# What happens to amputated body parts?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-amputated-body-parts/456837>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 17, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-amputated-body-parts/456837 "2008-07-17T15:51:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-amputated-body-parts/456837/21 "2008-07-17T21:29:42Z")

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Many years ago I had my colon removed. I asked the surgeon what would happen to it, and he said “Part of it goes to the pathologist, and the rest of it is incinerated. Or, occasionally, is disposed of in other ways. Don’t ever eat the meatloaf in the hospital cafeteria.” I love a surgeon who has a sense of humor.

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-amputated-body-parts/456837/22 "2008-07-17T21:36:18Z")

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[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net]  
Some religions (strict orthodox Jews, for one example) believe all parts of the body must be buried together.  
[/QUOTE]  
Reminds me of the scene in “The Last Emperor” where the eunuchs being expelled from the palace were carrying little boxes with them - “so they could be buried as whole men”.

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