Friday 16 October 2020

Giants and Rest

Fortunately, I am a modest 2 metres in height. I have great sympathy, however, with the plight of Charles Byrnes (the 'Irish Giant') whose body was seemingly 'kidnapped' in 1783, so that his skeleton could be displayed in London's Hunterian museum (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jun/22/irish-giant-may-finally-get-respectful-burial-after-200-years-on-display). This was against Byrne's expressed wish which was to be buried at sea (probably, in an attempt not to end up as a museum exhibit, which was often the fate of murderers at that time). His 2.31 m skeleton is impressive but you hardly need the original bones in the Royal College of Surgeons Museum to make the point that hormonal imbalances can have a profound effect on human growth. As there seems every possibility that Byrne's body was taken illegally (as well as against the 'donor's wishes), his skeleton should be buried (in Ireland?) and replaced by plastic. Byrne had an unhappy life and died at the age of 22. His bones shouldn't have to remain a curiosity if that was not his wish.

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