Broom, a character in Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything," had eccentric habits during his fieldwork, often choosing to work without clothes in warm weather. This unusual practice highlights his disregard for social norms as he immersed himself in his research. His unconventional approach extended to his methods with patients, whom he subjected to questionable anatomical experiments.

Tragically, these experiments frequently resulted in patient fatalities. Broom displayed a morbid curiosity by sometimes burying the deceased in his garden to later excavate their bodies for further study. Bryson's portrayal emphasizes the dark and sometimes unethical side of early scientific exploration, revealing the lengths to which some individuals would go in pursuit of knowledge.