“Donate organs”

I read Katy Gundevia’s letter "Donate organs” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, September 21, 2006). I grew up in Bhopal where there was no agiary, only an aramgah. My parents taught us our daily prayers. My father, a chief engineer, provided many scientific explanations about our religion.

I came to Bombay to complete my houseman year and postgraduation in medicine. In those days a dastur used to answer queries about religion in Jam-e-Jamshed. I learnt that when a limb is amputated a short ceremony is performed before it is consigned to the dakhma, unlike the complete ceremony when a person dies. My question was what happens when a person donates an organ? The wise dastur wrote that donation is a good deed. The person is already dead and suffering is felt only by the relatives, not the dead body, so why not be of service to other human beings?

Secondly, in my line of work we deliver babies every day, so how many times should one perform the nahan, I asked my father. He said nahan was not necessary as I was helping people. I should just change my clothes and have a bath before attending a navjote or wedding. Regarding our monthly cycles, we three girls were never compelled to observe the taboos strictly, though our mother had done so earlier. We were told not to touch the divo or prayer books. Even our mother could not keep up the strict practice after coming to Bhopal as she had a small child to look after and cooking to do. Scientifically blood is a good medium for organisms to thrive in. One cannot stop one’s routine. In any case a person sitting next to one in the train, bus or car may be having their monthly cycle. It is more important to do one’s duty, perform good deeds, not lie or harm others.

Dr VIRA A. TODIWALA

The eyes of the dead help to restore vision to the living blind through transplantation. Through the efforts of social clubs like the Lions and the Rotarians, many avail of this mode of charity after death of their dear ones.

But we are not certain which other organs from a human corpse, can be successfully transplanted. We are given to understand, that kidneys of only living individuals can be used for transplantation.

It is also worth knowing within how many hours after death should organs be removed from the departed.

Souls of the dead Zoroastrians will certainly rejoice if their families adopt this method to help the living.

Persons in the medical profession may please enlighten our community on the procedures and formalities to be followed for donating organs.

FARAMARZ B. SETHNA

Gandhidham, Gujarat