# Human Taxidermy Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-taxidermy-question/349920>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 26, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-taxidermy-question/349920 "2006-03-26T02:44:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-taxidermy-question/349920/1 "2006-03-26T02:44:35Z")

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Have any humans (deceased of course) anywhere in the world, ever been stuffed (via taxidermy)?

If so, has this been done recently to any person alive say within the last decade or so?

If a person left written instructions in his or her will to have their earthly remains stuffed, (and even mounted and displayed), would the person’s wishes be carried out, and if so, who would carry out the procedure?

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**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-taxidermy-question/349920/2 "2006-03-26T03:02:38Z")

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[Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS : The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies](http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/pages/home.asp) can be seen in Philadelphia (the original exhibit), Denver (version 2), and Houston (version 3). Real human bodies, preserved through the miracle of [plastination](http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/pages/pressemeldungen_denver.asp)The plastination process was invented by Gunther von Hagens at the University of Heidelberg in 1977. The process replaces the natural fluids in the body with reactive fluid plastics that harden after vacuum-forced impregnation. Plastination provides the flexibility and strength needed to display and preserve specimens in realistic forms, without the use of glass barriers and formaldehyde. Dr. Gunther von Hagens founded the Institute for Plastination in 1993, in order to offer plastinated specimens for educational use and for the BODY WORLDS exhibitions. All anatomical specimens on display in the BODY WORLDS exhibitions are authentic. The bodies were donated for plastination purposes through a declaration of will directly from the individuals involved.

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**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-taxidermy-question/349920/3 "2006-03-26T03:11:50Z")

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Besides Ed Gein, you mean?

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**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-taxidermy-question/349920/4 "2006-03-26T03:17:05Z")

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There’s [Jeremy Bentham](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Bentham) who, in accordance with his will, “was preserved and stored in a wooden cabinet, termed his “Auto-Icon,” at University College London.”