The Anatomists

This weekend, I watched the first episode of The Anatomists, a Channel 4 three-part series on the history of anatomical investigation. Having studied human anatomy and osteology during my masters' degree and since I use some anatomical work in my PhD research, I thought it would be really interesting to find out a little more about the history of the discipline, and I wasn't disappointed. It was definately worth a watch. The program, although only about 50 minutes long, covered the history of anatomy from its grisly beginnings in human vivisection and the treatment of gladiators' wounds through the Renaissance and the beginnings of University study of the human body and all the way up to the eighteenth century (where the second program will take over).

At the same time as The Anatomists was interesting and clearly well researched, though, I did feel the programme went a little overboard on the dramatic front. The presenter toured an anatomy theatre by the light of a small electric torch while extolling how unpleasant it would have been to attend an anatomy; the program was accompanied by montages of anatomical images which didn't always contribute to the dicsussion at hand, and there were several references which, seemingly unconcernedly, described anatomists as "obsessive" or "perverted" showmen. Of course, early anatomists must have had strong stomachs, and indeed a flair for working in public (as dissection has always been right in the public spotlight), but documentaries have to walk a fine line between truth and shock value. It was a pity, in my opinion, that The Anatomists, which overall was both interesting and convincingly serious, occasionally fell into the trap of sensationalism, especially since the subject already has a somewhat shady reputation among the general public. I think a strong relationship between science and society is vital for both parties, and feel that a non-sensationalist, balanced representation of research - particularly where ethical questions are involved - is particularly important to that relationship.