# When should we use dead bodies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 11, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744 "2005-10-11T13:07:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/1 "2005-10-11T13:07:42Z")
Searched for this, didn’t find it. I’ve been reading a very interesting book called _Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers_ by Mary Roach, and it mentions that there is a real stigma against using cadavers to test weapons, among other things. My question is, do you think that they should be used to, say, test landmine protection gear, or bulletproof vests? Put more simply, what limits should we put on the uses of dead bodies to advance legit science? My opinon: If using my dead body will stop someone from dying, then feel free. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/2 "2005-10-11T13:10:30Z")
Great book. It convinced me to donate my body. I am a retired Army guy. I would be pleased and proud if the Army could advance its research by blowing up my body. By the way, how does one donate a body? Mom dies in the hospital and you dial an 800 number or what? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/3 "2005-10-11T13:17:47Z")
I have no problem using bodies to test weapons. I do have a problem with [cadaver dealers making tens of thousands of dollars](http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/kat/org_01bodybrokerspart1.html) from my donation, and my family never sees a nickle of it. If they are going to run a business using me as their raw material, they damn well better pay my estate a royalty comensurate with their profits. No donations from me. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/4 "2005-10-11T13:19:50Z")
Hey, when did my name change? Anyway, my assumption from the book is that you just donate it to science. Not sure if you can specifically say where, though. As a former Army man, would you allow them to test bullets on your corpse? Seeing as that’s finding better ways to make more dead bodies? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/5 "2005-10-11T13:55:24Z")
Yep, shoot away, no problem. (Not to be glib, but I wrestled with those moral issues long ago.) Was it in Stiff, or some other book where the author mentioned that crash test dummies for infants are fairly primitive because so few intact (but dead) infants are donated to science. Probably a problem with no solution. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/6 "2005-10-11T13:59:31Z")
Yeah, I think it was that one. Fear, if you knew without a doubt that the people recieving your body (say a university) were 100% legit, would you do it? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/7 "2005-10-11T14:03:01Z")
> [@Love Rhombus](#): > > Fear, if you knew without a doubt that the people recieving your body (say a university) were 100% legit, would you do it? By legit, do you mean “not for obscene profit”? Probably. I just object to the business model that preys on the generosity of grieving family members. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/8 "2005-10-11T14:10:55Z")
I really don’t care what happens to my corpse. If a company makes lots of money from it, so be it. If they want to use it to test weapons or landmines, all jolly good. At least I’ll be doing something useful. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/9 "2005-10-11T14:21:31Z")
. . . Not a necrophilia thread . . . Never mind, carry on. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/10 "2005-10-11T14:29:42Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > . > > By the way, how does one donate a body? Mom dies in the hospital and you dial an 800 number or what? You can contact a teaching hospital in your area and they can give you all the details (trying checking their web site). ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/11 "2005-10-11T14:29:54Z")
Sorry to disappoint. I wonder, do necro’s find zombie movies turn them on to some extent? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/12 "2005-10-11T14:47:38Z")
> [@Love Rhombus](#): > > Sorry to disappoint. I wonder, do necro’s find zombie movies turn them on to some extent? I’d say most likely not. From what I have read about necrophilia, the inertness of the corpse is one of the things that is attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/13 "2005-10-11T15:07:01Z")
> [@Love Rhombus](#): > > I wonder, do necro’s find zombie movies turn them on to some extent? > [@Scumpup](#): > > I’d say most likely not. From what I have read about necrophilia, the inertness of the corpse is one of the things that is attractive. So, they probably get off to movies starring Hugh Grant instead… ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-we-use-dead-bodies/325744/14 "2005-10-11T19:27:05Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Never mind, carry on. Don’t you mean “never mind carrion”?