether Bond believed the killer had surgical skill, but he did indicate that offering a reward would garner clues from people who knew the man. He was certain the same man was responsible for the murder of Alice McKenzie, whose autopsy he had performed as well.