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Anatomy is derived from the Greek word 'anatome' which means cutting up. It is one of the core basic science subjects (Ghazanfar H et al., 2018). The discipline of anatomy, while providing the fundamental knowledge of the structure of the human body, also underpins the study of physiology and pathology as well as a host of clinical specialties including clinical medicine, surgery and radiology (Shaffer K, 2004; Heylings DJ, 2002). Human cadaveric dissection has been used as the core teaching tool in anatomy for centuries and has become a greatly acknowledged fact that good medical or surgical practice could only be based on adequate knowledge of human anatomy which can only be learned from cadaveric dissection (Ghazanfar H et al., 2018). The word dissection is derived from Latin word dissecure ’to cut into pieces’. The rise of ancient Greek medicine paved the way for the inception of human cadaveric dissection as a tool for teaching anatomy in 3rd century BC. Unfortunately, the practice of human dissection was prohibited in Europe during the middle ages due to religious and popular beliefs. However, during the 14th century, religious authorities gave permission for human dissection only within the university premises and these were conducted once/twice annually on corpses of executed criminals. However, by the beginning of 15th century, cadaveric dissection became a regular event in European universities and the supply of criminal bodies proved insufficient. This made the anatomists began to rely on extra-legal sources which involved grave-robbing, body snatching and even murder for anatomical dissection. In response to the strong public outcry against these ongoing malpractices, many European countries passed legislations during the 18th and 19th centuries, legalising the procurement of unclaimed bodies of poor from workhouses and charitable hospitals for dissection in medical schools.
