Steve and I don't have large problems with donating remains to actual
researchers who are affiliated with major veterinary or anatomical
locations: major universities, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology,
the AMC, etc.  When possible Steve has an easier time with graves to visit,
but we have donated ferrets' remains to each of these three in the past,
and I'm on an anatomy dept.  list myself -- have been for over 20 years.
That said, I DID work years ago helping a major university set up a
comparative anatomy collection.  (No, nothing was killed for it; but we did
collect road kill, zoo deaths, etc.) The result is that I am aware that
these institutions have to meet certain health and academic standards --
for the sakes of anyone in the general area, and for those of any animals
in the area.
 
Also, let's face facts: when you give to someone who has the degrees or
affiliations, or both, then you know that the quality of work done will
usually be of the caliber to make an actual difference.  As we all know,
even then bad research sometimes happens.  How much more likely is that to
be if the individual working with the remains doesn't have any background
in that type of research, doesn't have the essential, extremely precise
equipment, hasn't read the existing research on exactly that issue or
discussed the matter in pers.  coms, with those who have already worked
on the issue, etc.?  You know enough to be careful where your money goes;
that goes for remains as well.  If they go where they won't make a
positive difference that's at the best just a foolish donation; at worst
for data it could damage the reliable data base (since both preparation
and understanding of the remains are NOT easy tasks so either can be
botched) -- like when CA F&G uses lousy "studies" to back their assertions,
or the way that same group plays up some people's almost religious beliefs
that Ancient Egyptians had ferrets instead of the mongoose as an
illustration that ferret people may have false information at times.  (For
background which DOES have supportive data read the natural history section
at http://www.ferretcentral.org.) At worst for your ferret it might result
in someone neighboring Ed, or visiting him, or asked for a donation
complaining to his state, and that would mean the summary disposal of the
remains since he's not an established researcher with the needed academic
affiliations and permits.  The worst for Ed's ferrets is that a disease
could be introduced to his business.
 
From descriptions Ed has a LOT of ferrets (and likely then has enough to
gradually learn from the ones at his home which die naturally).  That would
give him a comparison base of ferrets which have a controlled diet and
established ages: his essential control group while giving him time to
LEARN about the topic IF he chooses BEFORE looking at those with diets
which differ widely.  Since he also has a shelter as well as breeding
stock from what I have read he could then look at those who pass away
naturally within his shelter stock.
 
What he needs to do before ANY of that, though, is he needs to actually
STUDY the topic since there IS existing work on what he proposes out there,
since he needs to understand what would be needed in such a study, and he
needs to develop the skills required for such a study to have any worth.
No one with a lick of common sense would expect to be able to walk into a
kitchen with no cooking background and make a gourmet meal, to never have
set hands on a paintbrush but to paint a masterpiece, to never try to dance
yet to do a competition jig the first time trying, to never drive but to
manage with a semi the first time trying, so WHY would someone think that
without cracking the texts on the topic, practising the skills needed, or
communicating with those who already have researched a given topic that he
should be able to do extremely precise work which takes established
researchers a minimum of 5 years (timing for start of doctoral dissertation
work) of exacting schooling in preparation?  Hubris, anyone?  It's never
enough to just be willing to think; a lot more goes into actually doing
things effectively.
 
I don't want Ed to go away.  Some of the things he says can be thought
provoking, but you DO have problems being at all realistic about academic
things, Ed -- a problem you CAN tackle by reading the essential material
and obtaining other needed background BEFORE trying to spin off on a
project.  You don't expect the new folks here to know what you know have
learned about ferrets through the years so why do you expect to go into
an area with no background, preparation, reading, pre-study arm-chair
research, or academic affiliations on your part and ace it?  It's insulting
to those who DO know the area, and in all honesty it such illogical leaps
make me worry about your health, Ed.  Let's face it; if you really DO have
enough interest in an area to be a promising source of research you WILL
take the time to LEARN about it -- that just happens naturally when someone
cares enough.  Hey, that's just from a (somewhat) old fart who knows a
little about the topic at hand.
[Posted in FML issue 2939]