In the book, Stevenson gives a detailed description of the layout of Dr Jekyll's home. It is identical to John Hunter's. Hunter, who was originally from Glasgow, a Scottish surgeon, one of the most distinguished scientists and surgeons of his day, and a grave-robber, had a beautiful town house on one street, where he welcomed his clients, which connected through to an anatomy theatre which then connected to another building in a separate street on the other side, through which it is reckoned thousands of cadavers were delivered for dissection.
Captain of the Town Guard, Major Weir shocked his flock when at the age of 70 he revealed he had for decades practiced incest, bestiality and sorcery. Together with his sister Jean, he was sentenced to be strangled and burned at the stake in a trial that shocked the Edinburgh of 1670.
According to local lore, his walking stick had a life of its own and, when thrown onto the funeral pyre, burned only with great difficulty. Local legend also has it that his ghost haunts the West Bow area of Edinburgh, where he lived.