The Anatomy Act of 1832 was a law passed by the British Parliament in response to a shortage of legally available corpses for medical dissection and research. Prior to the act, there was a significant reliance on executed criminals' bodies, which were not enough to meet the growing needs of medical schools. This shortage led to the rise of illegal activities, such as grave robbing and even murder, as seen in the infamous Burke and Hare case.

The Anatomy Act allowed licensed doctors, teachers, and students of anatomy to use unclaimed bodies from workhouses and hospitals, primarily those who had died without family or financial means for burial. This act aimed to curb the illegal trade of bodies while providing a legal supply for medical education and scientific advancement. It also regulated the practice of dissection by requiring proper licenses and oversight.

The law was seen as controversial because it primarily affected the poor, whose bodies were more likely to be used for dissection. However, it significantly reduced the illicit trade in corpses and contributed to advancements in medical science.

The Burke and Hare case refers to a series of murders in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 1820s, committed by William Burke and William Hare. They killed 16 people and sold their bodies to Dr. Robert Knox, a well-known anatomy lecturer, for dissection. This case became notorious because instead of robbing graves, Burke and Hare murdered people to meet the high demand for fresh corpses in medical schools, which were in short supply for anatomical study.