Re: Management of HUMAN cadavers (OPINION)

[avest@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Albert Lee Vest)]

>On Tue, 12 Mar 1996, Bob Loesch wrote:
>
>> 
>> I can't speak for the NRC, but my "opinion" as an ex-NRCer is as follows:
>> 
>> 10CFR35.75 allows for the release of a patient when the dose rate at one
>> meter is less than 5 mrem/hr and the activity in the patient is less than
>> 30mCi. However, my  belief is that a deceased individual ceases to be a
>> patient and now is considered either a container or just 

He/she may cease to be a patient, but do they cease to be a PERSON?
I wish I could refer you to someone in the funeral industry, to get their
view on this.  I personally find the above opinion horrid.

We agree radiation doses (to living, non-patient humans) should be kept as
low as reasonably achievable.  Even regulators have come to see that 30 mCi,
or 5 mrem/hr at a meter, are not unreasonable to be around, since the
alternative would be to deny someone their full personhood, i.e. freedom to
go about their business.  Isn't the value of showing proper respect for a
person, in death, within the same order of magnitude?



Albert Lee Vest           The Ohio State University
Health Physicist    Room 103 1314 Kinnear Road Bldg
(614)292-1284                     1314 Kinnear Road
avest@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu   Columbus OH 43212
My employer did not review or approve this message.