In September of 1988, the first ever complete dissection of the human nervous system was complete. Since then, its display has been helpful for medical students and the general population alike in understanding human anatomy. It was first used as a teaching tool, then displayed at the Hahnemann anatomy museum, and now it resides outside the Drexel University bookstore. Many know the story of its creation by Dr. Weaver, who spent 900 hours dissecting each nerve and mounting them on a black board. The story of the owner of the famous nervous system, however, is lesser known. At the time of this medical advancement, states were scrambling to find a constitutional way to provide cadavers for medical research purposes. Students and teachers often resorted to illegally purchasing cadavers or body parts from grave robbers. Black cemeteries and morgues were often the victims of these robberies, so much so that over 600 African-Americans protested the violations of their loved ones. The Pennsylvania Anatomy Act of 1883 was legislated to define these acts as trafficking, which would be treated as a misdemeanor offense, but black individuals were still seen as inferior. Harriet Cole died in the hospital of tuberculosis five years later, and her body was mysteriously left in the hands of Dr. Weaver. For years, the only thing known about Harriet was that she was a “female subject about thirty-five years old, with moderate adipose development.” Many conflicting details came after, such as naming her “Henrietta,” or “a poor, ignorant n**** woman,” and that she had willingly offered her nervous system. In 1926, a story began to circulate that she was a “scrubwoman” fascinated by Dr. Weaver's teachings, and had donated her body knowing about the struggles to obtain one. However, if the two did indeed know each other in real life and her body was obtained willingly, why would Dr. Weaver withhold details about her and not tell this heartfelt story himself? No documentation proving Harriet’s consent or even that she knew Dr. Weaver in her lifetime has ever been found. The truth is she was a victim of a healthcare system that did not care for her, and she was regarded with even less respect after her passing.
The vagueness of Harriet’s story, the absence of any consent forms, and the culture of grave-robbing African-American bodies at the time have brought many ethical concerns through the years. This includes violations in “respect for life” and informed consent, as well as fabrication or falsification of presentation.
Sources:
Complete dissection of a human cerebrospinal nervous system (known as “harriet”) - exhibit text. Drexel University. (n.d.-a). https://drexel.edu/legacy-center/the-collections/historical-human-remains/harrietcole-exhibit-panels/
The human nervous system dissection known as “Harriet” - details. Drexel University. (n.d.-b). https://drexel.edu/legacy-center/the-collections/historical-human-remains/harrietcole-details/#:~:text=Introduction%20text,a%20human%20cerebrospinal%20nervous%20system.
Lawrence, S. C., & Lederer, S. E. (2023, September 1). Medical specimens and the erasure of racial violence: The case of Harriet Cole. Medical Humanities. https://mh.bmj.com/content/49/3/457.citation-tools
This is such an interesting and important topic. There are so many examples of black Americans being exploited throughout medical history. This article I found from The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/medical-exploitation-of-black-people-in-america-goes-far-beyond-the-cells-stolen-from-henrietta-lacks-that-produced-modern-day-miracles-200220) gives many examples of this, including the Tuskegee experiment in which 600 black men unknowingly given syphilis, and the forcible sterilization of black women and women of color throughout the 20th century. I think this is an issue that should be talked about more, because people of color are still often mistreated in medical settings.
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