Devra ([info]devradigestion) wrote,
@ 2005-08-27 00:44:00
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Plastination
The following information was copied and pasted from THIS SITE:

PLASTINATION



• Human beings have been trying to see inside the body for thousands of years. Our fascination with anatomy goes back to the times of ancient Egypt and likely even before then.

• Organic decay makes it difficult for us to study human anatomy and for centuries, scientists have been searching for better preservation techniques.

• Plastination, invented by German Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977, is a vacuum process whereby the body’s water and fat are replaced with reactive plastics that are initially pliable and then harden after infusion. All tissue structures are retained.

• Unlike plastic models, plastinated specimens are intricate, REAL displays of human anatomy.

• It takes an average of 1,500 hours to transform a cadaver into a full-body plastinate.

• Plastinated specimens are dry and odorless and retain their natural structure – in fact, they are identical to their pre-preservation state down to the microscopic level.

• "Slice plastination" is a special variation of this preservation technique. Frozen body specimens are cut into slices which are then plastinated. Plastinated organs and body slices are a useful teaching aid for cross-sectional anatomy which is gaining importance in medical communities.

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Cont'd - Dr. Gunther von Hagens
[info]devradigestion
2005-08-26 10:50 pm UTC (link)
Dr. Gunther von Hagens completed his medical studies at the University of Lübeck in 1973. In 1974, he received his license to practice medicine before moving to the University of Heidelberg, where he finished his doctoral thesis as a resident in the Department of Anaesthetics and Emergency Medicine in 1975. He started an 18-year career as a resident and lecturer in the Institute of Pathology and the Institute of Anatomy at the University of Heidelberg in 1976.

In 1977, in the department of Anatomy at the University of Heidelberg, he invented plastination as a groundbreaking technology for preserving anatomical specimens with reactive polymers. The process was patented between 1978 and 1982. Also in 1978, Dr. von Hagens started his own company, BIODUR Products, which has since marketed special polymers and equipment for plastination. These products are currently exported to 400 institutions in 40 countries worldwide. Dr. von Hagens founded the Heidelberg-based Institute for Plastination in 1993, with the aim of developing plastinated specimens for educational use and for the BODY WORLDS exhibition, which had its premiere in Japan in 1995. He finalized his engagements at Heidelberg University in 1995 and accepted a visiting professorship at Dalian Medical University in China in 1996. That same year, he became the director of the plastination research centre at the State Medical Academy in Bishkek/Kyrgyzstan. He has since been active at both locations and in 2001 additionally founded a private company (the "Von Hagens Dalian Plastination Ltd.") in Dalian, China.

In 2004 Dr. von Hagens began a visiting professorship at the New York University College of Dentistry where he will help design the first non-dissection anatomy curriculum in the U.S. to use plastinated specimens exclusively as educational models.

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Cont'd - Body Facts
[info]devradigestion
2005-08-26 10:53 pm UTC (link)
More than half the bones in your body are located in your hands and feet.

There is enough iron in the human body to make one small nail.

Women blink almost twice as much as men.

A sneeze can exceed the speed of 100 mph.

An average human drinks about 16,000 gallons of water in a lifetime.

Beards are the fastest growing hair. If the average man never trimmed his beard, it could grow to 30 feet over the course of his lifetime.

Every person has a unique tongue print.

Fingernails grow faster than toenails and your middle fingernail is the quickest one to grow. It takes about 150 days to grow out a full length fingernail.

Your brain continues to send out electrical wave signals approximately 37 hours after death.

The nervous system transmits messages to the brain at speeds of 180 miles per hour.

The human nose can remember 50,000 different smells.

The human eye can detect more than 10,000,000 different colors!

Your jawbone is the hardest bone in your body.

When you were born, you had 350 bones in your body, and after childhood 144 of these bones fused together.

Your brain stops growing when you are about 15 years old.

Laughing and coughing put more pressure on the spine than walking or standing.

Your stomach produces a new lining every 3 days in order to avoid digesting itself in its own production of acid.

About every seven years, your body replaces the equivalent of an entirely new skeleton.

The spinal cord is less then two feet in length and is the same diameter as your index finger, yet it contains over 10 billion nerve cells.

Blood type A can receive blood types A & O safely. Blood type B can receive types B & O. Blood type O can receive only O blood but are "universal donors" because O is acceptable to all other blood types. Blood type O is the most common blood type worldwide.

The eye muscle is the fastest reacting muscle of the whole body. It contracts in less than 1/100th of a second.

It takes approximately 200,000 frowns to create one permanent brow line.

Your eyesight is the sharpest in the middle of the day.

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Cont'd - Frequently Asked Questions - I
[info]devradigestion
2005-08-26 10:56 pm UTC (link)
What is BODY WORLDS?

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies, is a first-of-its-kind exhibit in which guests learn about anatomy, physiology and health by viewing real human bodies, preserved through an extraordinary method called “plastination.”

The exhibition features more than 200 authentic human specimens, including entire bodies as well as individual organs and transparent body slices. Using the revolutionary process of plastination, the body specimens are preserved with special plastics that enable us to view the many organs and systems under our skin. The exhibit also allows for guests to understand diseases, the effects of tobacco consumption and use of artificial supports such as knees and hips.

To date, nearly 16 million people globally have viewed the exhibit.

What is the purpose of the exhibit?

BODY WORLDS aims to educate the public about the inner workings of the human body and to show the effects of poor health, good health and lifestyle choices. It is also presented in the hopes that it will stimulate curiosity about the science of anatomy and physiology.

Why is this exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry?

The Museum’s mission is to inspire the inventive genius in everyone by presenting captivating and compelling experiences that are real and educational. To do this, we must be fun, inclusive, provocative and spectacular. BODY WORLDS fulfills this mission. As a world-class science institution, the Museum has traditionally offered exhibits related to the human body beginning with the Prenatal exhibit since 1939, the Anatomical Slices since the 1940s and the addition of Genetics in 2002.

Why would the public want to see this exhibit?

Prior to BODY WORLDS, this type of real anatomical detail could only be experienced by members of the medical community. BODY WORLDS inspires the general public to learn more about how the human body functions and how lifestyle choices affect the body.

Couldn’t I learn just as much from books or models of the human anatomy?

The unique use of authentic specimens shows the details of disease, physiology and anatomy in a way that cannot be shown with models, textbooks or photos. In addition, the exhibit allows guests to understand that each and every body has its own unique features, even on the inside. We have also learned with our Anatomical Sections and Prenatal Development exhibits that guests are drawn to real specimens in a way that they are not to plastic models.


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Cont'd - Frequently Asked Questions - II
[info]devradigestion
2005-08-26 10:57 pm UTC (link)
What review process did the Museum go through when considering BODY WORLDS?

The Museum of Science and Industry considered this exhibit for several years prior to hosting it. We found it to be both educational and intriguing. We received positive feedback from our guests when we surveyed their opinions about content of the exhibit. The Museum also assembled a Program and Outreach committee, composed of leaders in the fields of education, medicine, ethics and religion, to help explore and provide advice on how to best relate the exhibit to the public. The Museum values the research and efforts put forth by the California Science Center, where the exhibit was hosted from July 2004 through January 2005. The exhibit has been well-received in California and has drawn more than 650,000 visitors, and nearly 16 million worldwide.

What is plastination?

Invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, the plastination process replaces the natural fluids in the body with reactive plastics that are initially pliable, but then harden after infusion. By hardening the plastic in the specimens, the bodies may be fixed into life-like poses, which illustrates how our bodies respond internally to everyday activities.

Is the Museum advocating or supporting body donation or plastination?

The Museum of Science and Industry leaves the decision about body donation or plastination entirely up to visitors of the exhibit.

How many plastinates are in the exhibition?

The exhibition features more than 200 authentic human specimens, including 25 whole bodies as well as individual organs and transparent body slices

Where did the specimens on display come from? Will we know who the plastinates are or how they died?

The specimens in this exhibit are from body donors— individuals who bequeathed that upon their death, their bodies could be used in this exhibition. As agreed upon by the body donors, their identities, ages and causes of death are not provided. The exhibit focuses on the nature of our bodies, not on disclosing personal information.

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Cont'd - Frequently Asked Questions - III
[info]devradigestion
2005-08-26 10:57 pm UTC (link)
Why are the plastinates posed the way they are?

The poses of the plastinates have been carefully considered to illustrate different anatomical and physiological features. The poses also help visitors relate the plastinate to their own bodies. For example, the “Chess Player” is posed to illustrate the body’s neurological system. The athletic poses illustrate how muscle systems function while playing sports.

Will I be able to touch any of the plastinates?

While you will be able to get very close to the plastinates, as a rule, guests are not allowed touch them. At a certain area in the exhibit, however, visitors have the option of touching a select group of plastinated organs to better understand both the human anatomy and the process of plastination.

Is this exhibit appropriate for children?

Nearly 16 million people have viewed BODY WORLDS, including children. Due to the sensitive nature of this exhibit, the Museum requires that children under 13 must be accompanied by a responsible adult, parent, guardian or school chaperone. There may be displays in the exhibit that adults will wish to explain to children in their care, and the Museum will provide information offering helpful tips for visiting the exhibit with children.

What are the Museum’s hours for the exhibit?

See our hours/prices page for more information.

How much does it cost to see BODY WORLDS?

See our hours/prices page for more information.

Why isn’t the exhibit included in the Museum’s general admission price?

As a non-profit organization and in order to ensure that the Museum is able to bring world-class exhibits to share with its guests, the Museum must sometimes charge an additional fee.

Is the exhibition accessible to people with disabilities?

The exhibit is fully accessible by wheelchair. For further information about borrowing a wheelchair, please contact the Museum’s information line: (773) 684-1414. The exhibit provides written descriptions for all of the plastinates and specimens. An audio tour in English and Spanish is also available for an additional fee.

Can I take photographs or film in the exhibit?

Photography and filming are not allowed in BODY WORLDS, except by credentialed members of the media. We thank you for your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience.

Where will the exhibit go after it leaves Chicago?

Once scheduled, additional tour locations and dates will be posted on www.bodyworlds.com.

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Resources
[info]devradigestion
2005-08-26 10:59 pm UTC (link)
More information from the BODY WORLDS website

Sign up for the BODY WORLDS newsletter:
http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/pages/news.asp

Find out what celebrities like Tina Turner, Steffi Graf and Adrian Brody are saying about BODY WORLDS:
http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/pages/kommentare_vip.asp

Shop for BODY WORLDS merchandise online:
http://www.bodyworldshop.com

Find out about body donation:
http://www.koerperwelten.com/en/pages/koerperspende.asp

Find more information and publications related to Dr. Gunther von Hagens:
http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/pages/gunther_von_hagens.asp

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[info]emma1307
2005-08-27 04:34 am UTC (link)
I saw that exhibition in London when I was there in 2002 - it was absolutely fantastic. I brought back a book about it, that they loved looking through at work. I found it interesting, because the exhibition is presented more as something artistic, rather than scientific - I found the information presented on the labels limited. I keep hoping the exhibition will tour Australia.

A couple of weeks before I went, someone broke in and smashed the reclining pregnant women - that was sad. And just before I left England, Dr von Hagens performed a live autopsy on a deer on cable TV there - that was a bit strange, not sure of the scientific value of that, either.

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[info]devradigestion
2005-08-27 08:18 am UTC (link)
I do wonder what kind of impact this exhibit has made on people to live a more healthier lifestyle than they are living.

The exhibit seems to serve the purpose of seeing an immediate meaning to a learner.




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[info]tangyapple
2005-08-27 11:33 am UTC (link)
Totally fascinating.

I hope it comes to S.F.!

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