Anatomy students confirm cause of death for cadavers

MARK SMITH
Senior Writer
seniorwriter@occc.edu

Science students have confirmed the cause of death for six bodies here on campus.

During dissection of human cadavers in OCCC’s Human Anatomy class, Matt Merrill, pre-med/paramedic student, said the class has confirmed that all six cadavers died from natural causes.

“As we dissected the back muscles and upper and lower extremities, tumors and blood clots where found in different parts of the bodies,” Merrill said.

In the first part of this series, Merrill and his classmate Daniella Peters, pre-allied health major, talked to the Pioneer about the class and their concerns.

Eight weeks later, Merrill and Peters said they feel more confident.

“The class has definitely lived up to the challenge I expected,” Merrill said. “The cadaver lab has made learning anatomy much easier.”

Peters said she is more comfortable working with the cadavers.

Julian Hilliard, biology professor and anatomy lab instructor, said the school gets the cadavers from donors who wish that their bodies be used for medical research and education.

Peters said four to six people work on a cadaver at one time, “and that makes it easier.

“In addition, knowing that it was their wish before they died makes it bearable.”

So far the class has covered the back as well as the upper and lower limbs.

Peters said the class would cover the trunk in the next unit.

In the last installment of this series, the cadavers will have given up all of their secrets, and Merrill and Peters will have come to the end of their journey.

Editor’s note: Anny Duan-gvilay, the third student from part I, is no longer enrolled in the class.