To ask for your help disposing of a skeleton?

[Madders45]

I have a skeleton that I acquired when I was studying medicine in the early 80s. Back then it was compulsory to have one.

It’s not a whole skeleton - it’s the skull, spine, pelvic bone + one side of the body. So only one arm and one leg.

It’s now been in my attic for decades, as I’ve never known what to do with it really.

Dh and I have recently retired and are emigrating - I obviously have to dispose of it somehow.

I tried to persuade my daughter to put it in her loft, but she thinks it’s too ‘creepy’.

So I’ve tried googling how to dispose of it - one website said that under the new Health Tissue Act the best thing to do is to offer it to a licensed medical school. I’ve emailed my alma mater and a few other local unis, but they’ve either not replied or declined it.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I can't believe medical schools aren't taking responsibility for this sort of thing, and actually logging skeletons used for training in and out.

All sorts of expensive havoc could obviously ensue - and the ethical considerations.

Your old medical school will have a record of you as a student, if they had any integrity they would take possession of skeletons. Surely if they had always done this, and passed them to new students, fewer would be needed?

I once had to investigate a skull dug up in a back garden ( by a Dr as it happens) - we had to take it to a forensic odentologist ( which I clearly can’t spell) to determine if it was ancient or not. ( it was - he could tell by the lack of cavities in the teeth since there was no sugar). If you turned up at a police station with a skeleton to ask about it I imagine they’d be googling too! It’s not a common enquiry.

A previous poster shared a link to Cranfield Curiosities - they are a taxidermist and most definitely sell human remains. I did query the appropriateness of selling a human skull full of stuffed rats since it’s unlikely that the owner of said skull would have anticipated that as a use when they were signing over their remains to medical science. I’m not suggesting you sell it however but they will no doubt have answers for other disposal options. Whatever you decide I would copy or photograph details of your medical accreditation ( degree certificate) on the off chance someone wants to see it. Also a photograph of any mark on the remains that might indicate a retailer ( not knowing if such a thing exists) or any other holes or fixings which would indicate that it had been a teaching aid. ( again clutching at straws). Good luck

My dad and his colleague did a lot of forensic work identifying people by dental records and in their office at the university there were all sorts of things in jars, skulls, human bits just sitting on the shelves. There was a hand preserved in a jar. We thought it was cool when we were kids but when I look back it was weird.

Did anyone ever see that episode of Death in Paradise where the lecturers wife had gone missing years before? They were all assembled in his classroom when the detective revealed that the husband had dissolved her in quick lime and it was her skeleton that stood in the corner of the classroom. They identified it by a break in the arm where she had once fallen off a bike. Her parents were there too, it was awful.

There was a thread on here in the last year or so, where a doctor who had some remains like you found out who the skeleton belonged to and gave it back to the family, the man who’s remains it was sold himself for medical science for money because he was so poor. If I remember the family were so pleased to have him back, maybe sombody else remembers the thread? If you can find it may be of some use.

I recently saw a photo of a load of penises stored in jars! That was a sight I will never un see.

Medical schools had (have?) far worse than skeletons too - a whole room full of things far worse in one case. I wont say what either as its too gruesome.

@MsAdorabelle, first thing I thought of when I started reading this thread!

Anyone remember the Mumsnet yet who was adamant (in AIBU) that her primary aged DD should take a genuine Skelton to school for show and tell.
She would NOT be persuaded that this was Not A Good Idea

Museum? Back of a cupboard to only be brought out at Halloween?

I too remember a poster who wanted to send her skeleton (well not hers, the one she was storing!) into school with her DD for show and tell. She was quite forcefully told this would be pretty distasteful...

When I was at school there were many things in jars. Didn’t really question it at the time, I was really interested.

PlatypusPie

I wonder if we went to the same school or if all skeletons are called George?!

Weren't you supposed to give it back to the medical school that issued it?

That's what we did.

And in response to. PP, yes they were logged out and in!

When my Grandfather (former GP) died, a load of stuff of his was shipped out to us from the UK to the States. Imagine our surprise in opening a doctor's bag to find a full human skeleton I think my DF notified our local police station and took advice, but I have no idea what happened to that case!

Why don't you contact your local Coroner and ask their advice? The hospital or local police will have contact details for them. They will advise. I wouldn't bury it anywhere whether it a church yard or not, if it got found then a major police enquiry would be launched!

Bury it under your patio or decking 😂

Ours weren't logged in or out. Skeletons were usually passed between students - senior students would sell them to first years at freshers' fair. I started med school in mid 1990s and most of us owned a skeleton - it was the done thing at the time. The bones were used for study and in my experience treated respectfully.

I remember the show and tell skeleton thread.

I remember having a look through the bone box at secondary school and looking at one bone in particular, a femur that was much short than mine . Interesting but sad.

Saying that we dressed the skeleton in a science classroom in bits of our uniform (a blazer from one person, tie from another, shirt from another etc) during one boring lesson while the teacher was out of the room.

I’ve no practical ideas here, but ism very impressed that you are only 8-9 years older than me and retiring.

Must just be different medical schools then.. I graduated before the mid 90s and skeletons were definitely logged in and out by the medical school rather than being the property of students.

I’ve no practical ideas here, but ism very impressed that you are only 8-9 years older than me and retiring

I just couldn’t cope with general practice any more. Our surgery is hugely understaffed and if I’d stayed much longer the stress would have driven me into an early grave... In addition I became senior partner last year so even more of the burden was on me.

I’m fortunate that my dh has always been a relatively high earner and we only have one dc who is now grown up and settled in her own house, so we can afford to retire a little early.

But anyway, that’s a story for another thread!

secretly wants to ask op if I can have the skeleton

Actually, in all fairness I probably could easily find somebody who would like it, I'm in a network of bodyworkers etc, I could ask around?

How about contacting your local crem? They can probably dispose of it for you.