John D. Lantos

Controversial, fascinating, disturbing, and often beautiful, plastinated human bodies -- such as those found at Body Worlds exhibitions throughout the world -- have gripped the public's imagination. These displays have been lauded as educational, sparked protests, and drawn millions of visitors. This book looks at the powerful sway these corpses hold over their living audiences everywhere. Plastination was invented in the 1970s by German anatomist Gunther von Hagens. The process transforms living tissues into moldable plastic that can then be hardened into a permanent shape. Von Hagens first exhibited his expertly dissected, artfully posed plastinated bodies in Japan in 1995. Since then, his shows have continuously attracted so many paying customers that they have inspired imitators, brought accusations of unethical or even illegal behavior, and ignited vigorous debates among scientists, educators, religious leaders, and law enforcement officials. These lively, thought-provoking, and sometimes personal essays reflect on such public displays from ethical, legal, cultural, religious, pedagogical, and aesthetic perspectives. They examine what lies behind the exhibitions' popularity and explore the ramifications of turning corpses into a spectacle of amusement. Contributions from bioethicists, historians, physicians, anatomists, theologians, and novelists dig deeply into issues that compel, upset, and unsettle us all.

Thoughts on the Public Display of Plastinated Corpses

Controversial Bodies

William L. Meadow

William Meadow

Neonatal intensive care has been one of the most morally controversial areas of medicine during the last thirty years. This study offers an expansive view of the abstract and practical features of neonatal medicine, examining the interconnected development of four key aspects of neonatal intensive care: medical advances, ethical analysis, legal scrutiny, and econometric evaluation. Tracing the recent history of neonatal ethics, analyzing the notable advances, and considering the many lessons to be learned, the authors present neonatal medicine as a paradigm of responsible societal management of medical innovation.

The Moral Challenges of Medical Innovation

Neonatal Bioethics

Contributions from bioethicists, historians, physicians, anatomists, theologians, and novelists dig deeply into issues that compel, upset, and unsettle us all.

G. R. Burgio

Aggressive therapies and the manipulation of life are now commonly applied to children, often including neonates and children who cannot express their consent. This text discusses a range of bioethical dilemmas concerning children and medicine.

A Symposium on Pediatric Bioethics : Proceedings of the International Symposium on Pediatric Bioethics, Pavia, 26-28 May 1994

Primum Non Nocere Today

In this volume, John Lantos weaves a story that captures the dilemmas of modern medical practice. He draws on his experience in neonatal medicine, paediatrics and medical ethics to explore ethical dilemmas through one poignant representative situation.

John D. Lantos

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