Death’s Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab Where the Dead Do Tell Tales Introduction Death’s Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab Where the Dead Do Tell Tales is an autobiography by Bill Bass that tells of his experiences as a Forensic Anthropologist. Bass is the founder of the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.…
When a loved one dies, there are many things that can be done with the body. There is the choice of embalmment for a funeral, cremation, organ donation, or donating the body to science. It is apparent what happens when the body is embalmed, cremated, or the organs are donated to save a life, but there are endless possibilities for what happens to a body donated to science. So, what exactly happens when someone’s body is used to further scientific research? This question is exactly what Mary Roach answers.…
The most effective narrative in my opinion is “The Embalming of Mr. Jones” by Jessica Mitford. In the essay Mitford talks about the malpractices committed by funeral homes. She talks about the exact way a body is embalmed and then placed for display. Although embalming has been practiced for ages, she emphasizes the disgust at modern techniques to the process. Mitford explains, “About three to six gallons of a dyed and perfumed solution formaldehyde, glycerin… is soon circulating through Mr. Jones whose mouth has been sewed together with a “needle directed upward between the upper lip and gum and brought out through the left nostril,””…
1. Our emotional response to this essay is slight disgust; the embalming process is very gruesome. We have conflicting feelings about this essay. We thought it gross, but at the same time, it was very interesting to read about what actually happens when embalming. 2.…
Resurrecting Autopsy The article, “Bring Back the Autopsy” addresses a significant issue occurring in the medical field with the lack of autopsies performed in hospitals with staggering less than ten percent. I agree on the stance the author is placing themselves in because of today’s doctors over reliance on technology, their decision only creates more problems with misdiagnosis the symptoms of the patient. Autopsies are reliable as an educational tool in discovering undiagnosed problems that may go unnoticed during the patient’s treatment and performing an autopsy adds more to the knowledge of medicine.…
In order increase the number of donations, there must be more government involvement to regulate the usage of cadavers. After the shocking occurrence of cadavers getting blown up and the recent arrest of the UCLA’s director for illegally selling cadaver body parts, Michael Meyer, medical ethicist, asserts that “Congress should act to create a carefully regulated, non-profit system” to eliminate future instances like this from happening. Afterall, “the Constitution guarantees the protection of human dignity” (Cadavers in Car Safety Research) and cadavers, although dead humans still deserve such protection. This is violated by the lack of oversight which lead to cadaver misuse. Not only is it the government’s sole responsibility to ensure constitutional…
When I was only ten years old, I told my mother I wanted to be a funeral director and/or embalmer when I got older. Thirteen years later, I am still saying that same phrase, but only this time it is hitting a little closer to home. I have been waiting 4,745 days to finally be able to say that I am only one year away from achieving that long term goal of mine and I could not be more excited. Although I knew exactly what I wanted to do at such young age, I did not apply to mortuary science school straight out of high school like I could have. After I received my academic honors diploma from high school, I attended Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame.…
The short story, “A Story about the Body,” seems to be about how people look to other’s exterior appearances to love an individual, however that is not necessarily the case. Depending on whose lens one chooses to view the events through, there are many takes on the true meaning of the short story but personally the one take that seems true of both characters revolves around insecurities with physical bodies. “A Story about the Body” does truly give the reader much to mull over with regards to emotions and analysis of both the painter’s body and the composer’s reaction and behavior towards her body. Robert Hass transforms a simple, boy-likes-girl setting into a complex and sensitive situation in so few words. For example, the young…
When I get out of high school, I plan to be a mortician. I think being a mortician is an interesting job. A mortician is a person who gets to prepare dead people for their funeral and to arrange and manage funerals. To become a mortician, you will need a few years of school.…
Both the 2013 historical novel, ‘Burial Rites’ by Hannah Kent and the 2003 independent film ‘Lost in Translation’ directed by Sofia Coppola explore the ways in which isolation can be shown through more than just the protagonists eye. Kent and Coppola create a harsh setting that works to alienate protagonists from their surroundings. Combined with dissimilar social statuses and the overarching effects of sound, a sense of separation within the two texts is developed. The implementation of film and literary techniques support the conveyance of these ideas which ultimately fashion the ever-present theme of isolation.…
My first experience with death occured when I was 4 and my great-grandfather died, although I was not that affected, as I was too young to really know what was going on and I wasn´t really close with him in the first place. When I was 10, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, and he passed away two years later. This was my real first experience with death, as I was affected deeply, as was my family too. Whenever my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, they found it in the fourth stage, which is the worst stage, he started treatment with hopes that he would get rid of the cancer.…
Introduction: I believe that investigation plays a very big role in a death because without investigating the death and crime scene nobody knows what possibly took place and caused the death. Investigating the death of someone is also important because it determines what type of death the investigator is dealing with. When investigating death, there are different things that need to be known such as cause, manner and mechanism of death. Topic I - Manner of Death A. What is Manner of Death?…
In today’s society, people live by the saying, “Do good and good will come to you.” The most common good deed done by society is “Giving”. Organ donation has become a popular practice among concerned individuals. Organ donation provides the average person the opportunity to do something awesome- save a life. To know that you can help a person by a commonly done procedure is great.…
Death itself is not difficult to comprehend; the funeral is. This is clear as I am currently drowning in my sorrows, as my feet march into this black abyss. All I can hear is the heavy, pounding feet of others, as we march as one. Marching to our downfall. It is a difficult sight to witness: couple’s hands clenched together, gripping at each-other as though the pain will subside if they squeeze hard enough.…
I do not remember exactly the particular day but all I remember was that it was very humid and the sky was cloudy. It was just a few days before I joined first grade and I had just arrived home from my neighbors. I was utilizing my last few days of freedom and hence was tired and hungry. I had rushed home looking forward to my grandmother’s food and playing time.…