Aristocrat rises from the dead

The body of an English aristocrat who died in 1919 is about to rise from the dead. (Daily Telegraph 1/3/07) Sir Mark Sykes died of the Spanish flu, the virus which killed 50 million people worldwide. Scientists now looking for clues to help them fight against avian flu believe that Sir Mark's DNA may be a key. His genetic material could help them understand the flu virus and help them prepare for the outbreak which they all agree is coming.

Why Sir Mark? The reason is that he was buried in a lead lined coffin, probably because of the fear of the disease escaping and spreading. As a result it seems likely that his body may have been preserved in good order over the last 90 years and perfect for genetic sampling.

Sir Mark's grandson and other descendants have all agreed that it is in the public interest to dig him up and the rest of us should be jolly grateful. It's a good thing he wasn't cremated.

In the museum world, the legitimacy of doing research on human bones (let alone digging them up as I described in an earlier entry at Spitalfields) is hotly debated. It is particularly sensitive in cultures where ancestors are worshiped. People's remains should clearly be treated with respect but most buried bodies (sans lead coffins) rot anyway. If any surviving bones or body materials can help science, then why not?

I don't think I care greatly about what happens to my body after death. I care about the ceremony and I like the idea of being buried or cremated with a degree of dignity, but when you're dead you're dead. I'd be very happy for my organs to be used to help other people. I'd probably draw the line at being cut up by medical students but that's only daft embarrassment on my part. Sir Mark's DNA being taken from his corpse doesn't damage him even if his body disintegrates more quickly with access to the air. The gift just adds to his legacy. He's setting a fine example.