The 1970's: Memories

[Doc Alan]

When I die I'm going to be pickled

University Anatomy departments need organs ... but they have to be normal

[KeithD]

University Anatomy departments need organs ... but they have to be normal

That's OK..... I'm booked into Area 51

[Arthur Little]

University Anatomy departments NEED organs ...

... alas this didn't SEEM to have been the case with those of my late first wife, Iris, who - throughout virtually all the twenty-four years of our marriage - suffered from a severe form of Rheumatoid Arthritis ( ... not ArtHUritis, I hasten to add!) and had, several times, made it plain [to me] that, in the eventuality of her death, her body should be donated to Medical Research as part of a relentless bid to offer a possible cure to others "plagued" by this painful and debilitating disease in the future.

As it happened, during the final 9 months of her life, she developed terminal Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma ... which, the oncologists treating her claimed, was caused mainly by the steroid drugs she'd been prescribed to combat her arthritis, playing havoc with her auto-immune system.

Shortly before she died, I spoke to a senior consultant at Ninewells Medical School & Teaching Hospital in Dundee - with a view to having her last wishes fulfilled - only to be informed that, in accordance with medical legislation, the bodies of deceased cancer patients could NOT, in any circumstances, be bequeathed for research. And, to this day, I've never fully understood the reasons for such an [apparently] ruling ... because I knew of one lady whose family had successfully arranged for it to be done - shortly after she'd succumbed to a breast malignancy. But, of course, that had been back in 1973 ... nearly 20 years earlier.

My apologies for the morbid nature of this post ... but I wondered, Alan, if - as an eminent pathologist - you could, perhaps, enlighten me?

[Doc Alan]

.. my late first wife, Iris ... throughout virtually all the twenty-four years of our marriage suffered from a severe form of Rheumatoid Arthritis ( ... not ArtHUritis, I hasten to add!) and had, several times, made it plain [to me] that, in the eventuality of her death, her body should be donated to Medical Research as part of a relentless bid to offer a possible cure to others "plagued" by this painful and debilitating disease...

Shortly before she died, I spoke to a senior consultant at Ninewells Medical School & Teaching Hospital in Dundee - with a view to having her last wishes fulfilled - only to be informed that, in accordance with medical legislation, the bodies of deceased cancer patients could NOT, in any circumstances, be bequeathed for research. And, to this day, I've never fully understood the reasons for such an [apparently] ruling ... because I knew of one lady whose family had successfully arranged for it to be done - shortly after she'd succumbed to a breast malignancy. But, of course, that had been back in 1973 ... nearly 20 years earlier.

My apologies for the morbid nature of this post ... but I wondered, Alan, if - as an eminent pathologist - you could, perhaps, enlighten me?

Arthur, you've reminded us that, while we like to remember the good things about the past (with rose-tinted spectacles) we all also have painful memories. Added to this, your memories are troubled by conflicting advice.
It's true (as I jokingly posted) that Anatomy departments want normal organs for teaching trainee doctors. Equally if someone has arranged to donate their body after death to such a department, dissection may reveal disease, including cancer, that was unsuspected during life.
Your late first wife Iris was unfortunate to suffer two serious illnesses, the second of which might sadly have arisen as a side effect of treatment. She unselfishly wanted to donate her body to medical research and that was denied.
I can reassure you that a very great deal can be learned from samples taken during life of patients, especially nowadays (clearly when informed consent has been given). This includes stored fluids (not just blood) and also tissue preserved forever after "fixation" and embedding in wax. An amazing number of useful tests can be done , too many to list here, which truly help understanding and treatment of diseases for future patients. Donation of whole bodies is now only really required for Anatomy departments.
From a medical point of view, advances since the 1970's have been truly remarkable and undreamed of then, which keeps my post relevant to this thread!