Sir, – Years ago, when I was studying medicine in UCC, I attended pathology lectures under Prof Doyle in the (then) Cork Regional Hospital.
On the wall of the pathology lab where we studied preserved human specimens – such as a section of liver or lung in a glass jar – was a quiet poem reminding staff and students that the specimens were from real human beings who had graciously allowed their bodies to be used for medical education; and to treat them with the respect they deserved. It concluded with a suggestion that the reader say a prayer in remembrance and gratitude for the donation.
With the opening of the Human Body exhibition in Dublin, and the concern over the ethics of using specimens from people who may not have given explicit consent, perhaps visitors could pause to say a similar prayer for these people, that they are remembered, respected, and ultimately rest in peace. – Yours, etc,