Caution: This exhibition is not for the timid, squeamish or easily grossed out. Bodies revealed is an exhibition of real human cadavers on display and is open to the public.

From what I gathered after visiting “Bodies Revealed,” the underlying reason for holding such a controversial exhibition, isn’t to gross people out, its purpose is to educate people about their bodies and how they function.

“Bodies Revealed” is currently being held at 2040 Alta Arden Way in Sacramento, from December 5 to March 16.

The exhibition itself is quiet and formal like a museum, everything is displayed very tastefully and thankfully it has no odor. The exhibition is separated into categories based on the different systems of the body. It’s got them all: Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive, and Reproductive systems.

The set up is very well organized and flows logically. Everything was very professionally put together and most importantly, it’s clean and sanitary. Most of the specimens have small labels that describe what you’re looking at; medical terminology is used, but the descriptions are written in everyday language that most people could follow.

One thing I found completely shocking is that the most of the full-sized cadavers on display, are completely out in the open with no barrier between the viewer and the body, no glass case or even small rope to keep people from touching it. There is simply a “Do not touch” sign. Especially because children are allowed in the exhibit, I think they should be at least roped off.

Many of the small organs, the brain, muscles, tissues, etc. were enclosed in lit up glass cases. As your walking through the exhibition, when you see the first couple of body systems, it feels like your looking at an anatomy book or a picture, and then it starts to sink in . . . Everything you see is real from a human body.

Audio guides are an option. I would recommend enhancing the experience, the information given was pretty interesting. The audio guide effectively creates a connection between the facts about the human body and their application to everyday life. They offer children’s audio guide too, which I thought was a good idea, especially for kids on field trips.

Another detail that caught my attention throughout the show are the little factoids on the walls that say things like “Girl’s brains accounts for 2.5 percent of their body weight, and boy’s brains accounts for 2.0 percent of their body weight” and “Studies have shown eating breakfast can improve memory. Mom was right all along.”

These little tidbits of information on the wall tie in pretty well with the educational theme on the human body and health.

In many of the sections there are real examples of common diseases. It’s fascinating that the part of the organ, body or tissue affected with the disease is pointed out, and you can actually see it. One of the most visually memorable diseases shown is the unit on lung cancer. In one glass case, a healthy flesh-colored pair of lungs and a heart is displayed. In the case next to it, is a smoker’s lungs, which appear to be burned, and are blackened with tar and chemicals. I

n addition to the shocking visual, the description explains exactly what happens to your lungs and heart when you smoke cigarettes. Another one of those sayings on the wall said some powerful words along the lines of “Three hours and 40 minutes is what the average pack of cigarettes takes from a life.”

As if tarred up lungs wasn’t enough to make you squirm, one of the sections displayed is on fetal development, in which the fetal stages are shown. There is actually a warning sign before this part of the exhibition; in which it states that the fetuses featured in the exhibit didn’t survive because of complications during pregnancy and they were donated to science.

The fact that human bodies are on display for educational purposes is something new and controversial and I’m sure is a disturbing thought for many people. I think having fetuses on display is potentially the most upsetting or controversial feature of the entire show.

This exhibition is a dream come true for some studying medicine or currently in the medical field. It is also an intricate look inside of our body, which is an educational experience for anyone. At the end of the exhibition, I was relieved to see a note on the wall saying that all cadavers were treated with the respect that they deserved in the process of creating this exhibition.

I think this is a highly important message to communicate to the public at an exhibition such as this one. The organization conducting “Bodies Revealed” has acted in an ethical manner, which is very important when dealing with human bodies and Science.

Kate Jones can be reached at [email protected]