Bodies required to be buried at public expense shall be under the exclusive custody and control of the board. It is hereby declared unlawful for any person or persons to hold any autopsy on any dead human body subject to the provisions of sections 194.120 to 194.180 without first having obtained the consent of the secretary of the board or his accredited agent. The consent of any person for an autopsy on his or her body shall not in any way prevent or affect the application of sections 194.120 to 194.180.
§ 194.170, RSMo