Dead Teen's Classmates Discover His Brain in Jar

[soleil]

I guess what I find interesting about the OP is that the deceased student's name was clearly visible on the container with the brain in it. Call me ignorant, but I would hope they use some sort of coding system instead of real names. Yes, it's a morgue and when you're dead, you're dead but still.....

I find it wrong all together, but yes, you are so right. If he didn't consent to such, then how can they do that?

[terry]

I find it wrong all together, but yes, you are so right. If he didn't consent to such, then how can they do that?

In the case of a sudden death, they don't need consent to do an autopsy.  Part of the autopsy procedure is to remove the brain and store it for later examination.  It wasn't there for display, it was just being stored and the teens touring the morgue saw it.

They probably saw a lot of things, they may have seen an entire body.  I think the morgue/coroner's lab was just doing what they always do, following their procedures.   Maybe kids shouldn't be having a field trip there.  I'd bet the kids or parents had to sign something saying they could handle whatever they saw.

[Godot showed up]

All this brain talk is making me hungry.

[soleil]

In the case of a sudden death, they don't need consent to do an autopsy.  Part of the autopsy procedure is to remove the brain and store it for later examination.  It wasn't there for display, it was just being stored and the teens touring the morgue saw it.

They probably saw a lot of things, they may have seen an entire body.  I think the morgue/coroner's lab was just doing what they always do, following their procedures.   Maybe kids shouldn't be having a field trip there.  I'd bet the kids or parents had to sign something saying they could handle whatever they saw.

I really don't know much about how all of that works. But putting his name on the jar? That's a bit over the line for me.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

I really don't know much about how all of that works. But putting his name on the jar? That's a bit over the line for me.

In strictly clinical terms it makes sense because there is no point in examining a specimen unless you know the patient's medical/life history.

[mamacags]

Hospitals keep samples of all biopsy tissues.  Is it wrong for those to be labeled and stored after a person's death too?  Why is a larger tissue such as the brain any different?

[soleil]

In strictly clinical terms it makes sense because there is no point in examining a specimen unless you know the patient's medical/life history.

But at a museum?? That is my problem. I don't care if they use it for their own reasons, but to label it and display it at a museum without any consent seems wrong.

[soleil]

Hospitals keep samples of all biopsy tissues.  Is it wrong for those to be labeled and stored after a person's death too?  Why is a larger tissue such as the brain any different?

If it is to be displayed at a museum without any consent, then yes. I'd have a problem with any body part being labeled and displayed without consent.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

But at a museum?? That is my problem. I don't care if they use it for their own reasons, but to label it and display it at a museum without any consent seems wrong.

If I may madam: the OP says the class was having its field trip at the city morgue.

[soleil]

If I may madam: the OP says the class was having its field trip at the city morgue.

Oh shit. Well that's what my dumb self gets for not reading thoroughly.  I guess I retract my statements.  I have to start reading instead of skimming.

[Godot showed up]

If I may madam: the OP says the class was having its field trip at the city morgue.

I have to say if I'd been taken to the morgue in high school--alive--I'd have called that a way cool field trip.

Finding a classmate's brain would be like...like...well, not as good as finding a gold nugget, but damn good. At least as good as finding a few snakes in a wooded area. I'd have been so jazzed to be the one to find it!

Weird, I know, but it's me.