I've recently returned from New York City and had the opportunity to visit "Bodies: The Exhibition" at the New York South Street Seaport. I had read about a similar exhibit in the Wall Street Journal several years ago about "Body Worlds", a similar exhibit that is also touring the US, and upon hearing the coincidence that the "Bodies" exhibit was here, I was compelled to go. Little did I know what I would discover...
The exhibit is tastefully arranged and is similar to a review of the major systems of the body that we all learned in high school. But instead of being in a textbook these were on display in 3-D with real cadavers as models. The bodies were tastefully arranged in various poses to show the interior organs, muscles and bones and how these interact with each other. It amazed me to see how well preserved the bodies were, and it truly looked like art and science had melded well together.
The exhibitors were also sensitive to those who may not want to view the room with the various stages of the fetus in development. The exhibit clearly stated that the babies had died of natural causes and had not been harmed, but if anyone still did not want to view them, they could easily bypass the room to continue with the exhibit. It amazes me that we all started as a single cell organism (and according to the website for only 30 minutes), and our growth continues with the development of our interconnected systems until we are ready to come into this world at birth. Life is truly an amazing gift.
Life is also a gift we tend to abuse. Also on display were a set of lungs that had accumulated an excess of tar and chemicals from excessive smoking of cigarettes. It was enough to make me rethink my lifestyle, and I'm not a smoker! Also on display were the remains of a breast cancer victim in the late stages of the disease. Considering I am currently working with the Sister Study as a breast cancer research study spokesperson, this was especially poignant as it truly hit home just how devastating this disease can be to a woman. I must admit, this exhibit changed my way of thinking about life.
Upon leaving the exhibit, you are allowed to touch some sample parts to see how well preserved they are. The process includes using acetone to remove the water from the tissue and later placing these into a bath of silicone or plastic polymer in a vacuum chamber. The acetone evaporates and the plastic is incorporated into the tissues preserving it forever. I actually held a liver in my hands and it felt no different than holding a similar plastic football in my hands. It was hard to believe that this organ had once been in someone's body.
After leaving the exhibit, I did a little research as I was curious about how the bodies had been chosen for display. It turns out that the exhibitors purchased the bodies at Dalian Medical University of Plastination Laboratories in Dalian, China. Interestingly, another group that displays the "BodyWorld" exhibit also has a large site in Dalian, China. There is controversy regarding the bodies of the Chinese people who are on display here as they are unclaimed or unidentified remains. Hence, the people did not donate their bodies to science, nor did the families give permission to do so. After hearing about how the Chinese government has tortured and killed Falun Gong or Falun Dafa practitioners, could it be possible that these remains could have come from people who were tortured and killed? One may never know the truth, but it does make me wonder and pause about how these human beings became taxidermy trophies for a museum display. At $24.50 per ticket and additional revenue from merchandising sales, are we really propogating a work of art? Or are we propogating a devastating business in the transport of bodies and body parts? Americans are now looking to China as well for new livers when the waiting list is too long. Our US obsession with prolonging life at any expense may be at the expense of some innocent lives overseas.
Regretfully, I am torn. I did enjoy the exhibit, and I can see how educational it can be. On the other hand, it also struck me as a bit macabre. We may be closer than we think to that classic character, Professor Henry Jarrod that Vincent Price played in the 1953 film, The House of Wax, where he would kill innocent people in order to provide the works of art in his museum. Sometimes truth is scarier than fiction.
