“Mors auxilium vitae”-Causes of death of body donors in an Austrian anatomical department

Our data clearly show that body donors, at least in our department, depict a representative sample of Austrian population in terms of their causes of death. Therefore anatomical dissection provides appropriate insight into the morbidity of the increasing major target population of medicine, the elders. Limitations in the acceptance by age, excluding either young or old donors, which appear to exist in other anatomical departments, will limit this representativeness. Being aware of these facts, the anatomical dissection course cannot only provide anatomical learning experiences but can also provide an introduction to the basics of epidemiology. Therefore, a topographical dissection course remains an indispensable method for both undergraduate and postgraduate training as well as for research.