1788 doctors' riot

18th-century riot in New York City

An illustration depicting the interruption of a dissection during the riot.

The 1788 Doctors' Riot, also known as the Anatomy Riot, was a violent disturbance in New York City that occurred in April 1788. The riot was sparked by public outrage over the practice of anatomical dissection by medical students and physicians, which was perceived as desecration of the dead. This event highlighted the tensions between the medical community and the general public regarding the use of human bodies for medical education.

Background

In the late 18th century, the study of human anatomy was essential for the advancement of medical knowledge. However, the procurement of bodies for dissection was fraught with ethical and legal challenges. At the time, bodies were often obtained through grave robbing, a practice that was both illegal and deeply offensive to the public. The lack of legally available cadavers led medical students and doctors to resort to clandestine means to acquire bodies for study.

The Riot

The riot began when a group of boys playing near the New York Hospital discovered a severed arm hanging from a window. The boys alerted their parents, who, along with a growing crowd, stormed the hospital. The mob was incensed by rumors that the bodies of their recently deceased loved ones were being exhumed and dissected without consent.

As tensions escalated, the mob broke into the hospital, destroying anatomical specimens and equipment. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, with the rioters targeting medical students and physicians. The violence spread throughout the city, and several doctors were forced to flee for their safety.

New York Hospital, the scene of the Doctors' Riot.

Aftermath

The riot was eventually quelled by the intervention of the New York State Militia, but not before several people were injured and significant property damage had occurred. In response to the riot, the New York State Legislature passed the "Act to Prevent the Odious Practice of Digging Up and Removing, for the Purpose of Dissection, Dead Bodies Interred in Cemeteries or Burial Places," which aimed to regulate the procurement of bodies for medical study and reduce the incidence of grave robbing.

Impact on Medical Education

The 1788 Doctors' Riot had a lasting impact on medical education in the United States. It underscored the need for legal and ethical frameworks to govern the use of human remains in medical research and education. The riot also prompted the establishment of more formalized medical schools and the development of legal means to obtain bodies for dissection, such as the donation of unclaimed bodies from hospitals and prisons.

Related pages

• History of medicine
• Anatomy
• Medical education
• Grave robbing