The notorious Gunther von Hagens—who plasticizes the dead—is now selling his bodies, perhaps for use in home decoration. From the story:
The German entrepreneur, whose Body Worlds exhibitions showed human cadavers in lifelike poses, has told clients they will be able to buy the fleshless corpses which he injects with plastic resin over the internet. The body parts will go on sale from November 3 with whole human bodies available for £61,733, according to a report by Sueddeutsche Zeuitung newspaper. Torsos will be on sale for around £50,154 while human heads will be on offer for £19,495 each. Animal parts are also available.
He claims it will only be available to scientists. Yea, right. Bona fide anatomists don’t need his plastic versions to study anatomy. And they sure won’t pay nearly $100,000 U.S. when they have access to cadavers in a proper scientific setting.
Von Hagens has also sold body parts and juxtaposed cadavers having intercourse in his displays. This is sick nihilism. We treat the dead with respect precisely because that values human dignity, which is what von Hagens seeks to undermine.
In Your Heart Belongs to Me, my pal Dean Koontz’s novel, a Kevorkian figure secondary villain has his home decorated with plasticized bodies. That is what Dean is very good at—vividly depicting the face of evil and societal decay. Alas, it seems it is no longer fiction.
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