Smithsonian recognizes "The mother of modern medicine" (website, issues, family)

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by The Dark Enlightenment

Henrietta Lacks, a black tobacco farmer who died in North Carolina in 1951, is the mother of modern medicine. And to think I never heard of her until now. It just goes to show how racist American education used to be, not recognizing the contributions of women and POC. To racists like James Watson they gave Nobel Prizes, and to Henrietta... nothing. But now finally there is some justice.

CNN: The Smithsonian unveils a portrait of Henrietta Lacks, the black farmer whose cells led to medical miracles

Her story definitely does deserve to be told more. The contributions her cells have provided to biological sciences, biotech/pharma R&D are amazingly large. Frankly, it would be difficult to fully calculate.

I learned about her in school when we learned how to grow HeLa cells, and I found it to be incredibly fascinating.


Also, a bit sad - particularly in how it all played out re: patient consent, and how her family was treated through it all.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by Absolom

I fell off my bike in '78. I contributed to physics and dermatology.

You really don't know what you're talking about.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by No_Recess

WTF?

She had cells cut of her cervix and that gets her the title of "Mother of Modern Medicine"?



I found the person responsible for doing the actual work of propagating the HeLa cell line: Dr. George Otto Grey.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Otto_Gey

He's the one who saved lives. Dude didn't even get his name mentioned in the article.

I learned about him in school, particularly in regards to human cell growth techniques. Don't worry, he gets his recognition.

[The Dark Enlightenment]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

Her story definitely does deserve to be told more. The contributions her cells have provided to biological sciences, biotech/pharma R&D are amazingly large. Frankly, it would be difficult to fully calculate.

I learned about her in school when we learned how to grow HeLa cells, and I found it to be incredibly fascinating.

Also, a bit sad.

Does a portrait in the Smithsonian under the heading "The Mother of Modern Medicine" show her respect or mockery? She did nothing.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by The Dark Enlightenment

Does a portrait in the Smithsonian under the heading "The Mother of Modern Medicine" show her respect or mockery? She did nothing.

It doesn't offend me. Why does it offend you?

[No_Recess]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

Her story definitely does deserve to be told more. The contributions her cells have provided to biological sciences, biotech/pharma R&D are amazingly large. Frankly, it would be difficult to fully calculate.

I learned about her in school when we learned how to grow HeLa cells, and I found it to be incredibly fascinating.


Also, a bit sad - particularly in how it all played out, and how her family was treated through it all.

It's an interesting side note. Nothing more.

When the apple fell off the tree and bopped Newton (or merely fell off as nobody knows for sure if it hit him) we gave credit to Newton...not the apple.

Though I now expect The Smithsonian to scrub Newton out of their exhibits and replace him with apples after mentioning this on the internet.

[The Dark Enlightenment]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

You really don't know what you're talking about.

Actually, that analogy works well. If a physicist had observed Absolom falling off his bike, and then made some important new insight about the laws of motion and gravity, then Absolom's contribution to physics would be similar to that made by Henrietta to medicine.

[The Dark Enlightenment]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

It doesn't offend me. Why does it offend you?

...not the question I asked.

[boxus]

Originally Posted by The Dark Enlightenment

You and I have posted here for years. Are you really that clueless as to my views on the subject? Are you really that oblivious to satire? It boggles the mind.

Ah, darn it, my apologies.

Originally Posted by vacoder

SO why do you begrudge this woman? Seriously? Is it becuase her sacrifice was not enough? WHose was more? Certainly not yours./

Not begrudging her at all.

[No_Recess]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

I learned about him in school, particularly in regards to human cell growth techniques. Don't worry, he gets his recognition.

He didn't in the article nor is he in the exhibit.

From The Smithsonian's website:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/scien...cells-6421299/

No mention of Gey in there.