Argumentative Essay On Mummies
The Technology of Mummification
Impact of Technology
Diana Gavrilova
Thomas Edison State College
Abstract
This paper describes the possible ethical dilemma of researching mummies and the scientific contributions that mummies are part of. Mummies have been used as medical research tools since the 1980’s. In Hungary they are helping researchers gain a better understanding of the human immune system to treat Tuberculosis. A recent study has been done by Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, which shows that mummies from many different geographical locations were affected by a modern day ailment, atherosclerosis, or hardened arteries. However, although the research is insightful …show more content…
Eighty-nine percent of the mummies, ranging in age from newborns to over sixty-five, had at one point been infected with tuberculosis and around thirty-five percent were suffering from the disease at the time of death. Dr. Ruth McNerney, senior lecturer in Pathogen Biology and Diagnostics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that the research on the Hungarian mummies could provide a historical reference for the development of the disease. "These samples were taken from before drugs were around, so they represent early TB," said McNerney, who is not connected to the mummy research. "If we can pin down areas in the DNA of these mummies and see how they differ from modern DNA, it might help us understand why modern TB drug resistance is …show more content…
This is particularly worrisome considering the fact that examinations are done without informed consent or that the investigations are invasive in order to get more precise scientific data. For example, crushing up bones to get DNA samples or irradiating the mummies for radiological analysis.
All cultures have a certain set of rules and guidelines when it comes to dealing with human remains and the bodily integrity of these remains. Posthumous harm can be described as: willingly destroying, dismembering or using parts of a body of human remains. Another aspect of damage can be described as damage to the personal identity. One can stipulate the continuity of a person even after death either through collective memory or through the preservation of their body and here the posthumous harm is done to that person’s reputation, good name and family secrets.
Lastly, the issue of ancient mummies in regard to their essential existence - a buried, entombed, human body, raises ethical questions. The right of the dead to remain in the state of burial is of central importance. Museums around the world have become increasingly sensitive about the display of human
Impact of Technology
Diana Gavrilova
Thomas Edison State College
Abstract
This paper describes the possible ethical dilemma of researching mummies and the scientific contributions that mummies are part of. Mummies have been used as medical research tools since the 1980’s. In Hungary they are helping researchers gain a better understanding of the human immune system to treat Tuberculosis. A recent study has been done by Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, which shows that mummies from many different geographical locations were affected by a modern day ailment, atherosclerosis, or hardened arteries. However, although the research is insightful …show more content…
Eighty-nine percent of the mummies, ranging in age from newborns to over sixty-five, had at one point been infected with tuberculosis and around thirty-five percent were suffering from the disease at the time of death. Dr. Ruth McNerney, senior lecturer in Pathogen Biology and Diagnostics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that the research on the Hungarian mummies could provide a historical reference for the development of the disease. "These samples were taken from before drugs were around, so they represent early TB," said McNerney, who is not connected to the mummy research. "If we can pin down areas in the DNA of these mummies and see how they differ from modern DNA, it might help us understand why modern TB drug resistance is …show more content…
This is particularly worrisome considering the fact that examinations are done without informed consent or that the investigations are invasive in order to get more precise scientific data. For example, crushing up bones to get DNA samples or irradiating the mummies for radiological analysis.
All cultures have a certain set of rules and guidelines when it comes to dealing with human remains and the bodily integrity of these remains. Posthumous harm can be described as: willingly destroying, dismembering or using parts of a body of human remains. Another aspect of damage can be described as damage to the personal identity. One can stipulate the continuity of a person even after death either through collective memory or through the preservation of their body and here the posthumous harm is done to that person’s reputation, good name and family secrets.
Lastly, the issue of ancient mummies in regard to their essential existence - a buried, entombed, human body, raises ethical questions. The right of the dead to remain in the state of burial is of central importance. Museums around the world have become increasingly sensitive about the display of human