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.
Mary Roach, the author of the 2003 novel Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, explores the different lives of bodies postmortem. Through her use of humor and personal comments, Stiff reads like an exploration of death and the lives …show more content…
During this time, she learns the various ways people cope with the use of severed heads. Some of the ways people cope, which may seem heartless, is by objectifying the remains. When a head or even an arm is objectified, it makes it easier for the students to work on them rather than thinking about working on a deceased person. It is during this time that Roach realizes the importance of cadavers in surgical research. The use of a cadaver allows surgeons to perfect the skill without potentially hurting a living …show more content…
Roach also considers alternative funerals such as tissue digestion and human composting. When compared to traditional means of burial, both of the alternatives are more environmentally sound; however, both are unusual enough to cause most people to hesitate. The tissue digestion involves dissolving the remains using heat, pressure, and lye, and reducing them to two percent of the original body weight. Human composting is a simple way to turn our bodies into a soil-building material. Steps are being made to make these options available to people around the
Mary Roach, the author of the 2003 novel Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, explores the different lives of bodies postmortem. Through her use of humor and personal comments, Stiff reads like an exploration of death and the lives …show more content…
During this time, she learns the various ways people cope with the use of severed heads. Some of the ways people cope, which may seem heartless, is by objectifying the remains. When a head or even an arm is objectified, it makes it easier for the students to work on them rather than thinking about working on a deceased person. It is during this time that Roach realizes the importance of cadavers in surgical research. The use of a cadaver allows surgeons to perfect the skill without potentially hurting a living …show more content…
Roach also considers alternative funerals such as tissue digestion and human composting. When compared to traditional means of burial, both of the alternatives are more environmentally sound; however, both are unusual enough to cause most people to hesitate. The tissue digestion involves dissolving the remains using heat, pressure, and lye, and reducing them to two percent of the original body weight. Human composting is a simple way to turn our bodies into a soil-building material. Steps are being made to make these options available to people around the