Cadavers Used In Fort Sam Land Mine Tests

ksat.com ^ | 3/11/2004

[Born Conservative]

For education and discussion only. NEW ORLEANS -- Army medical officials in San Antonio confirmed Thursday that Fort Sam Houston used seven human bodies donated to a medical school to conduct land mine tests on the post.

Brooke Army Medical Hospital officials told KSAT 12 News that the cadavers were blown up in tests for protective footwear against land mines in January 2003.

The bodies were donated to the medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans, which were then sold to the Army for between $25,000 and $30,000.

Tulane University officials said they sold the cadavers to a company they thought would be passing them along to other medical schools in need of corpses.

But instead, they were then sold to the Army.

The school has suspended its contract with the anatomical services company.

The co-director of Tulane's Willed Body Program said the university receives up to 150 cadavers a year from donors but needs only between 40 and 45 for classes.

The university paid the cadaver company less than $1,000 a body to deliver surplus cadavers, thinking they were going to medical schools in need of corpses.

The market in bodies and body parts is under scrutiny after two men, including the head of the Willed Body Program at UCLA, were arrested and charged with trafficking in stolen body parts.

[JRandomFreeper]

Brooke Army Medical Hospital officials told KSAT 12 News that the cadavers were blown up in tests for protective footwear against land mines in January 2003.

I need to change my will. If the military needs cadavers, they shouldn't have to pay for them. And protective footware for our troops is a good cause in my opinion. If I'm not using my body anymore, I don't mind the Army using it to save troops lives and limbs.

/john

[mass55th]

Better they are used in land mine testing than casting votes for RATS.

[SShultz460]

How else can you test protective footware against land mines? Jeez, stop with the outrage and think of our Troops.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I don't understand the problem, but if there is I suggest we use the guys we have locked up at Gitmo ........

[Ole Okie]

If I'm not using my body anymore, I don't mind the Army using it to save troops lives and limbs.

Then we can say "That's John all over". :)

Seriously, I admire your sentiment.

[Paleo Conservative]

Better they are used in land mine testing than casting votes for RATS.

I don't think those are mutually exclusive. The DemocRATS are known to favor recycling.

[MonroeDNA]

So? They are dead.

[JRandomFreeper]

They are dead.

Not the guys at Gitmo, but we could schedule autopsies to find out why not.

/john

[Paleo Conservative]

I don't understand the problem, but if there is I suggest we use the guys we have locked up at Gitmo .....

Is it really necessary to use corpses?

[familyop]

Bodies have several good uses in the Army. Another is to make soldiers think twice before being careless with dangerous devices that they must learn to use. Used bodies and bodies that were involved in accidents save lives.

[Fishing-guy]

The question is trust.

People donate their bodies to medical schools to train future physicians. They did not donate their bodies so somebody can make money and have their bodies blown up. BTW, how did they eventually disposed the body parts.

[Paleo Conservative]

People donate their bodies to medical schools to train future physicians.

That would depend on the contract. They are normally donated "to science" which can be a rather elastic term. Cadavers are sometimes used in crash tests to verify the design of crash test dummies.

[Fishing-guy]

Based on the reaction by the medical school, it does not appear to be the case.

[lilylangtree]

Can't understand the big deal. When one leaves his/her body to science, the soul has left the cadaver. By blowing the cadavers to kingdom come, the cadavers can't feel pain and they won't be used again. Almost like cremating them.

[Xenalyte]

I feel the same way. I have no qualms about what happens to the body after I'm done with it.

[dead]

Sign me up!

I don't want to be buried and eaten, and getting burned up sounds painful, if I'm not quite dead.

Seriously, after I'm dead, I want my corpse used in a few dozen practical jokes then I want the army to blow me up.

Do I need a lawyer to legalize my wishes or will this post suffice?

[eddie willers]

Do I need a lawyer to legalize my wishes or will this post suffice?

Consider it done.

[dead]

Thanks eddie. And don't let my wife talk you out of it!