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In the 17th century — during the restoration of the Stuart monarchy, if you want to be specific — "natural philosophers" were fumbling toward what would eventually emerge as the scientific process. Obviously, one of their core interests was anatomy. There was no established system of posthumous body donations — "Prithee, won't thee donate thy remains to alchemy?" — so they collected stray dogs and stole fresh corpses to further their knowledge.If viscerally troubling to laymen, what emerged was a fuller understanding of the mechanics of animal life, and even lifesaving surgical procedures. (Bladder stones: no longer a death sentence.) Tonight at 7, as part of the Bodies Revealed exhibit at Union Station (30 West Pershing Road), Dr. Robert Stephens, Associate Dean of the College of Biosciences at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, pre­sents "The History of Anatomical Studies," which delves into human prehistory and contemporary technological advances in anatomy studies. Tickets cost $16. Call 816-460-2020 for more information. Union Station
Tue., March 25, 2008