CLIPBOARD: The Ultimate Recycle
- Share via
Death doesn’t necessarily mean a body is useless. Some parts of the human body can be reused to aid the living.
A corpse can provide skin “bandages” for burn victims. Orthodontists pack a liquefied bone byproduct around teeth to strengthen deteriorating dental bridges. Schizophrenic or manic depressive brains are used in scientific research. Most local donations come from the coroner’s office or are handled through local hospitals, according to Merle Wingate, executive director of the Orange County Eye and Tissue Bank.
Fiscal year 1990-91 was the first year the Eye and Tissue Bank sought donations. Here are the results: Type: Donors Skin: 107 Bones: 117 Brains: 52 Source: Orange County Eye and Tissue Bank
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
