Have you ever seen this image? It´s appears in a later version of the "Lesson in Anatomy" (1316) from Mondino de Luzzi, one of the first greatest surgeons in western medieval christianity. Of course, he´s the one on the throne but, who´s the one that is manipulating the corpse? 
We know something. Her name was Alessandra Gilliani (1307-1326), the first woman cited registered in a book as anatomist and Mondino´s personal assistant, furthermore, she prepared the bodies for the lessons given in the university of Bologna.
In addition, she invented a method to better preserve corpses in order to keep them fit for dissection. Finally, she early died because of a sepsis. In her tomb, there is a plate that sais:
"Enclosed in this urn the ashes of the body of Alessandra Giliani, maid of Periceto, skilled with the brush in anatomical demonstrations, and disciple, equaled by few, of the very notable physician, Mondino de Luzzi, await resurrection...
She lived nineteen years; she died consumed by her labors on March 26, 1326. Otto Agenius Lustrulanus, deprived by his loss of the best of himself, his excellent companion deserving of the best, has erected this tombstone."
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