The final chapters of Mary Roach's Stiff are indeed some of her best. With the use of rhetorical questions and logical appeals Roach not only gives more uses of the human cadaver, but also ventures into indirectly asking the reader, "What will become of your body after you die?", while assessing what will become of her own body. At this point in the book cadaver uses have become seemingly boundless, however Roach probes back further in time to discuss the uses of the human cadaver as a source of a variety(an extremely wide variety at that) of medicinal uses beyond that of organ donation. She explains with the use of expert opinion and research as to how blood from a cadaver could be transfused into that of an ailing person, or how asthma could be treated with placenta, or vision problems could be treated with the spit of a young man. Roach also appeals to logic as she describes the circumstances by which countries like China find human cannibalism ritualistic and even traditional, but here in American we would tend to think of it as nothing more that grotesque; she states, "We are all products of our upbringing, our culture, our need to conform."(p.236). After describing the last uses of the human cadaver, Roach explores the possibilities one could do with their bodies after death. In great detail she spoke of human compost and its return to the earth, asking rhetorical questions like, "Is there a more environmentally friendly way to dispose of the body?" She also discusses the idea of donating the brain to science. Roach ends with plaguing not only herself but the reader in wondering where will her body end up once she has finally laid her pen to rest.
Clarification:
Did the men who were mellified( beginning of Ch. 10) die from all the consumption of honey or excreting all of the honey?
Application:
Do you think any one would consider any of the options after death mentioned by Roach in Stiff?
Would you rather( You don't have to answer):
Would you rather be mellified or have parts of your skin grafted not to a burn victim, but to male who feels he needs a much needed "enhancement"?
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ReplyDeleteClarification:
ReplyDeleteFrom my undertanding, I thought the men knew they were dying from natural causes, so just decided to consume nothing but honey up until their deaths.
Application:
Yes, most definately. It seems like people have already been using some of these options dating centuries before we were even born.
Would you rather?:
Truthfully, I wouldnt want to take part in either activity. If I absolutely had to pick one, I think i would do the skin grafting. Honestly,it wouldnt be for male enhancement, but solely for burn victims. I dont think I would feel comfortable knowing part of my thigh skin became part of a males anatonmy.
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Clarification:
ReplyDeleteI think they died from consuming all of the honey.
Application:
Um..I almost don't even want to be embalmed, but that seems like the safest thing to do. lol..I would either like to be cremated or embalmed.
i believe i wouldn't mind any utility of my body once deceased. i would be more than happy to contribute to any medical advancements that would ultimately contribute to the betterment of the country and even the world.
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