New York Consolidated Laws, Public Health Law - PBH § 4215. Cadavers; burial after autopsy and dissection

1. In all cases in which a dissection has been made, the provisions of this article, requiring the burial or other lawful disposition of a body of a deceased person, and the provisions of law providing for the punishment of interference with or injuries to it, apply equally to the remains of the body after dissection as soon as the lawful purposes of such dissection have been accomplished.

2. In all cases in which an autopsy or dissection has been made of an unclaimed body, the provisions of this article requiring the burial or other lawful disposition of the body of a deceased person and punishing, interference with or injuries to it, shall apply equally to the remains of such body as soon as the lawful purposes of such autopsy or dissection have been accomplished, except that the persons having possession of the body may, in their discretion, cause it to be either buried or cremated, or may retain parts of such body for scientific purposes.