Body embalming, a practice with deep historical roots across various cultures, forms the backbone of contemporary human body donation educational programmes. In this study, we explored current embalming practices within six South African human anatomical dissection programmes, focusing on the use and volumes of key chemicals-formalin, phenol, and alcohol-and their associated health risks and potential toxicity. We measured and compared aspects of embalming practices such as the duration of body preservation and the annual intake of bodies. Variations in embalming practices and chemical ratios across different South African universities were found. However, the consistent use of formalin, phenol and alcohol were observed across all six programmes. Formaldehyde concentrations used in South African dissection programmes were within the generally acceptable international range. Regarding arterial embalming, South African dissection programmes showed widespread adherence to international embalming practices, with one programme using a substantially lower concentration of formalin. The dual nature of formaldehyde as both an effective preservative and a recognised carcinogen was underscored in relation to human health regarding chemical toxicity. Phenol, like formaldehyde, was consistently used as it is important for the inhibition of bacterial and fungal growth. Alcohol was also consistently used, but there was much greater variation in its volume across South African institutions. Our data showed a slight positive relationship between storage duration and the volumes of formalin and phenol in human embalming fluid. South African regulators enforce stricter exposure limits than those set by the World Health Organisation and various European agencies. While South African institutions operate within internationally acceptable ranges of chemical use that both maximise preservation and minimise toxicity, we acknowledge that these data are preliminary. Further investigation is encouraged to ensure embalming practices effectively protect all those involved and support the educational goals of human anatomical dissection programmes in South Africa.

This column discusses the Anatomy Act 1977 (NSW) and its regulatory environment. The column begins with examining the history of anatomy regulation in the United Kingdom and Australia. It then goes on to analyse the history of the current anatomy regulation in New South Wales, pointing out areas for reform.

BACKGROUND: The basis of teaching anatomy is the understanding of the body\'s structures using human cadavers. Body donation should be a fully conscious and voluntary act. There is a growing demand for human cadavers in medical universities. To meet these demands, it is necessary to understand the societal awareness regarding body donation.
METHODS: The study utilized a proprietary single-choice questionnaire while maintaining the anonymity of the respondents. The study included 1004 individuals, comprising 700 women and 304 men. The analysis employed the Mann-Whitney test, Pearson\'s chi-squared test with calculation of the Cramer\'s V coefficient.
RESULTS: Among the respondents, 56.37% consider donating their bodies for scientific and educational purposes. Among the concerns associated with donation, fear of lack of proper respect for the remains by students (18.23%), family opposition (16.24%), and religious reasons (9.16%) were highlighted. Non-religious individuals are more inclined to donate their bodies for scientific and educational purposes than religious individuals (p < 0.001). Residents of rural areas and small towns are less likely to consider donating their bodies for scientific and educational purposes than residents of large cities (p = 0.002). As many as 85.76% of respondents believe that human remains are essential for effective anatomy education.
CONCLUSIONS: Increasing public awareness of cadaver donation may contribute to increasing the effectiveness of anatomy teaching at medical universities.

Voluntary donation is the ethically acceptable method for whole-body acquisition for anatomy education worldwide. In Africa, educational institutions struggle with this since many people remain unwilling to donate their bodies due to the strong influence of cultural and religious beliefs in decision-making. As part of wider efforts to improve the ethical sourcing of bodies in Zimbabwean medical schools, which are heavily reliant on unclaimed bodies, this study sought to determine the influences traditional and religious beliefs have on such decisions. We ascertained traditional and religious leaders\' knowledge of whole-body donation, explored cultural and religious views toward death, dying and whole-body donation as well as their underlying reasons. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with traditional chiefs and Christian leaders who are considered the custodians of Zimbabwean traditional cultural and Christian values, respectively. Thematic analysis of traditional chiefs\' interviews revealed that none of the chiefs had accurate knowledge regarding whole-body donation or the processes involved. Due to set traditional practices around death, most traditional chiefs viewed the practice as foreign with possible negative repercussions to the dissectors. Most of the Christian leaders had knowledge of whole-body donation. Their views were split between support for whole-body donation and regard as a religious and cultural misfit. Overall, both traditional chiefs and Christian leaders understood the importance of whole-body donation and requested further societal sensitization and education if the practice is to become socially acceptable.

Under the futuristic vision of anatomical sciences, a strong societal connection is mandatory. The anatomical practice experienced robust societal participation through public human dissection from the 16th century onward. With a perspective to explore the intersection of spirituality with anatomy, the present study analyzed this momentous period. From a spiritual perspective, the study also reflects on two relevant but presently uncoupled entities of public human dissection and societal connection through the prism of current regulations. Strong representation from the general public during public human dissection was primarily driven by spiritual proclivity and an endorsement from religious authorities. To regulate large gatherings and maintain academic sanctity, anatomical theaters emerged as dedicated spaces for such a merger. With time and growing financial support, the theaters transformed from temporary structures to elaborate architectural marvels, further propelling already robust societal connections associated with the practice. Nevertheless, a confluence of multiple factors led to the violation of spiritual principles and a consequent decrease in societal participation from the early 18th century, eventually culminating in the demise of such spectacle. Presently, public human dissection-when done-is mostly conducted for commercial gains and in contravention of ethical norms. It is against the essence of spirituality and harbors a bleak prospect for societal connection. Contrastingly, measures adopted to promote societal participation (mostly related to body donation) were quite effective and followed the principles of spirituality. Societal connections served anatomy in the past and can lead to its advancement if approached through a righteous path.

OBJECTIVE: Body donors continue to have an important role in anatomy education in medical schools. Furthermore, the demand for organ transplantation is increasing as life expectancy increases. In Turkey, there are efforts to enable both donations to be made through a single system. These issues were addressed together, and it was aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge and attitudes of medical and law students regarding tissue-organ and body donation.
METHODS: A questionnaire consisting of 29 questions was administered to 693 individuals to measure these aspects. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction. Categorical data collected during the study were summarized in terms of frequency and percentage.
RESULTS: When asked about their willingness to donate their bodies, 39.4% answered no, 29.5% responded yes, and 31.1% were undecided. Regarding organ donation, 61.8% of the participants expressed willingness, 22.8% were undecided, and 15.4% declined. Notably, there was a significant difference between those who had prior knowledge of organ tissue and body donation and those who did not (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our research indicate that knowledge about organ tissue and body donation, as well as the inclination to donate, increased as medical education progressed into clinical practice. Additionally, the level of knowledge among university students on this subject was found to be correlated with whether they had received prior training on the topic. It was observed that there is a need to provide more education for students to understand the importance of organ and body donation.

Recently, there has been an emphasis on keeping the study of anatomy using donor material confined to the domain of medical and allied healthcare professionals. Given the abundance of both accurate and inaccurate information online, coupled with a heightened focus on health following the COVID-19 pandemic, one may question whether it is time to review who can access learning anatomy using donors. In 2019, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) obtained a Human Tissue Authority Public Display license with the aim of broadening the reach of who could be taught using donor material. In 2020, BSMS received its first full-body donor with consent for public display. Twelve workshops were delivered to student groups who do not normally have the opportunity to learn in the anatomy laboratory. Survey responses (10.9% response rate) highlighted that despite being anxious about seeing inside a deceased body, 95% felt more informed about the body. A documentary \"My Dead Body\" was filmed, focusing on the rare cancer of the donor Toni Crews. Viewing figures of 1.5 million, and a considerable number of social media comments highlighted the public\'s interest in the documentary. Thematic analysis of digital and social media content highlighted admiration and gratitude for Toni, the value of education, and that while the documentary was uncomfortable to watch, it had value in reminding viewers of life, their bodies, and their purpose. Fully consented public display can create opportunities to promote health-conscious life choices and improve understanding of the human body.

BACKGROUND: Anatomy education is a fundamental part of clinical nursing, but anatomy courses may lead to a range of psychological changes, such as death anxiety and sense of meaning in life. Such experiences and changes may influence student\'s willingness to donate their body. There is insufficient evidence on whether anatomy courses bring about these changes, and the reasons behind experiences are unclear. Focusing on these changes is essential to improve anatomy education in nursing and to promote the mental health of students in the nursing field.
OBJECTIVE: To explore changes and underlying reasons for death anxiety, sense of meaning in life, and the willingness to donate a body before and after anatomy courses.
METHODS: An explanatory sequential explanatory mixed-methods study.
METHODS: A total of 60 students completed quantitative surveys and 16 students from the sub-samples of the quantitative stage were included in the qualitative interviews. All students were from a comprehensive university in Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
METHODS: Data were collected from September 2022 to April 2023, including two rounds of questionnaire surveys and one interview. The questionnaires included sociodemographic data, the Death Anxiety Scale (CT-DAS), the Meaning of Life Scale (MLQ), and a body donation willingness question. Interviews were conducted based on the research objectives. The statistical methods included descriptive statistics, z-tests, and thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Quantitative results showed a decrease in emotional dimension of death anxiety (z = -2.534, P < 0.05) and an increase in body donation willingness (z = -3.183, P < 0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed cognitive experience and value assessment may relate to the changes. Based on the two themes, the reduction of death anxiety in emotional dimension can be further attributed to four factors: demystification, instrumentalization, desensitization, and respect and gratitude towards donors. The increase in willingness to donate bodies can be further attributed to two aspects: increase in knowledge of body donation and the affirmation of the value of donation.
CONCLUSIONS: The study found that students experience a decrease in death anxiety in the emotional dimension and an increased inclination to donate their bodies after anatomy courses, which may be related to cognitive experience and value assessment. Future nursing anatomy education could delve deeper into these two perspectives and support students to positively cope with death anxiety and rethink body donation through enriching death education activities such as donor memorial ceremonies. These results provide a basis for designing anatomy courses and improving the psychological well-being and professional competence of nursing students.

Body donation is a valuable resource in medical education, research, clinical diagnosis, and treatment. Consequently, donors are honored as \"Silent Mentors\" in Chinese medical schools. This article briefly reviews the history, current status, and strategies to promote body donation in China (excluding data from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions) and discusses the problems encountered in body donation work in China. After establishing the People\'s Republic of China in 1949, the central government issued regulations on the use of dissected bodies. In 2001, the \"Shanghai Regulations on Body Donation\" were officially implemented and became China\'s first local legislative regulation on body donation. Subsequently, local legislative regulations and rules on body donation were issued in various regions to promote smooth and orderly body donation. There has been tremendous development in body donation in China for more than 40 years; however, the progress of this partial work has been uneven in various areas owing to the influence of traditional ethical concepts. It is, therefore, imperative to legislate body donations at a national level. Raising the public\'s scientific literacy and changing the traditional concept of funerals can create a positive social atmosphere for body donation, thus increasing the public\'s awareness and willingness to donate their bodies. Donating the body at the end of life contributes to life science and medical causes and is a noble act worthy of praise.

Human dissection is an ancient pedagogical method that is still relevant in modern anatomy curricula. The body procurement process for dissection purposes has undergone significant evolution from the medieval era until now, whereby body donation has become the main source for human bodies in medical education. The appreciation ceremony for body donors is an excellent way to promote a body donation program, whereby both dissection and appreciation ceremonies are effective in inculcating professional behaviors and altruism among medical students. Despite the benefits of dissection and such ceremonies, conflicting ideas about the acceptability of these methods exist among Muslim scholars and students. Hence, this article provides a theological Islamic interpretation of human dissection, body donation, and appreciation ceremonies from four sources of Islamic law-the Qur\'an, Hadith, Idjmaa, and Qiyas-to justify Muslims\' involvement in the aforementioned. It is important to note that the fundamentals of Islam are submission to the will of the one and only God, Allah Subhanahu wa ta\'ala (SWT) and recognition of Prophet Muhamad (peace be upon him) as the last messenger of God. Therefore, the actions of a Muslim are strongly based on faith and virtue.