body snatching

the act or practice of robbing a grave to obtain a cadaver for dissection.

Origin of body snatching

First recorded in 1825–35

In former times "body-snatching," or digging up bodies for dissections, was much, more heard of than at present.

The Great Riots of New York 1712 to 1873 |J.T. Headley
The point is, I'm going to do the body-snatching instead of you.

The Man in the Twilight |Ridgwell Cullum
One of the editions was issued with the title of Body-snatching.

The Diary of a Resurrectionist, 1811-1812 |James Blake Bailey
This was a real or an imaginary case of the body-snatching of which Herodotus speaks frequently.

The World of Homer |Andrew Lang

But while the students of the metropolis were active in the body-snatching work, those of Glasgow were following hard behind them.

The History of Burke and Hare |George Mac Gregor