Body of Work: Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Lab.BODY OF WORK: Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the adult human body.[1] It is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy.[1] Lab Christine Montross The author, a physician, finds her inspiration for this book in the dissection dissection /dis·sec·tion/ (di-sek´shun) 1. the act of dissecting. 2. a part or whole of an organism prepared by dissecting. of a human cadaver cadaver /ca·dav·er/ (kah-dav´er) a dead body; generally applied to a human body preserved for anatomical study.cadav´ericcadav´erous ca·dav·er n. , a rite of passage rite of passage n. A ritual or ceremony signifying an event in a person's life indicative of a transition from one stage to another, as from adolescence to adulthood. for all first-year medical students. For Montross, the act of cutting into once-living human flesh was fraught with mixed emotions. Her desire to become technically adept was at times contrary to her desire to respect the humanity of the cadaver. Montross chronicles her day-today experiences in the anatomy lab as she marvels at the human form, section by section. In researching the history of dissection, she travels to Padua, Italy, where the procedure was first carried out in anatomical theaters, She recognizes that the discomfort that she feels when examining a dead body or responding to the personal concerns of living patients is natural and that she must face such reactions head-on. Montross presents a poetic take on a gruesome grue·some adj. Causing horror and repugnance; frightful and shocking: a gruesome murder. See Synonyms at ghastly. , but necessary, procedure. Penguin Press, 2007, 295 p., b&w illus., hardcover, $24.95. |
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