# Is human taxidermy possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231 "2003-09-12T16:53:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![exvex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b77776/32.png) [@exvex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exvex)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/1 "2003-09-12T16:53:19Z")
Would it be possible to taxiderm a human body? If so, would it be legal to do so? Would there be any advantages to this over embalming? Could somebody taxiderm a deceased family member and then put them on display :eek: ? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/2 "2003-09-12T17:17:17Z")
It was done. I recall someone in the 1800’s doing this, and being on display. Another doper will fill in the details I hope. A friend of mine whom is a funeral director, told me that this is now illegal under federal law. But I have no cite or details to that statement. Also, it was quite a few years ago when he told me that. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/3 "2003-09-12T17:21:58Z")
I wanna humanalope! ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/4 "2003-09-12T18:17:15Z")
If you want yourself stuffed and mounted, then the go to guy is [Gunther Von Hagens](http://www.plastination.com/en/pages/gunther_von_hagens.asp). Alas, he has a long waiting list. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/5 "2003-09-12T18:21:32Z")
The above link has pictures that might not be suitable for all dopers (human anatomy very visible). I’ve reported myself to be safe. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/6 "2003-09-12T18:21:35Z")
[A thread on this subject at taxidermy.net.](http://www.taxidermy.net/forums/LifesizeArticles/02/d/0258A20C09.html) ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/7 "2003-09-12T18:23:57Z")
Yes, mummy. ---
**Author:** ![Chicago\_Faucet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chicago_faucet/32/13910_2.png) [@Chicago\_Faucet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicago_Faucet)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/8 "2003-09-12T18:28:59Z")
I distinctly remember seeing the gentleman from the 1800’s on one of those “Strange But True” specials. He was a semi-wealthy and eccentric individual from England. He lobbied to make human taxidermy and display the norm. His Will forced his family to taxidermy (taxidermize?) his body after he died. It worked fine, and he is currently on display in a museum in England. He was donated to the museum after all decendents refused to put him in their own home. However, after a few years the face began to deteriorate into a grotesque mask. The family, disgusted with this, had a doctor decapitate the body and replace the head with a lifelike bust of the gentleman. His head is still on display in the very same museum, in a jar of formaldehyde. I do not remember the gentleman’s name, unfortunately. I believe it was in the very same episode as the haunted boy doll, Richard. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/9 "2003-09-12T18:34:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin \* > \*\*If you want yourself stuffed and mounted, then the go to guy is [Gunther Von Hagens](http://www.plastination.com/en/pages/gunther_von_hagens.asp). Alas, he has a long waiting list. \*\* This was the first thing that popped into my mind as well. However, if you let Von Hagens prep your remains, don’t you need to sign a waiver that says you’re okay with having said remains put on public display? If there is enough interest in the Plastination process, why doesn’t he franchise the concept? ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/10 "2003-09-12T18:38:58Z")
Don’t forget about Lenin. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/11 "2003-09-12T18:39:20Z")
Prominent philosopher Jeremy Bentham had himself stuffed and mounted, and is who you are thinking of. He is on display at University College, London: [http://members.aol.com/Philosdog/Bentham.html](http://members.aol.com/Philosdog/Bentham.html) [http://collections.ucl.ac.uk/bentham.asp](http://collections.ucl.ac.uk/bentham.asp) The second link has the story about the head. ---
**Author:** ![frixxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@frixxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frixxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/12 "2003-09-12T18:43:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*Yes, mummy. \*\* Damn…took mine I hear Disney did this…no wait that’s if you want to be a human popsicle…:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/13 "2003-09-12T18:46:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by adam yax \* > \*\*If there is enough interest in the Plastination process, why doesn’t he franchise the concept? \*\* Umm, ok. I can see the specialization now. The Flat Feet Gallery - The Golden Arches The Cutaway Gallery - Where’s The Beef? The Self-Expression Gallery - We Do It Your Way The Human & Dog Gallery - No Querio Taco Bell ---
**Author:** ![exvex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b77776/32.png) [@exvex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exvex)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/14 "2003-09-12T19:12:59Z")
Thanks everybody! The links are great. ---
**Author:** ![ReBusEniGma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@ReBusEniGma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReBusEniGma)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/15 "2003-09-12T20:08:58Z")
So ya wanna be stuffed and mounted hmmm? Well if yer into that sorta thing, the Red Light district is _the_ place for you my friend. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/16 "2003-09-13T00:00:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duckster \* > \*\*Umm, ok. > > I can see the specialization now. > > The Flat Feet Gallery - The Golden Arches > The Cutaway Gallery - Where’s The Beef? > The Self-Expression Gallery - We Do It Your Way > The Human & Dog Gallery - No Querio Taco Bell \*\* Me thinks you missed my point. I think that there would be a limited number of people who would want to be posed the way they are by Von Hagans. IMO, he would have better luck selling the concept to people who don’t like the idea of becoming worm food and they wouldn’t need become an object d’art. Personally, I like the idea. It offers a small taste of immortality the likes of which only mummies\* have known until now. \*Is mummies the correct plural form, or is mummys? ---
**Author:** ![hyjyljyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/0ea827/32.png) [@hyjyljyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyjyljyj)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/17 "2003-09-13T00:25:28Z")
mummies ---
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/18 "2003-09-13T00:28:41Z")
I prepare raw hides for a taxidermist and all I can think of is what a _bitch_ a human hide would be to work on. I can’t resist though, I’m going to have to ask him what he’d do in this case. Can’t wait to see his expression! ---
**Author:** ![hyjyljyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/0ea827/32.png) [@hyjyljyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyjyljyj)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/19 "2003-09-13T00:30:50Z")
The only exception I can think of right now to the rule about changing a terminal -y following a consonant to -ie before adding -s is in proper names. For example, actor Bill Mumy and his family would be called the Mumys. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231/20 "2003-09-13T07:39:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ReBusEniGma \* > So ya wanna be stuffed and mounted hmmm? Well if yer into that sorta thing, the Red Light district is _the_ place for you my friend. I’m a taxidermist, I’ll mount anything! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-human-taxidermy-possible/201231.md?page=2)