Histology is used to describe post-mortem bone alterations, trauma, pathology, age estimation and to separate human and nonhuman bones. Many scholars are however not familiar with the intricate and variable microstructure of bone and due to the complex nature of some classification systems, bone histomorphology is often incorrectly described or identified. Little information is available on the histomorphology of nonhuman bones found in southern Africa and therefore the aim of this study was to describe the histomorphology of nonhuman species commonly found in southern Africa, namely, impala and monkeys, along with cat, dog, cow, sheep, equid and pig. Human femora were included for comparative purposes. The periosteal surface of femora was described and focused only on the arrangements of vascular canals, primary osteons and secondary osteons. The results compared favourably to other studies and also added a histomorphological description of impala femora which consisted of primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue. A large degree of overlap and combinations of bone tissue types was observed as well as evidence that allow animals from similar taxonomic orders to be grouped together. Primary vascular bone was primarily observed in artiodactyls (cow, pig, sheep and impala), while Haversian bone was recognised in carnivores (cat and dog), perissodactyla (horses and donkeys) and primates. These differences can be used to exclude human from unknown bone fragments and also serve to caution investigators when using animal models to infer human bone tissue responses to thermal damage, ballistic trauma, etc., as bone tissue types different to that of human bone may respond differently.

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Historically, legislature has been utilized to facilitate appropriate use of cadavers in the anatomical sciences. However, cadaver acquisition and use have also been guided by ethically appropriate and morally acceptable principles. Various global and regional frameworks of “ethical practice” guide body donation, including the use of unclaimed bodies by institutions. These frameworks are responsive to, and reciprocal with the various ethical, moral and legal factors that influence the development of body donation programs. This reciprocity supports the notion that anatomists and anatomical societies have a responsibility to advocate for legal reform when required. In this study, two body bequest programs from geopolitically and socially disparate countries are used as cases to contrast existing legal and governance frameworks for body donation and to examine whether anatomists can direct the acquisition of ethically donated cadavers. The study includes an Australian donor program that has exclusively accepted bequests since its inception, and a South African program that has recently transitioned to a bequest system. Elements such as consent by next‐of‐kin and Inspector of Anatomy, use of unclaimed bodies and ethics committee approval amongst others, are compared. It is acknowledged that legal frameworks for cadaver acquisition generally deliver broad guidance on acceptable utilization of bodies for the anatomical sciences. However, professional discretion is of importance in adapting to societal needs and values. Thus, while anatomists have been able to progress toward more ethical practice than that which is required by the law, they must continue to do so as societal values evolve.

Skull fractures are common in children both due to abuse and accidental incidences. The accurate detection of these fractures may therefore be critical. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of CT, X‐ray, and Lodox® scans, the latter which has not previously been evaluated and is commonly employed in South Africa, in detecting the number, location and type of pediatric skull fractures. Blunt force trauma was inflicted with a mallet on ten piglet skulls, which were CT, X‐ray, and Lodox® scanned and then macerated. The number, location, and type of skull fractures visible using each imaging modality, and on the cleaned skulls, were recorded. Sensitivities and specificities of each method were calculated. For fracture number and location, CTs had a sensitivity of 47.3%, X‐rays 22.4% and Lodox® 23.3%. For fracture type, sensitivities were 46.1%, 16.6%, and 17.8% for CT, X‐ray, and Lodox®, respectively. Specificities were high (92.5%–100%) which reduces the risk of incorrectly diagnosing fractures. However, low sensitivities increase the risk of failing to identify fractures and possible victims of abuse. Osteological analysis should preferably be the method of choice when evaluating pediatric skull trauma, and CTs should be used when osteological analysis is not feasible. If CT scanners are not available, X‐rays and Lodox® may have to be used. In these cases, additional radiographic views of the skull are imperative and may increase the sensitivity of these methods, although they are not recommended to detect exact pediatric skull fracture number, location, and type.

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While dissection remains the method of choice for teaching human anatomy, ethical requirements for obtaining cadavers has made the process of acquiring human bodies more strenuous for institutions. In Africa and at the School of Anatomical Sciences in South Africa, dependence on unclaimed bodies has been prevalent. The aim of the present study was to determine whether more rigorous application of ethical consent has altered the provenance of the cadavers in the School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand. The numbers of bequeathed/donated/unclaimed cadavers received over the period 2013-2017, as well as their sex and population affinity were analyzed. The majority (96.8%) of the cadavers dissected over the period were from bequests/donations. Marginally more females than males were available. In addition, the population affinity of the cadavers had changed from a majority of South African African (unclaimed) bodies to a majority of South African White (bequest/donated) bodies. The study shows that even with ethical constraints it is possible to transition from the use of mainly unclaimed bodies to the acquisition of bequeathed/donor bodies. However, there may be challenges in relation to anatomical collections in the School as few of the bequest/donated cadavers remain in the School to be added to the collections. These changes also affect the demographics of the Schools' collections. Anat Sci Educ 00: 000-000. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

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