Dean Fisher, Resomation Technician
Back in the Spring, I had the great pleasure of shooting Dean Fisher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for the Guardian Weekend Magazine. Dean is a Resomation Technician, which means that he uses water, potassium hydroxide and steam heat in a large, metal chamber to dissolve human remains. There are not very many of these in the US – there are a few for disposing large animals – but the one that Dean has at the Mayo Clinic is really the first of its kind for humans. The interesting part about resomation is that solves a very green problem that exists with cremation: when you cremate a body, a lot of mercury that our bodies trap over time, gets released back into the atmosphere and the ecosystem. With Resomation, you’re basically speeding-up the natural process of decomposition, and there is no toxic chemical release.
It’s a fascinating procedure, and you can read the entire article here (scroll down to read Dean’s interview at the bottom). Dean gave us a great tour of the Mayo Clinic, which is a massive complex, with an incredible art collection which includes a gift bible from King Hussein I and Queen Noor Al Hussein, and collections by Andy Warhol, Rodin, and Alexander Calder (to name just a few).
Human remains inside the resomation chamber
A blender that helps break down the "bone shadows" that are left in the chamber after resomation.
the term ‘bone shadow’ sounds well scary
I am a whole body donor to medical science for gross anatomy dissection, and if resomation becomes a more ecologically suitable disposition for cadaver remains, there should be no problems in approving this process as a chemical “incineration”. The “bone shadows” described are actually the phosphate and calcium components of our bones, which make an excellent fertilizer. Personally, I would consent to having my bone shadows commingled with those of other people who were body donors, in order to fertilize a rose garden or a tree, as a final disposition.