Donate your body to science!!!!

[kittynh]

Many of us on the board have talked about donating our bodies to science after we die.


But, did you ever wonder what happens to your body then?

Well, Ive been reading a book called, "Stiff, The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach

It talks about how important cadavers have been in history. And it lets you know what might happen to your body, after it has been donated.

The funny thing is we imagine being part of a gross anatomy class, but human cadavers are being replaced with computers and other methods of study.

You could end up doing the important job of being a crash test dummy! Dead humans are used in crash tests. The crash dummies we think of aren't much good for a real clue about what tolerances a body has in a crash. We all know about the problems with children and air bags. The problem was that people don't donate their children's bodies to science, so pigs were used instead to test the air bags on children. It wasn't very accurate testing.

Or the Univ. of Tenn. may just put you in a field. They have a forensic research program there, and they study how human bodies decompose in nature.

Gross anatomy labs treat their bodies with great respect. Some hold memorial services for the cadavers at the end of their use, and invite the families of the cadavers they studied.

Here is a quote from the chapter about the gross anatomy lab service,
"One young woman's tribute describes unwrapping her cadaver's hands and being brought up short by the realization that the nails were painted pink. "The pictures in the anatomy atlas did not show nail polish", she wrote, "did you choose the color?...Did you think that I would see it?... I wanted to tell you about the inside of your hands... I wanted you to know you are always there when I see patients. When I palpate and abdomen, yours are the organs I imagine. When I listen to a heart, I recall holding your heart."

It was really quite touching, and made me feel that cadavers are important and you can make a contribution even after death.

[Morwen]

I am an organ donor, and if I can ever figure out how to solve the bureaucratic conundrum in my country, when I go back I fully intend to donate whatever remais, if useful at all, to science/medicine/whatever. When they are done, I couldn't care less about what happens to the crumbs.

I see absolutely no reason not to do this, and plenty of good reasons to do it, so it's really a no-brainer. Plus it saves my family the cost of a grave.

[Hexxenhammer]

They can take whatever useful parts of me they want, but the rest is being cremated and held by someone in my family until they can take my ashes to the moon and mix them into the lunar soil.

[arcticpenguin]

I've gone one step further: I've donated my body to science while I'm still alive.

[Luciana]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
I've gone one step further: I've donated my body to science while I'm still alive.

:clap:

Kudos to the penguin!

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
I've gone one step further: I've donated my body to science while I'm still alive.
I've gone further still; I've donated my body to PSEUDOSCIENCE while I'm still alive.

[kittynh]

Actually, I've wanted a face lift...but can't really justify it.

But, plastic surgeons practice on cadavers! Cool!

[athon]

I'll only donate if it's tax deductable.

My view is that this body is little more than a car to drive while I'm living here. If somebody can use a rusty, old beat-up wreck when I've finished with it, they're more than welcome to have it.

Athon

[uneasy]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
I've gone one step further: I've donated my body to science while I'm still alive.

Congrats. My mom does this, the crazy woman. She's always down there subjecting herself to tests. Lately she told me one the experimental drugs they gave her in a test has now been found to increase the chance of Alziheimers. But hey, who else is going to do it?

Oh, and of course her body is going to be carved up for science within minutes after death. :)

I know I should give my body to science. It's a good body. Perfect vision. Bicycled 700 miles in the last 3 weeks. No diseases. I plead laziness. I'll put it on my long list.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by uneasy


Congrats. My mom does this, the crazy woman. She's always down there subjecting herself to tests. Lately she told me one the experimental drugs they gave her in a test has now been found to increase the chance of Alziheimers. But hey, who else is going to do it?

Oh, and of course her body is going to be carved up for science within minutes after death. :)

I know I should give my body to science. It's a good body. Perfect vision. Bicycled 700 miles in the last 3 weeks. No diseases. I plead laziness. I'll put it on my long list.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. I am not subjecting my body to tests, I am carrying them out. I have donated my body to science for 50+ hours a week until retirement age. Grad school was a rather painful down payment...

[SpectorDetector]

My body will be incinerated. No worms , med school students, no crash test dummy , no way. lol

Donations of organs while young can be useful . Once you've aged , your parts are pretty much shot

What gets my goat , is liver transplants to people that drank theirs away or smokers that need a lung or heart. I say let em reap the benefit of their spoils .

Kids always and first.

:D

[kittynh]

Dartmouth-Hitchkock Hospital in New Hampshire has a breast cancer study. You fill out a big questionaire every time you get a mammogram. One study they recently started was that some people volunteer to get a MRI as well as a mammogram. The catch, the people doing the MRI don't tell if they see "something". It is supposed to compare how much sooner a cancer would show up on a MRI as opposed to the traditional mammogram. You sign up just for the good of science, but it won't help save your life. I'm not sure I want to sign up, cause I'd be upset if they knew about a cancer on a MRI, but didn't tell me or my doctor.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by kittynh
Dartmouth-Hitchkock Hospital in New Hampshire has a breast cancer study. You fill out a big questionaire every time you get a mammogram. One study they recently started was that some people volunteer to get a MRI as well as a mammogram. The catch, the people doing the MRI don't tell if they see "something". It is supposed to compare how much sooner a cancer would show up on a MRI as opposed to the traditional mammogram. You sign up just for the good of science, but it won't help save your life. I'm not sure I want to sign up, cause I'd be upset if they knew about a cancer on a MRI, but didn't tell me or my doctor.
That sounds unethical.

[Eos of the Eons]

I was listening to a radio talk show last year. A guy said that he won't donate his organs because he needs to be 'whole' when he meets the maker... :roll: :confused: WTF?? Did you ever get your tonsils out dude? Would you rather die than get your appendix out if it's going to burst??? Aiyiyi! Did you know your body stays here on the planet even if you do meet the maker? Duh!:rolleyes:

[zakur]

Originally posted by Eos of the Eons
I was listening to a radio talk show last year. A guy said that he won't donate his organs because he needs to be 'whole' when he meets the maker... :roll: :confused: WTF?? Did you ever get your tonsils out dude? Would you rather die than get your appendix out if it's going to burst??? Aiyiyi! Did you know your body stays here on the planet even if you do meet the maker? Duh!:rolleyes: He's probably a conservative Catholic. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/art11.html#CHRIST), our bodies will be resurrected:1015 "The flesh is the hinge of salvation" (Tertullian, De res. 8, 2: PL 2, 852). We believe in God who is creator of the flesh; we believe in the Word made flesh in order to redeem the flesh; we believe in the resurrection of the flesh, the fulfillment of both the creation and the redemption of the flesh.

1016 By death the soul is separated from the body, but in the resurrection God will give incorruptible life to our body, transformed by reunion with our soul. Just as Christ is risen and lives for ever, so all of us will rise at the last day.It is my understanding that it is for this reason that the Catholic Church banned the practice of cremation until the 1960s, and until recently (late 1990s?), would not allow cremains in a Church during funeral mass.

[Tony]

I want my skeleton to be displayed in a museum; the exhibition will include a photo of me, and a plaque with my name on it.

[roger]

kittynh,

I've been wanting to read that book ever since I heard the author discussing the book on the radio a couple of months ago.

I am signed up as an organ donor, but not to donate my body to science. I would like to change that.

How does one go about it?

[Eos of the Eons]

Originally posted by zakur
He's probably a conservative Catholic. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/art11.html#CHRIST), our bodies will be resurrected:It is my understanding that it is for this reason that the Catholic Church banned the practice of cremation until the 1960s, and until recently (late 1990s?), would not allow cremains in a Church during funeral mass.
I see...didn't know that, thanks for the information :)

Even if the bodies were 'resurrected' they'd need new parts to replace the ones that have rotted away into oblivion. Therefore you might as well donate them before they rot. Either way, they're going to gone.

The Christ was only dead for what...3 days? That's a little different from a few hundred days or years. No matter how you are buried, you won't be 'whole' for long. Are they all going to get frozen to remain whole? That or be dunked in a jar of alcohol until they are resurrected.

Common sense, where is the common sense? Ah well, it was good for a laugh and I don't really care when you come right down to it.:)

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by kittynh
Actually, I've wanted a face lift...but can't really justify it.
There really is no way to justify cosmetic medical care. But, its one of those "I want to, I think it will make me feel better about myself" kinda deals. And thats what the whole medical field is all about, makin' people feel better. So, go ahead and get your face lift if you want.

But, plastic surgeons practice on cadavers! Cool!
NEATO!

[prettygirlsmakegrave]

Here is the best example of donating your body and having it on display

www.bodyworlds.com (not for those with weak stomachs)

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by zakur
He's probably a conservative Catholic. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/art11.html#CHRIST), our bodies will be resurrected:It is my understanding that it is for this reason that the Catholic Church banned the practice of cremation until the 1960s, and until recently (late 1990s?), would not allow cremains in a Church during funeral mass.
It's true that in the modern era the Catholic Church actually forbade the practice of cremation except in cases of public necessity. My understanding is that this had absolutely nothing to do with the Catholic belief in the ultimate resurrection of the body, which according to their theology will occur miraculously regardless of how the original body's component molecules were dispersed. Indeed, the rejection of cremation apparently was not based on any resistance to the practice itself, but rather to certain pagan or anti-Catholic ideologies that have historically been associated with cremation (including, notably, Freemasonry).

In 1983 the canon law was changed to allow Catholic cremations "unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teachings".

I'm not aware of anything in Catholic theology that would oppose someone's donation of his body to science.

[American]

Originally posted by ceo_esq
I'm not aware of anything in Catholic theology that would oppose someone's donation of his body to science.

I'm pretty sure they talk in generalities like "reverence for the flesh"... Basically you treat a corpse with the same dignity you do a living body (not literally, just in terms of respect and non-abuse).

[athon]

Catholic dogma teaches that at the end of days, we all get up - whole bodied - out of the graves, dust ourselves off and go about our business again (an interpretation of Revelations).

I know, I know, but we're all worm meat, right? Come on, who said it had to make sense? I went to Catholic high school, and this is what they said happened. No wonder I'm an atheist.

Athon

[nightwind]

Do you have to donate your body to just science, or can you donate it to anyone? :D

[kittynh]

Get the book "Stiff" from your library.

I think you can be specific about what is done with your body.

One University just puts bodies out in a field on campus, so the forensic science dept can study what happens to a body over time. There is always plenty of parking in the lot near the field...

[Segnosaur]

I'm donating my body to be used as compost.

[roger]

Originally posted by Segnosaur
I'm donating my body to be used as compost.
In your case, wouldn't oil be a better choice?

[BTox]

My body is too Greek God-like to have it cremated or hacked up by med students. I'm considering having it coated with concrete and turned into a statue ;)

[Melissa Johnson]

I'm planning on living long and well enough to have a very interesting corpse left over. Don't know yet whether I'll donate it to science, the way my mother in law did, or whether I'll opt for an all-out Catholic weep-fest, just to piss everyone off and wake the neighbors.

[Melissa Johnson]

Although, creepily enough, I just suddenly remembered some of my husband's crazy stories from his navy corpsman classes, and the idea of donating to science loses some of its charm. While I would like to be a fly on the wall when they dissect my liver in 2069 and hear the instructor say "This is why the government banned alcoholic beverages in this country," I'm not real hip to the idea of goofy anatomy students throwing my body parts around in an impromptu session of 'severed limb volleyball'.

Yes, I'm bored sick at work....

[Craig]

Originally posted by BTox
My body is too Greek God-like to have it cremated or hacked up by med students. I'm considering having it coated with concrete and turned into a statue ;)

Ah, time for a quote:

"Most people leave their bodies to medical science. I'm leaving mine to the Louvre, baby!" - The Cat

[Babylon Sister]

How about donating to the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee?

click here (http://web.utk.edu/~anthrop/FACdonation.html)

A facinating place if you can stand the smell. (the smell and the magots are the reasons I didn't go into forensic anthropology. Eeewwwwww!)

[Prospero]

What is the human body after death?

Meat.

They can do whatever they want with it, so long as it's productive. Nothing I hate worse than an unproductive corpse.