Plastination: anatomical exhibition of real human bodies * GRAPHIC *

**WARNING: GRAPHIC HUMAN ANATOMY IMAGES **

greetz friends,

This subject might not be for everyone, but I'm sure people interested in human anatomy or preservation techniques will definatly be interested.

BUT BE WARNED! the subject deals with graphic human (animal) body parts and tissues, so it might not be for all.....k?



The anatomical exhibition of real human bodies

Gunther von Hagens, the creator of plastination, began his medical studies at the University of Jena in 1965.

It was in Heidelberg in 1977 where he invented the basic technologies for forced infusion of anatomical specimens with reactive plastics especially developed for this purpose.

Decay is a considerable impediment to morphological studies. Therefore scientists have been searching for centuries for suitable preservation techniques.

With the invention of plastination it has become possible to preserve decomposable specimen in a durable and lifelike manner for instructional, research, and demonstration purposes.

During a vacuum process biological specimens are impregnated with a reactive polymer developed specifically for this technique.

The class of polymer used determines the mechanical (flexible or hard) and optical (transparent or opaque) properties of the preserved specimen.

Plastinated specimen are dry and odourless; they retain their natural surface relief and are identical with their state prior to preservation down to the microscopic level; even microscopic examinations are still possible.

**WARNING: GRAPHIC HUMAN ANATOMY IMAGES **

www.koerperwelten.com...

www.koerperwelten.com...

www.koerperwelten.com...



Body worlds: Exhibition

anatomical exhibition



also related: World trade in bodies is linked to corpse art show







[edit on 1-7-2004 by quadricle]

i saw this exhibit in london about a year ago. it was extremely interesting, but i didnt understand the guy's deal with making 'plastination' seem like a science. i'm sure it's a very technical process, but i think it was clear that this show was more about art for the prurient than science. i forget the specifics, but i kept remember all these plaques detailing the many uses plastination could be put to and thinking "that's useless, no one would do that"... just my two cents. still a great exhibit nonetheless.

-koji K.

[edit on 1-7-2004 by koji_K]

I wonder if people knew their bodies would be put on display in this fashion?

morbid indeed

This is an interesting topic! I was unaware of these procedures...

It seems only natural that after we see the incredible preservation of mummies that man would desrie to duplicate and improve upon it...

In forensic pathology, it is common to come across "adipocere" - let me quote from a book I have for the exact definition..."Occasionally, a decomposing body will undergo transformation to adipocere. Adipocere is a firm, greyish-white to brown wax-like material composed of oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. It is produced by conversion of neutral fats during putrefaction to the aforementioned acids....It is seen most commonly in bodies immersed in water or in damp, warm environments. Adipocere is said to take several months to develop, though development can be as short as several weeks. It is relatively resistant to both bateriologic and chemical degradation."

This this little girl died in 1902, and her casket was reopened, for some reason or another, in 1995.


I think these procedures of plastination, however, show just how close we can get to natural science...I'm surprised that forensic units in police departments have not jumped on this to allow extended examination of the bodies...I think, of course, that the plastination links you've provided to the images are meant to be forms of art...Here's an age old question to ponder on this thread...Does life imitate art or does art imitate life?!?!

Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun
I think these procedures of plastination, however, show just how close we can get to natural science...I'm surprised that forensic units in police departments have not jumped on this to allow extended examination of the bodies...

good point EOH, but if the process takes a considerable amout of time,
it would be impracticle to use it in a forensic application....maybe

I don't doubt it's benefits tho...

Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun
I think, of course, that the plastination links you've provided to the images are meant to be forms of art...Here's an age old question to ponder on this thread...Does life imitate art or does art imitate life?!?!

I tend to believe that life imitates art by far.

Then again it's how you define art.







[edit on 3-7-2004 by quadricle]

I think these are beautiful. What a wonderful way to have your body used once you kick the bucket! Where do I sign up? I want to be playing the violin, because I haven't got a clue how to now...lol.

And what great artful work!

as for the adipocere.

I was aware of this natural occurance from a docu I had seen a few months back....

very fascinating, again... nature is mysterious in it's ways...

Originally posted by Valhall
I think these are beautiful. What a wonderful way to have your body used once you kick the bucket!

Where do I sign up?

[joke]here[/joke]

note:
When signing the donation form and the body donation identity card the body donor confirms that he/she agrees with the donation. A body donation for plastination purposes constitutes a declaration of will which may be revoked at any time

When signing the donation form and the body donation identity card the body donor confirms that he/she agrees with the donation. A body donation for plastination purposes constitutes a declaration of will which may be revoked at any time

I'd assume it's governed under the same laws which allow the use of cadavers...

What a wonderful way to have your body used once you kick the bucket! Where do I sign up? I want to be playing the violin, because I haven't got a clue how to now...lol.

- "Hey mom, you know how it was so hard for all of us to let go to Uncle Bob and Aunt Cathi...so we got you a little present"

Wow, EOH, that picture is amazing. This is the first time of heard of adipocere.

Ya - I learned about it maybe about a year or so ago when I miserabley failed my class in Forensic Anthropology - I loved the subject matter tho...

One of the examples in our class was of an unintentional burial that was exposed by some pranskter kids - I don't remember why they were digging, obviosly not grave robbers - and they came across this dead guy in a civil war uniform and totally freaked out - the local cops made it out to be some crazy civil war buff who got ditched by some serial killer, except - duh - no marks of mutilation, except for a gunshot wound with and original civil war lead bullet - the state corner realized he really had something here and called in a forensic anthropologist - sure enough this guy was well over 100 years old and looked no more dead than 5 tops,that being at a very slow, slower than a snail, state of decay. I wish I had the pic, b/c it was incredible - talk about preserving history for the future

It would probablly be in the Smithsonian had they used these plastination techniques on his body once it was recovered

but if the process takes a considerable amout of time,
it would be impracticle to use it in a forensic application....maybe

Plus I doubt it's cheap!

I worked up an appetite reading this thread

Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun
This this little girl died in 1902, and her casket was reopened, for some reason or another, in 1995.

I took a peek at the site where u got this pic. I don't think she had 'good embalmers' however She appears to be too natural... maybe she's a little 'saint'.

There is (among Catholics) a number of 'saints' whose bodies have been exhumed and found to be 'incorrupt'. Hence, they are called 'The Incorruptables'. I found this to be so fascinating (I'm not Catholic) that I found a book by that same title and it is filled with image after image of these 'saints' that look almost as fresh and dewy as when they were alive!

In fact, St. Bernadette (who had visions of Virgin Mary and is the little shepard girl who was directed to dig in the ground which released the spring water in Lourdes where many continue to go today to be healed by it) is incorrupt and her body is on view in a glass casket. When exhumed only the string holding her rosary beads together had disintergrated and I think they coated her body with a thin layer of wax to perserve its moisture content [no, it is not a wax model]). Pretty fascinating...

And this thread is as well! I'd never heard of this technique and it's most interesting to see the images. Wish I could have seen that art show

[edit on 3-7-2004 by Cattlespy]

Originally posted by CattlespyThere is (among Catholics) a number of 'saints' whose bodies have been exhumed and found to be 'incorrupt'. Hence, they are called 'The Incorruptables'. I found this to be so fascinating (I'm not Catholic) that I found a book by that same title and it is filled with image after image of these 'saints' that look almost as fresh and dewy as when they were alive!

That's an interesting take on this subject matter that I was unaware of...I'm not sure if I subscribe entirely to it, just due to personal beliefs...I have heard of St. Bernadette and the spring water in Lourdes (Is this the same spring Guido visits in Felini's 8 1/2?)

Another point that Cattlespy brought up is that, if you've visited the source of my pic, www.adipocere.homestead.com..., you'll notice that not all bodies that have adipocere tissue formation are quite as "beautiful" as this little girl...This has many different factors - soil ph, temperature, depth of body in burrying matter - note here that peate bogs have similar "mummifying" qualities, bug attraction levels, time of exposure to the elements before death...I could go on and on

Clealry her body was preserved under almost every right condition - and when they found her, she may not have looked precisely as she does in the picture - she probably has the adipocere removed - although the condition listed above can vary the degree of thickness and how much of the body it covers, which explains why some of the bodies on that link look more grotesque than others...so IntelRetard...

I worked up an appetite reading this thread

you may want to stay out of this site - lol - try a full semester of seeing dead body powerpoints...

Wow I think those are cool, better than having your body rot inside of box buried 6ft underground eh?

Okay, there's only one thing I definitely want to point out here....

nobody's convincing me that horse said this was okay.

They remind me of Alex Grey's art

www.alexgrey.com...

anyone loan me 25k?

His work is classed as art many people are really against his work ive seen this a few years back a "new way" to shock people like damian hurts and his cows.

Originally posted by Valhall
Okay, there's only one thing I definitely want to point out here....

nobody's convincing me that horse said this was okay.

I don't follow what you mean Valhall - horse?
Ooohh - Are you referring to the one in that picture...lol
PETA could have fun with this topic...

I think this is pretty awesome. I would love to see this exibit if it came to my area.

DaVinci used to visit morgues to view the anatomy first hand. Artists today aren't given that opportunity- to just walk in a morgue. If so, people would think they were some sort of freak and have them arrested.

Adipocere is a process which happens on it's own.

The process Bodyworld uses is artificial, as was the process used by the ancient Egyptians.

Funny how you can catch a show on the Discovery channel on the burial practices of the ancient Egyptians and yet some people refer to Bodyworld's exhibits as sick, demented and gross.

The whole job of an undertaker is to present the body of the deceased, to family and loved ones, to as close to the real life "image" of the person as possible.

The more disfigured the subject, the more of a challange to the undertaker. An artisitc hand is definitely required in this field.