Resurrection Men and Reformers: Graverobbing, Body Snatching, and the Legalization of Dissection in 19th-Century Britain.

This abstract explores the clandestine and ethically fraught practice of body snatching, or "resurrectionism," in 19th-century Britain, a period marked by a surging demand for cadavers for anatomical study and a severely restricted legal supply. Driven by the expansion of medical schools and the burgeoning prestige of surgery, anatomists found themselves reliant on a network of "resurrection men" who illegally exhumed freshly buried corpses, often from pauper's graves, to sell for dissection. The abstract will detail the methods employed by these body snatchers, the ingenious—and often macabre—defenses employed by families to protect their deceased, and the profound public horror and moral outrage ignited by this trade. It will also examine the infamous cases, such as the Burke and Hare murders, which dramatically underscored the desperate need for a regulated supply of anatomical material. Finally, the abstract will analyze how this widespread illicit activity, coupled with public pressure and a growing understanding of the importance of anatomical education, ultimately led to the pivotal Anatomy Act of 1832. This landmark legislation aimed to legitimize the supply of bodies, primarily from unclaimed paupers, thereby transforming medical education and largely eradicating the illicit and morbid profession of the "resurrection men."