Anatomy Act, 1832

ANATOMY ACT 1832

C A P. LXXV.

An Act for regulating Schools of Anatomy. [1st August 1832.]

Secretary of State to grant Licences to practise Anatomy;

Whereas a Knowledge of the Causes and Nature of sundry Diseases which affect the Body, and of the best Methods of treating and curing such Diseases, and of healing and repairing divers Wounds and Injuries to which the Human Frame is liable, cannot be acquired without the Aid of Anatomical Examination: And whereas the legal Supply of Human Bodies for such Anatomical Examination is insufficient fully to provide the Means of such Knowledge: And whereas, in order further to supply Human Bodies for such Purposes, divers great and grievous Crimes have been committed, and lately Murder, for the single Object of selling for such Purposes the Bodies of the Persons so murdered: And whereas therefore it is highly expedient to give Protection, under certain Regulations, to the Study and Practice of Anatomy, and to prevent, as far as may be such great and grievous Crimes and Murder as aforesaid;’ be it therefore enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That it shall be lawful for His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Time being for the Home Department in that Part of the United Kingdom called Great Britain, and for the Chief Secretary for Ireland in that Part of the United Kingdom called Ireland, immediately on the passing of this Act, or so soon thereafter as may be required, to grant a Licence to practise Anatomy to any Fellow or Member of any College of Physicians or Surgeons, or to any Graduate or Licentiate in Medicine, or to any Person lawfully qualified to practise Medicine in any Part of the United Kingdom, or to any Professor or Teacher of Anatomy, Medicine, or Surgery, or to any Student attending any School of Anatomy, on Application from such Party for such Purpose, countersigned by Two of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace acting for the County, City, Borough, or Place wherein such Party resides, certifying that, to their Knowledge or Belief, such Party so applying is about to carry on the Practice of Anatomy.