The center, jointly founded by the Red Cross Society in Anhui and Anhui Medical University, accepts donations of both the whole body and part of body.

The 74 people included four couples, eight singles and a college student, the eldest of whom is 95 years old and the youngest is of 20, according to a source at the station.

Finding out where and how to donate in Anhui used to be troublesome. Now people just call the center for detailed information and workers will go to them for further service if requested.

Donated bodies will be used for medical research and organ transplants, the source said, adding that the center will strictly follow any requests of donors and keep close contact with their families.

Medical institutes and colleges have suffered a lack of bodies for study or transplant as few people are willing to donate and those who are find it hard to do, said Prof. Han Yi, an anatomist at Anhui Medical University.

China has 4 million visually impaired people, 3.6 million of whom can be cured by cornea transplantation, Han added.

"I would like to do something for others after I am dead," said Feng Chunyu, a 77 would-be donor.

The center accepts both Chinese and foreign donors, who will get a certificate from the Red Cross Society after registration and can cancel the registration whenever they want.

A healthy adult older than 18 is allowed to register for body donation in China.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2003)