HISTORY OF DISSECTION OF THE CADAVER

We begin with an overview of the history of cadaveric dissection and the beginnings of anatomy as a discrete discipline. Since the traveling Body Worlds Show of Gunther von Hagens there has been a resurgence of public interest in the cadaver and its social impact. I outline the fascination with dissecting the human body and how I moved from life as a practicing surgeon to an anatomy tutor. This is the first introduction of a 2-part introductory podcast which chronologically outlines how the ritual of cadaveric dissection evolved and how the anatomy of the human body became illustrated. The second introductory podcast summarizes the beginnings of autopsy, the dissecting habits of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti, the genius of Vesalius and the birth of science....and so much more.