From foetuses to penises: anatomical museum reopens in London

Hunterian Museum collection amassed by 18th-century surgeon-anatomist John Hunter includes body parts of humans and animalsThe relaunch of an extraordinary collection of human and animal specimens gathered in the 18th century by a medical pioneer has prompted the Royal College of Surgeons in England (RCS) to commission research into complex questions about provenance and consent.The collection amassed by the surgeon-anatomist John Hunter includes human organs alongside the bodies and body parts of creatures ranging from bees to elephants. Human foetuses in glass jars, from nine weeks gestation to full term, pickled penises and female reproductive organs are preserved in carefully labelled glass jars.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Museums Medical research Heritage Science Culture Biology London UK news Colonialism Anatomy and physiology Source Type: news