ever, that by this,
the dissection of bodies, which has proved so necessary for those
exercising the profession of medicine, is by no means forbidden."
[Footnote 4]

[Footnote 4: The original Latin taken from Puschmann runs thus: "De
cadaverum sectione facienda in publicis Academiis, utrum constitutio
Bonifacii VIII. sectioni humanorum cadaverum adversetur. Singulari
dei beneficio medicinae studium in hac civitate (Roma) magnopere
floret cujus etiam professores ob eximiam virtutem in remotissimis
terrae partibus commendantur. Ipsis sane maxime profuit, quod
incidendis mortuis corporibus diligentem operam contulerint, ex qua
procul dubio praeclaram artis scientiam, in consultationibus obeundis
pro aegrotorum salute praestantiam, morbisque eurandis peritiam
consecuti sunt . . . . Porro haec membrorum incisio nullo modo adversatur
Bonifacii Institutioni . . . . Ille quidem poenam excommunicationis
indicit Pontifici solo remittendam, iis omnibus qui audeant
cuiuscumque defuncti corpus exenterare, ac illud membratim vel in
frustra immaniter concidere ab ossibus tegumentum carnis excutere.
Tamen ex reliquis ejusdem constitutionis partibus clare
deprehenditur, hanc poenam illis infligi qui sepulta corpora e tumulis
eruentes ipsa nefario scelere in frustra secabant ut alio deferrent,
alioque sepulchro collocarent. Quamobrem membrorum incisio
minime interdicitur, quae adeo necessaria est medicinae facultatem
exercentibus."]

This whole subject of the Supposed Papal Prohibition of Anatomy is
typical of a certain form of controversial writing against the Church.
A document of some time or other from the Middle Ages is taken,
twisted from its {60} original meaning and set up as a serious
stumbling block to the development of science or education in some
way. It is quoted confidently by some one without much authority.
Others who are glad of the opportunity to have such an objection to
urge against the Papacy, take it up eagerly, do not look it up in the
original, absolutely fail to consider the circumstances in which it
was issued, and then spread it broadcast. Of course it is accepted by
unthinking readers, whose prejudices lead them to believe that this is
what was to be expected anyhow. It maybe that history, as is the case
in anatomy, absolutely contradicts the assertion. That makes no
difference. History is ignored and treatises are written showing how
much science would have developed only for Papal opposition, by pe