Medical Ethics
Even at such an early time in the field of medical research, the doctors are still experiencing a number of ethical dilemmas, although they do not actually experience them until they are looking back on what they have done. They do not seem to be in any kind of dilemma as to their actions whilst caught up in the middle of them.
In the play, we can see that there should be no dilemma. The law at the time was extremely prescriptive about the corpses that could be used for research. There was a terrible lack of corpses that fell into the acceptable categories, which in of itself could be seen as unethical in that the law was making it almost impossible for doctors to make any strides in their research because of an emphasis on the quality of the life that was lived before a person died.
In order to continue with his craft, Dr Rock decided to hire grave diggers, but because the criminals overheard him discussing this, found himself using murder victims' corpses instead. There is an ethical dilemma for him here, but there shouldn't be. There should not be a dilemma between the procurement of a corpse and looking the other way whilst a murder is committed. The ethical dilemma for Rock occurs at the end of the play as he reflects on his inaction that quite possibly cost the lives of some of the murder victims.
Medical Renaissance
The nineteenth century, particularly in Scotland, was a medical renaissance and there was a great deal of anatomical research being done. This meant that doctors who did this kind of work were as famous in their day as television show doctors are today. Dr Rock is an example of this as his lectures are in great demand and he is also more than willing to perform a dissection at a lecture for people to view. The line between medicine and entertainment was actually rather blurred during this time, but that did not negate the fact that enormous strides were being made. This is one of the reasons for Rock's willingness to resort to employing grave robbers to provide him with cadavers; the law of the day tied his hands and he knew that if we was to really take the field of medical research forwards, he would have to find cadavers outside of legal means.
