NEW YORK — The doctor behind the “Body Worlds” exhibits that show cadavers in different poses says he has stopped using bodies from China for fear that some of them may be executed prisoners, ABC News reported on Friday.
Dr. Gunther von Hagens told ABC’s “20/20” that he had to destroy some bodies he had received from China because they had injuries that made him suspect they were execution victims.
The doctor invented a liquid plastic process that preserves bodies. He has put many of them on display in museum exhibits that show them in poses like playing poker or throwing a football.
One such exhibit opened Jan. 18 at the Milwaukee Public Museum and has had 100,000 paid visitors so far, said Dan Finley, president of the nonprofit company that operates the museum.
“It’s the biggest exhibition we’ve ever done,” he said. “The best attended.”
Finley said every specimen in his exhibit was there with informed consent. He said it was his understanding that 8,000 people have volunteered to have their bodies — which are skinned for the exhibit — used in future “Body Worlds” shows.
Meanwhile, the company that is running a similar exhibit nationwide called “Bodies … Revealed” is under investigation by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, to determine where the bodies and body parts came from. Cuomo spokesman Steven Cohen confirms that subpoenas have been issued to the company but the office has drawn no conclusions.
The exhibit by Premier Exhibitions Inc. of Atlanta is now in Cincinnati.
Premier Exhibitions told ABC News it would cooperate fully.
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