חניטה מודרנית בהלכה

continued question from #3613

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The term "Plastination" is a modern technique used in anatomy to preserve bodies or body parts made popular by "Body Worlds".The water and fat are replaced by certain plastics, yielding specimens that can be touched, do not smell or decay, and even retain most microscopic properties of the original sample.

If you look at the website: http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html you can see photographs of actual examples of both people and animals.

Although I find the idea personally repugnant, I wonder if it is ethical for a Jew to participate in plastination as a body donor or to benefit from it (for example, if studying to be a physician) or to view a platinated body in any kind of a commercial exhibit. I regretfully don't yet read modern Hebrew (only able to read it in shul services). We are discussing medical ethics in a small chavurot next week and I respectfully request your thoughts.

D G