gh ecclesiastics, even many autopsies had been made on
Cardinals.

Pope Benedict's reply is quoted in full in Puschmann's Handbuch der
Geschichte der Medizin. Vol. II., page 227, in Robert Ritter Von
Toeply's article on the History of Anatomy. It occurs in the midst of
an abundance of material of great historical importance which shows
the place that the Popes occupy as patrons of anatomy for several
centuries. Von Toeply has no illusions with regard to any supposed
opposition of the Popes to medical science. He even says, that while
the older writers have always told the story of the development of
anatomy as if the Popes tried to prevent the study of it, as a matter
of fact, there is scarcely any evidence for this, and copious evidence
for their having done much to foster this branch of medical science
which they consider so important for the healing of the ills of
mankind. His reference to Boniface's answer with regard to the
relation of Boniface's bull to dissection runs as follows:

"Under the heading, Concerning the Dissection of Bodies in Public
Institutions of Learning, and in reply to the question whether the
bull of Boniface VIII. forbids the dissection of human bodies,
Benedict XIV. said (Institute 64):

"By the singular beneficence of God the study of medicine flourished
in a very wonderful manner in this {59} city (Rome). Its professors
are known for their supreme talents to the remotest parts of the
earth. There is no doubt that they have greatly benefited by the
diligent labor which they have devoted to dissection. From this
practice beyond doubt they have gained a profound knowledge of their
art and a proficiency that has enabled them to give advice for the
benefit of the ailing as well as a skill in the curing of disease.
Now such dissection of bodies is in no way contrary to the bull of
Pope Boniface. He indeed imposed the penalty of excommunication, to
be remitted only by the Sovereign Pontiff himself, upon all those
who would dare to disembowel the body of any dead person and either
dismember it or horribly cut it up, separating the flesh from the
bones. From the rest of his bull, however, it is clear that this
penalty was only to be inflicted upon those who took bodies already
buried out of their graves and by an act horrible in itself, cut
them in pieces in order that they might carry them elsewhere and
place them in another tomb. It is very clear, how