Skeletons in the closet at Human Body Exhibit

Phill Ewinn · 06-03-2012 03:49PM #1

Talk to Joe had a bloke on talking about a dead Romanian girl who's body was never identified and subsequently never claimed.

The girl is now part of the Human Body Exhibition being held in Dublin. The bloke lodged a complaint with the attorney general about the dead girl being put on display without any consent being given by herself or her relatives.

So AH would you go see the exhibit knowing this?

im invisible · 06-03-2012 03:51PM

that would nearly make me want to see it more

Esoteric_ · 06-03-2012 03:51PM

Why would you pay to see dead bodies, when you can just sneak into a morgue and ride them for free?

CardBordWindow · 06-03-2012 03:53PM

So..... where does the closet fit into this story?

Peetrik · 06-03-2012 03:54PM

Prices: Adults €20 / Concessions €16 / Children €12 / Family €56

Someone is profiting from it and its without the consent of the girl or her family. Very bad taste IMO

seamus · 06-03-2012 03:54PM

Dead people don't own anything. If she has no family, then ownership of the body passes to the state.

So as long as the Romanian state consented to her body being used in this way, I see no ethical problem.

Part of the aim of the exhibition is to challenge the traditional taboos around death, including things like this notion that dead people still have feelings.

gamgsam · 06-03-2012 03:56PM

Phill Ewinn wrote: »

Talk to Joe had a bloke on talking about a dead Romanian girl who's body was never identified and subsequently never claimed.

The girl is now part of the Human Body Exhibition being held in Dublin.

Did he have any proof that it was her?

Frank Black · 06-03-2012 03:56PM

I hate the way they try to dress up this distasteful exhibition as some sort of fascinating scientific learning experience.

Any of the information conveyed could be done using computer graphics or models.

It's just a voyeuristic and morbid thrill for some people to go and look at dead bodies. the whole thing is ethically suspect!

Esoteric_ · 06-03-2012 03:57PM

Since when did AHers become so moral? :eek:

Phill Ewinn · 06-03-2012 03:58PM

Just to add the caller alleged the other bodies were unclaimed people from Syria and China. Also that they wouldn't be allowed use these bodies for teaching in Ireland as they don't have consent from the person or their relatives.

Esoteric_ · 06-03-2012 03:59PM

Phill Ewinn wrote: »

Just to add the caller alleged the other bodies were unclaimed people from Syria and China. Also that they wouldn't be allowed use these bodies for teaching in Ireland as they don't have consent from the person or their relatives.

Why would you take a random person calling into a show's word as law? I mean really? The only people that ring into shows like that are usually little old people having histrionics because Tesco raised the price of a sandwich from 2.39 to 2.41.

Bad Panda · 06-03-2012 04:00PM

I wonder what items you can get in the gift shop....

mysteries1984 · 06-03-2012 04:01PM

LyndaMcL wrote: »

Why would you take a random person calling into a show's word as law? I mean really? The only people that ring into shows like that are usually little old people having histrionics because Tesco raised the price of a sandwich from 2.39 to 2.41.

Maybe I should call him. I was in Supervalu recently and saw a sign advertising a 'sanwhich' and 'ballygowen' for €3.

Esoteric_ · 06-03-2012 04:01PM

Bad Panda wrote: »

I wonder what items you can get in the gift shop....

If the people are all Romanian and Chinese as the caller alleged, probably begging bowls and Gucci handbags.

Bad Panda · 06-03-2012 04:03PM

LyndaMcL wrote: »

If the people are all Romanian and Chinese as the caller alleged, probably begging bowls and Gucci handbags.

I think you mean 'Authentic Guchi' handbags.

gamgsam · 06-03-2012 04:04PM

Was it on todays show? I can't find it.

I'm interested in hearing this guys evidence to back up what he is saying.

seamus · 06-03-2012 04:06PM

black francis wrote: »

It's just a voyeuristic and morbid thrill for some people to go and look at dead bodies. the whole thing is ethically suspect!

What's ethically suspect about looking at a dead body? Does this mean that wakes and open coffins are "morbid" and "ethically suspect"?

Nonsense. Everybody knows that there's a massive difference between seeing a model on a screen and seeing the actual thing. Otherwise we wouldn't bother going abroad, we'd just look at the pictures online.

We've been tearing cadavers apart and presenting the pieces in museums and galleries for centuries. How is this any different?

This presents aspects of the human body in a way that we could never otherwise see them. Throw off your prudish shackles and satisfy your curiosity.

frank9901 · 06-03-2012 04:12PM

The specimens featured in The Human Body Exhibition were donated in accordance with Chinese law to the Dalian Hoffen Biotechnique Laboratory which engages in research and innovation of the Plastination technique, and produces, preserves and provides specimens to medical schools and the general public for educational purposes. The laboratory uses the Plastination technique to preserve the specimens. Through the Plastination process, human tissue is permanently preserved using liquid silicone rubber that is treated and hardened. The end result is a rubberized specimen, preserved to the cellular level, showcasing the complexity of the body’s many bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and organs. The full-body specimens can take over a year to prepare. All specimens are treated with the utmost care and respect.
http://www.mcd.ie/home/fn.php?c=1941023&ar=thehumanbody

giant_midget · 06-03-2012 04:12PM

Myself and the GF went in to see it, Well worth the money. It's a real eye opener..only €20 too so a bargain

Phill Ewinn · 06-03-2012 04:16PM

gamgsam wrote: »

Was it on todays show? I can't find it.

I'm interested in hearing this guys evidence to back up what he is saying.

Todays show. Three way conversation between talk to Joe, the shows curator (or the bloke that runs it) and some other bloke making the claims.

Didn't seem to me that the curator was denying it. Joe couldn't understand how the body of the Romanian girl got there. She should have been cremated or buried.

Phill Ewinn · 06-03-2012 04:20PM

''The specimens featured in The Human Body
Exhibition were donated in accordance with
Chinese law to the Dalian Hoffen Biotechnique
Laboratory which engages in research and
innovation of the Plastination''

Thats the issue. The bodies didn't consent previous to their death. So talk to Joe says. Unclear if it's legal here.

2 stroke · 06-03-2012 04:24PM

Perhaps her relatives will see her in Dublin and claim her body.

Bannasidhe · 06-03-2012 04:27PM

Phill Ewinn wrote: »

Todays show. Three way conversation between talk to Joe, the shows curator (or the bloke that runs it) and some other bloke making the claims.

Didn't seem to me that the curator was denying it. Joe couldn't understand how the body of the Romanian girl got there. She should have been cremated or buried.

Funny - I heard this segment of the show I as I recall it no-one said there was any Romanians or Syrians but that all of the bodies on display are Chinese.
The person objecting to the show was objecting on the grounds that the bodies used were unclaimed and given to the university by the Chinese police. The university then plactised them and sent them off around the world on a money making exhibition.

He compared this to how unclaimed bodies are treated in Ireland - as in the case recent of a Romanian woman and queried how Irish people would feel if the Gardaí handed unclaimed bodies over to become part of a travelling show.

The people whose bodies were used never gave their consent. They did not donate their bodies to science. They just had no one claim them.

Would people like it if Irish bodies were used like this?

I have no problem with the content of an exhibition such as this - I do have a problem with people's bodies being used in this way without them having given prior permission.

MungBean · 06-03-2012 04:30PM

seamus wrote: »

Dead people don't own anything. If she has no family, then ownership of the body passes to the state.

So as long as the Romanian state consented to her body being used in this way, I see no ethical problem.

Part of the aim of the exhibition is to challenge the traditional taboos around death, including things like this notion that dead people still have feelings.

She was never identified, that means they never found her family not that she doesnt have any family. The ethical problem is that she may have family somewhere who lost her and now she's up on display for €20 a peek.

Nothingbetter2d · 06-03-2012 04:31PM

LyndaMcL wrote: »

Why would you pay to see dead bodies, when you can just sneak into a morgue and ride them for free?

i bet you just love shagging a good "stiff" one

minidazzler · 06-03-2012 04:32PM

seamus wrote: »

Dead people don't own anything. If she has no family, then ownership of the body passes to the state.

So as long as the Romanian state consented to her body being used in this way, I see no ethical problem.

Part of the aim of the exhibition is to challenge the traditional taboos around death, including things like this notion that dead people still have feelings.

She's Roma, that doesn't actually mean she's from Romania or has ever even been there.

Micky Dolenz · 06-03-2012 04:33PM

seamus wrote: »

This presents aspects of the human body in a way that we could never otherwise see them. Throw off your prudish shackles and satisfy your curiosity.

Because someone doesn't want to see corpses twisted into certain positions. doesn't make them a prude.

I would not see this show, it doesn't interest me on any level. It's more entertainment then educational in my opinion. I do however have no problem with it on moral grounds.

WindSock · 06-03-2012 04:34PM

Bad Panda wrote: »

I wonder what items you can get in the gift shop....

Plastic gees. I bought 5.

Capt'n Midnight · 06-03-2012 04:36PM

And there was me thinking they were all Falun Gong or others of the 5,000 people executed each year in China

After their organs were harvested of course .

Moral: pop down to your local vet and get yourself chipped

Phill Ewinn · 06-03-2012 04:37PM

Bannasidhe wrote: »

Funny - I heard this segment of the show I as I recall it no-one said there was any Romanians or Syrians but that all of the bodies on display are Chinese.
The person objecting to the show was objecting on the grounds that the bodies used were unclaimed and given to the university by the Chinese police. The university then plactised them and sent them off around the world on a money making exhibition.

He compared this to how unclaimed bodies are treated in Ireland - as in the case recent of a Romanian woman and queried how Irish people would feel if the Gardaí handed unclaimed bodies over to become part of a travelling show.

The people whose bodies were used never gave their consent. They did not donate their bodies to science. They just had no one claim them.

Would people like it if Irish bodies were used like this?

I have no problem with the content of an exhibition such as this - I do have a problem with people's bodies being used in this way without them having given prior permission.

That could be it. I only half listened. Mostly because talk to Joe annoys me so much. Joes fault for being annoying!

seamus · 06-03-2012 04:40PM

MungBean wrote: »

She was never identified, that means they never found her family not that she doesnt have any family. The ethical problem is that she may have family somewhere who lost her and now she's up on display for €20 a peek.

And how is that any different to her being buried in the ground with an unidentified family? Either way the family are untraceable. What's the problem?

A body is typically treated with respect because it belongs to their family and they wish to have it respected - to see it disrespected is upsetting.
If someone has no family, I see no moral problem with using their body for ethically sound and practical purposes, including scienfitic research and art.

For all I care you can throw my body in a wood chipper to see what happens, except that I know such a thing would upset my family.

minidazzler wrote: »

She's Roma, that doesn't actually mean she's from Romania or has ever even been there.

The OP said Romanian

Skeletons in the closet at Human Body Exhibit

Is it right to show these bodies without their consent? 162 votes

Comments