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Review
. 2024 Oct 1;16(10):e70612.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.70612. eCollection 2024 Oct.

A Trailblazer in Anatomy: Madhusudan Gupta and the Historic First Dissection

Deepa G  1 , Mrudula Chandrupatla  1 , Shrikrishna B H  2
Affiliations
Review

A Trailblazer in Anatomy: Madhusudan Gupta and the Historic First Dissection

Deepa G et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

The life and accomplishments of Madhusudan Gupta, a significant person in Indian medical history, are discussed in this review article. Born into an aristocratic Bengali family, Gupta initially showed little interest in formal education. However, his enrolment in Sanskrit College and subsequent involvement with Calcutta Medical College (CMC) marked a turning point in his life. Under European guidance, Gupta challenged deep-rooted societal and religious taboos by conducting the first cadaveric dissection in India, a groundbreaking act that significantly advanced anatomical studies in the country. Facing severe opposition, Gupta utilized his profound knowledge of Sanskrit texts to justify the practice of dissection, helping integrate Western medical practices into Indian education. His work not only revolutionized medical education in India but also paved the way for future reforms in the field. Gupta's legacy is honoured through various accolades, including the Pandit Madhusudan Gupta Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, underscoring his crucial role in the development of modern anatomy and medicine in India.

Keywords: cadaver dissection; health professionals education; india; medical edu; professional ethics; social and cultural anthropology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Plaques in the memory of the first dissection of a human corpse at Calcutta Medical College.
This image was sourced from Wikimedia Commons and is attributed to Pinakpani. The image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Pinakpani (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plaques_in_the_memory_of_first_dissection_of_a_human_corpse_in_CMC_01.jpg), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode
Figure 2
Figure 2. Madhusudan Gupta.
Scanned image of a photo reprint of an oil painting by S.C. Belnos, the wife of Jean Jacques Belnos, presented to Medical College by Drinkwater Bethune in 1850. The artwork is associated with the Bengal Renaissance and is an important piece reflecting the cultural and historical significance of that era. Source: Wikimedia Commons, 1850. The image is in the public domain under Indian law (published before 1964) and likely in other jurisdictions with similar copyright terms. No permission is required for reproduction, and it can be freely used in academic publications.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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