Chris Dewald: Dem bones
I hope people render an input on this. I have been told I am too sensitive. In reference to an article that appeared in the News Leader. The specific article can be found here.
I think it is great for the City of Staunton to offer trick-or-treat events. What disturbs me is the apparent use of human bones bought from the local medical college in trick-or-treat displays. I am trying to verify what has been reported to that effect in the article. I sent e-mails on Thursday to various people involved in the city. I have also contacted the office of the Dean of Medicine at the University of Virginia, who in turn gave me the public-relations number.
To me, life is precious. We are only living human flesh and bones. Once we have died, some of us choose to have our lifeless bodies donated to science in the hope of studies in the medical field. Life is precious to me, and I respect the dead. When you are done with the shell, dispose of me properly. Don’t make a Halloween display out of my real bones.
I read this in the Commonwealth of Virginia VDH website: www.vdh.state.va.us/medexam/donate.htm
What happens after the body is no longer needed in a medical program?
The disposition of the body is arranged by the school and the remains are either buried or cremated and cremains scattered in a respectful manner. You may inquire with the Anatomical Program regarding donor request for return of cremains. The bodies received are used strictly for the purpose of medical education in the instruction of anatomy and science. There are no autopsies performed and no pathological reports prepared.
So now what, Batman? I had two phone calls today. One call was from the medical examiner’s office, and the other phone call was from public-relations office at University of Virginia. Both offices advised that they adhere to the set program of proper disposal of human remains.
According to public relations at UVa. (a man named David Foreman), contact was made with a employee of Parks and Recreation in Staunton, and the skeleton was described as one being from a teaching or doctor’s office. It did not have the identification from being from UVa. As of 2:24 p.m. today (Oct. 29), I have not received any form of communication from any city department despite e-mail requests.
I do want to know, What now? I want to now from the readers, What say you?
Column by Chris DeWald
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Let me offer the link again for you to read. Thanks. Click here.
I do hope this issue is officially resolved and nothing like this happens again. I’m frankly appalled that this happened in the first place.
I wonder how many such instances occur that do not make it to print or that people are not observant enough to detect.
Chris, you deserve multiple gold stars for your efforts
chris , i agree with you, actual human remains have no place being in a halloween display. respect the dead and dispose of them properly and not sell them for god’s sake. when people donate their bodies to medical science. they are told up front what happens to their remains, once they are through with them. and i’m sure they are not told they will be used in a Halloween display. what is our world coming to. that is just sick. thankyou for bringing this to our attention. hopefully this issue will be dealt with by the proper authorites. i commend you for what you have done about this.
The link to the original article is apparently down…I am not surprised…….
That being said….Let me say that I would not mind being on display, once I’m gone…As long as I knew beforehand…Even a Halloween display….
This scenario, however, is offensive….In the spirit of Halloween, a head or two should roll at the U of V….
Any remains donations should be stopped immediately, until they clean up their act….
chris,
i think if someone donated their remains to science their remains ought to be used for only that. like gary, i would not mind being part of a party in the afterlife as long as i knew and had accepted the invite.
not too much is sacred anymore. kathy
Editor’s Note/Clarification: It was brought to our attention by a member of the staff at the Staunton Parks and Rec office today that a Parks and Rec official was in contact with Mr. DeWald concerning his question in advance of the publication of this column.
Thanks to the staff for reaching out to us and also for reaching out to Chris to answer his question.