History of anatomy in the 19th century

Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring originally published a clear, accurate and precise system in German (1791–1796), then in Latin (1794–1800).

[1] With the artist abilities and help of Henry Vandyke Carter, Gray produced an inexpensive and accessible anatomy textbook for medical students.

Dissecting unclaimed bodies from workhouse and hospital mortuaries through the Anatomy Act 1832, the two worked for 18 months on what would form the basis of the book.

[4] As demand began to outstrip supply, shortage of corpses often discouraged medical schools from scrutinizing their suppliers too closely.

[3] The practices of the body snatchers caused widespread fear and revulsion as the indignities and humiliation of exhumation were compounded by the horror of being the subject of dissection.

The criminal temptations ultimately led to the 1827–1828 West Port murders in Edinburgh, UK, where likely candidates were killed and sold for cash.