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Modern grave robbers

BMJ 2004; 329 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.0412466 (Published 01 December 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;329:0412466
  1. Subhash Chandir Ochani, final year medical student1,
  2. Ahsan M Ahmad, programme officer2,
  3. Farrukh Raza Malik, final year medical student3
  1. 1Chandka Medical College, Larkana, Pakistan
  2. 2National Commission for Human Development, Islamabad, Pakistan
  3. 3Chandka Medical College, Larkana, Pakistan

What would you do if human bones were an essential part of your medical course but your university could not afford them? Three medics from Pakistan present some ways out of the dilemma

The practice of robbing graves to facilitate scientific study of bones and cadavers is nothing new in medicine. In the early 18th century, Britain witnessed a booming trade of exhumed human bodies controlled by grave robbers when anatomy and dissection of the human body became an integral part in study of modern medicine. Because exhuming bodies was considered to be a sacrilege, grave diggers--also known as body snatchers, resurrectionists, or sack ''em up men--became associated with anatomy and surgery departments of medical schools. The practice still persists in many countries across the world, especially developing countries.15 In countries such as Pakistan, medical institutions may not be able to afford scientific tools, including bones required for anatomical studies.

An essential ingredient to medical studies

In Pakistan, anatomy and osteology form a major part of exams and carry a large percentage of marks. There's a widespread belief among students that if you don't have important learning resources your academic career may be jeopardised and without proper anatomical knowledge you are an “incomplete” doctor. However, bones in medical schools are in short supply, and there aren't enough for students to study.6 Medical faculties allow students to study bones only during routine hours and forbid students from taking bones out of the college building.

Students therefore feel the necessity to obtain skeletons themselves, as they aren't able to understand osteology in such short spans of time to get a clear picture of human anatomy. As a result, students …

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