The bequest of human bodies for dissection: a case study in the Otago Medical School.

AIMS: To explore why and by whom body bequests to the Otago Medical School have been made since the 1960s. METHODS: We sent out a questionnaire to people who have bequeathed their bodies to the medical school, the people being randomly selected on the basis of the inclusion of the initial J in a forename. The questionnaire sought information on sex, marital status, age, occupation at the time of bequest and bequest information source, as well as reasons for the bequest, expectations of cadaver use and attitudes towards organ donation. RESULTS: The most common reasons for making a bequest were--to aid medical science, and gratitude to the medical profession. There was, however, widespread confusion between cadaver use for medical teaching and for research. CONCLUSIONS: These center around the ethical implications of our findings for organ donation and attitudes towards usage of the dead body.