L3. Diverse cultural approaches to death and the study of anatomy

Question 1

L.O.

Answer 1

• Give two examples of significant non-European anatomists in history and explain their contribution.
• Compare attitudes regarding body donation for anatomical study between different countries and different time periods.
• Consider factors that influence the sources of deceased human bodies for anatomical study in different countries.

Question 2

Ancient Egypt

Answer 2

• Egyptians (usually upper class) were preserved by mummification using a salt compound
• Lungs and organs of digestion (stomach, liver, intestines) were taken out of the body and embalmed separately
• Heart was kept as important but brain was removed

Question 3

Early Indian anatomist

Answer 3

Sushruta
- 6th century BCE

• Surgeon
• Described a method for preparing a body for dissection, and described various body structures
• Hindu law states that a person’s body cannot be desecrated by a knife, and needs to be cremated

Question 4

Anatomy in ancient China

Answer 4

• Confucianism decreed that the human bodies needed to be kept whole and unharmed.
• Thus dissection and even minor surgery was not permitted
• Huang Ti stated around 2600 BCE that the heart controlled the blood

Question 5

Early Islamic anatomists

Answer 5

Avicenna (Ibn Sina)
- 980 to 1037 CE
- Physician, philosopher, authored 450 texts

Abū Bakr al-Rāzī (or Rhazes)
- 864 to 925 CE
- Physician, philosopher, alchemist
- Published books and also corrected some of Galen’s teachings

Ibn al-Nafis
- 1213 to 1288
- The Comprehensive Book on Medicine, published 80/300 volumes