Initially, grave robbery was motivated by a desire to steal valuable possessions from the deceased, leaving the bodies undisturbed. Over time, during the Middle Ages, this practice transformed into body snatching, with documented cases dating back to 1319. Even figures like Leonardo da Vinci may have conducted secret dissections on corpses for their anatomical studies.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw a significant demand for human cadavers by medical schools in Britain and the United States. "Resurrectionists" and "Night Doctors" would scour poor neighborhoods for fresh corpses to fulfill this demand. Renowned anatomist Robert Knox played a notable role in the frequent dissection of recently obtained bodies, contributing to the advancement of anatomy studies.
A thriving black market emerged around body snatching, with corpses even being shipped to the United States for experimentation. The article highlights the notorious case of Burke and Hare, who went as far as committing murders to provide fresh bodies for medical establishments.
Initially, authorities turned a blind eye to body snatching due to its contribution to medical knowledge. However, the Murder Act of 1752 marked a change by directing murderers' bodies to medical practitioners for dissection. Public unrest and riots often accompanied public executions, driven by the belief that incomplete burials could lead to the dead rising.
To counter body snatching, iron cages called "Mortsafes" were introduced to protect graves. Families often rented these due to their cost. Eventually, the Anatomy Act of 1832 allowed physicians and medical students to legally obtain corpses for dissection, thereby ending the illegal corpse trade.