Was Henrietta's cousin right when he shouted in the graveyard that Henrietta was still alive? Give examples from the book which illustrate your points and present a good argument for the position you take on this issue. Discuss the issues of Personal Identity and of Identity to decide whether, and in what sense, Henrietta is still alive.
What does Tuskegee Institute owe the Lacks family if anything? Cite examples from the book.
Henrietta's cousin was right when he shouted in the graveyard that Henrietta was still alive, because of her cells she’s still thriving today. The cell is the smallest part of the body; it’s the basic building block of all living things. The cell consists of highly specialized enzymes which carry out extremely specific responsibilities that the cell needs to live life. According to page 2 Henrietta Lacks cells are alive today and “one scientist calculated that if you could lay all HeLa cells ever grown end to end, they’d wrap around the earth at least three times.
ReplyDeleteThe Birth of the HeLa cells was the first human biological materials ever bought and sold, which helped launch a multi-billion-dollar industry. Why shouldn’t her cells help her family as she has help the world today?
Henrietta's cousin was correct when she said that Henrietta was still alive. She is still alive in the sense that all of her isn't dead; her cells are still alive and are continuing to multiply till this day. I would also like to add that not only her family refers to Henrietta's still being alive, but the doctor's do also because they refer to her cells as immortal I am hinting to the point that the cells are in fact apart of Henrietta therefore rendering her immortality on the sole basis that her cells would not be available if Henrietta did not at any point in time exist and after her existence she left living cells with her DNA ingrained in them making her life last as long as there is a single cell here on Earth that originated from her(meaning all the cells that have or will ever be created).
ReplyDeleteTuskegee Institute owe the Lacks family money if they were able to financial benefit from Henrietta's HeLa cells.
In 1951, George Gey , MD, was director of the laboratory and had already spent many years at Johns Hopkins as a student and faculty member. Individuals, institutions and governments practice, value and protect medical privacy. As a general rule, they try to limit access to health information, respect health-related decisions, and honor both individual and community expectations of bodily modesty, intimacy, bodily integrity, and self-ownership. Henrietta never gave informed consent for her cells to be used in medical research, and certainly not for them to be used in profit making ventures. Medical business now makes millions from research on the HeLa cells, but permission has never been given for this. Henrietta was not harmed by the research done on her cells, The issue by also bringing in other cases of experiments done on African-American people who were living in poverty and who could hardly have understood what was being asked of them, because their medical knowledge was so lacking. But given such a history, it is no surprise that there is now a significant degree of suspicion about medical practice in the African-American community. Deborah Lacks to investigate what happened to her sister who was put in a psychiatric institute for because of her mental problems, and they discover that the doctors there conducted painful medical experiments on her without ever seeking her consent or that of her family. My facts came from page 92-110 where Mary seen the chipped toenail polish, and knew that her cells really did come from a living person. As well as the HeLa Factory using her cells to cure polio. Page 122 when cousin Cliff was hollering at the grave and said her remains are just spread everywhere.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I don’t think he was wrong for shouting out her name because he feels as if her spirit is still there. Seeing that they are using her cells then he feels her presents since her cells are still alive in the world.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta cousin said what was on his heart. He felt that she was their. It seemed ironic that her cousin was lifted up out his house and ended up dying because his house landed on him. I do believe that Henrietta was there and making her presence known. The man that came from Rolling Stone was wrong when it came to his interview. Henrietta didnt like interview so all the information from the interview was burned so thats he wasnt able to publish his paper. There were other instances where Henrietta made her presence known because she didnt want her family messed with. I feel like Tuskegee should give the family some kind of recognition or money due to the fact that they profited off Henrietta cells. They distributed cells as well did research on her cells and they were able to recieve grants from their research so why shouldnt this family receive some money.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta Lacks cousin was correct when he said that Henrietta was still alive meaning the cell not her per say.The cells were alive even after her shell of her body was dead the cells live on and were used for many different cures. Such as developing the polio vaccine,which uncovered secrets of cancer,virses, and the atom bomb effects. Her cells also helped lead to vitro fetilization, and cloning as well as gene mapping.Some people would say that they owe her a large sum of money, but I say There is no number that can compensate for what the lacks family has endured. There is no judge on earth that could come up with a price the price is infint. The Suprem court would be paying the lacks family for the eternity.(Would you put a price tag on your child? What are you willing to accept.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta's cousin was right when he shouted in the graveyard that Henrietta was still alive.It is actually because of her cells that many people know who she is today. According to the book Henrietta Lacks cells are alive and replicating in an astonishing way today. One scientist even calculated that if you could lay all of Henrietta Lacks' "HeLa" end to end, they would wrap around the earth at least three times. This is very astonishing information given the fact that Henrietta's body is no longer breathing
ReplyDeleteHeLa cells have aided in the discovery of many cures that we have today. They have also been bought and shipped all around the world. Regardless of wheather Henrietta is breathing or not she is still alive and many people owe thier lives to her.
Henrietta’s cousin wasn’t all the way correct when he said that she was still alive. “Henrietta died at 12:15 a.m. on October 4, 1951”. (Skloot p. 86) Henrietta was, indeed, dead, however, part of her was still living. Now just because part of her was still alive does not make the person, “Henrietta Lacks” alive. The reason I do not agree with her cousin saying she was alive gets into the idea of personal identity. Henrietta, herself is not immortal although her cells are. If her cells were placed into another body, it would not make the body that the cells entered Henrietta Lacks. The body would still belong to the same woman or man that it did before the cells entered the body.
ReplyDeletePersonal identity falls under who a person is; characteristics that make that person, that person. Henrietta’s cells entering a thirty-eight year old Caucasian male stockbroker, will not automatically make him like to paint his toenails red, or like to go dancing with his cousin late at night, or make him take trips to Clover. He would still be a white male, dreading work while going through his mid life crisis. We would not call the new host of Mrs. Lacks’ cells Henrietta, and expect him to answer. The way I believe most of the Lacks family viewed her immortal cells, were as if they were actually Henrietta herself, the woman they all knew and loved. “When she saw a Newsweek article…that said scientist had crossed Henrietta Lack’s cells with tobacco cells, Deborah thought they’d created a human-plant monster that was half her mother, half tobacco. When she found out scientist had been using HeLa cells to study viruses like AIDS and Ebola, Deborah imagined her mother eternally suffering the symptoms of each disease….To Deborah, this sounded like a violent assault on her mother”. (Skloot p.196) Many of the Lackses did not understand what a cell even was, all they knew was that it came from Henrietta, therefore, if it is immortal, so is she. Henrietta is alive in a sense that usually when people die, everything in them dies also, including cells. Since Henrietta’s cells are still alive, so is PART of her, but to say that Henrietta, the mother, cousin, and friend, is still alive would be a complete and total lie.
There is a natural law duty to respect the cells and Henrietta’s next of kin’s ability to have control of her body parts. When a wealthy person dies, they usually have beneficiaries to take over anything they owned while they were living. However, if that/those person/people were never chosen, it automatically goes to the next of kin. In Henrietta’s case it would have been Deborah. Deborah should have had the right to decide what to do with her mother’s body parts or should have been compensated from the millions they made off of her cells.
I believe the Tuskegee Institute owes the family a third of their total profits from the HeLa cells, just as they would pay reparations to a the beneficiary of a wealthy estate.
Yes, her cousin Cliff was right when he shouted in the graveyard. She is still living because her cells are still living. Locke said “we have ownership to anything we put labor to and those who take it from us should be punished.” . HeLa cells are not possible without doctors, financiers or Henrietta Lacks whose heirs inherited her property. HeLa is a part of her, her property and her legacy.
ReplyDeleteYes her cousin was right when he said that. She is still alive because of those cells. "There's now a billion-dollar industry based on buying and selling tissues and cells and patenting genes." "and all that really started with her cells." The HeLa cell line, is one of the most revolutionary tools of biomedical research. Lacks cells has played a major part in the world's medical advances like polio vaccine and vitro fertilization. Yes,the Lacks family is entitled to any if all the money that was made due to the HeLa cells
ReplyDeleteHenrietta's cousin was absolutely correct when he said that she was still around. Her cells are still living today, and cells are an instrument that helps make up the person that you are right down to your looks. Henriettas' cells has helped change science and cure diseases that once had no cure. So if it werent for Henrietta, alot of other lives wouldnt have been saved.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta's cousin was right when he shouted in the graveyard that Henrietta was still living. It is because of her cells that many people know who she is today.Henriettas' cells has helped change science and cure diseases that once had no cure. The birth of the HeLa cells was the first human biological materials ever bought and sold, which helped launch a billion dollar industry.I believe the Tuskegee Institute owes the family a profit from the HeLa cells.
ReplyDeleteWhen Henrietta's cousin shouted in the graveyard that she was still alive, in my eyes he was in the right state of mind. To this day, her cells are still living. Even though her body was no longer in function, the cells the doctor's took from her were. So therefore it was only the right thing to say at the time when he did do it. I would have done the same thing If it was me in that situaton. To this day, she still lives on.
ReplyDeleteThe Tuskegge Institute owes her family a great amount of money. They are a billion dollar industry for profiting off her cells that have been curing lives for the longest. It would be the right thing to do to give the family at least half the profit instead of being greedy people.
In my opinion, Bobbette’s conclusion about Henrietta wasn’t the issue, but what she did afterwards wasn’t the best decision. I’m sure her heart was in the right place, but her actions weren’t. It’s understandable that she was upset, but she should not have called Lawrence and told Henrietta was alive. This approach caused confusion for Lawrence. In response to the message, Lawrence called the hospitals looking for answers, but ended nowhere. “When the operator couldn’t find a record…Lawrence hung up and didn’t know who else to call. Page 181” This situation could have been avoided if Bobbette didn’t make the decision to call Lawrence.
ReplyDeleteAnd
Its clear Tuskegee owes the Lacks family a substantial amount of money, but it’s not clear on how much. Accordingly, Henrietta’s cells were used to further the cancer research. Vials of her cells were being sold between many hospitals for thousands of dollars. “Invitrogen sells HeLa products that cost anywhere from $100 to nearly $10,000 per vial.” (Page 194). Tuskegee was one of the institutions that purchased vials. Tuskegee used these vials on the African Americans in an experimentation known as the Tuskegee Experiment.
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ReplyDeleteHenrietta's cousin was right when he shouted at the grave. Henrietta is still alive, well at least some of her is still alive. When one is dead, all of them should be dead, cells and all. But in Mrs Lacks situation not all of her is dead. Cells are considered to be the basic unit of life and if an individuals cells are still living, then isnt the individual still living also.In my opinion, I think so. For example if I died today and my heart was donated, I would in some sense still be alive but through someone's body.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Tuskegee Institute owe the lacks family at least an apology. Financial compensation would be nice, but an apology can go long way. It will be something that will last a lifetime, whereas money can be here today and gone tomorrow.
In my conclusion I think that Henrietta cousin shouting out that Henrietta is still alive was not so much of wrong but I think it should not be looked at as of being the correct thing to do. Im sure she was destroyed emotionally but shouting out something like that would only corrupt everyone's thoughts and peace at mind. It was an issue that could have been avoided but who's to say people can not speak on there on behalf.
ReplyDeleteThe Tuskegee Institute succeeded outstandingly after the research done on Henrietta Lacks. The institute became a major industry that Ms. Lacks should be recognized for. It is only moral that the institute recognizes everyone involved in this success breathing or not.
I think that Henrietta's heirs should get the money because they are obligated to the money because it was their moms cells that made a huge outcome and success for the researchers and it was taken without her concent as well, for example when oil is found on a persons property it automatically is suppose to belong to them or at least they need a portion of the profit. darius pickett
ReplyDeleteHenrietta's cousin shouldn't have screamed she is still alive at the grave. Yes her cells are still alive but her as a living human being is not. Her children are have her cells in their body. In the case everyone is still alive. Her family should receive some money for the pain and suffer they experience.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Henrietta's cousin should have shouted she was still alive; however,when you are grieving you often say things without thinking them through.According to the book, she had been pronounced on October 4 1952. Most physicians consider people dead when at least one of two things stop working, the heart or the brain and for Henrietta both had stopped working. Even though, her cells continue to reproduce as a human being Henrietta was dead.
ReplyDeletePersonal identity is defined as the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity.In philosophy, personal identity refers to the numerical identity of persons through time. That is to say, the conditions under which a person is said to be identical to himself through time.Henrietta's cells aren't her personal identity according to the definitions. They are just a part of her that continues to live on.
I believe the Tuskegee Institute owes the Lacks family a profit from their research. HeLa cells continue to help science make strides and they also continue to reproduce for science to do so. The family has suffered enough from not knowing what was going on already. They should be paid for their suffering.
Yes, Henrietta’s cousin was correct when he shouted she was still alive. When you really think about it, she, or her cells were alive and still growing. These cells actually were taking over. Gardenia’s brother-in-law said it himself, “…Henrietta’s cells had been all over the news lately because they’d been causing problems by contaminating others cultures” (Skloot 180). It was mentioned in the book how every scientist was trying to get a hold of her cells for research and how these cells wouldn’t stop growing. Her cells were so alive that they would rapidly grow and take over anything it came in contact with, including the human body. It was well known in the science world that the cells of Henrietta Lacks were something special. It was also very believable by most the members of her family including her daughter-in-law Bobbette. “Part of your mother, it’s alive” (Skloot181). Bobbette had just heard the news at her friend’s house and called husband, Lawrence as soon as she found out. Yet there were still a number family that truly thought she was dead. The book stated that Day wondered if they had dug her body up or if the men who did her autopsy had done something to Henrietta. It was a sad disgrace how the scientist used her family to research. They gained contact with Henrietta’s family through Hopkins as said in chapter twenty three by Hsu. “When Dr. McKusick said, ‘You go back to Baltimore and get this blood drawn,’ I did” (Skloot 182). Hsu let Day believe that they were coming to draw blood to test them for the cancer that killed Henrietta. In reality they were testing Day and the children to find out what Henrietta’s HLA markers might have been. When seen in detail, no, her personal identity is not alive, but it still lives on. A piece of her, or a huge part of her will continue to thrive and live as long as her cells are alive. Her legacy will continue to live on. Henrietta’s cells were famous and used to cure all types of diseases. Her name lives on in a positive way due to her cell being used beneficially. No, Henrietta’s family didn’t receive any money for the discovery of her cancer cell. If it were a wealthy family they would have been asked for permission and confirmation for the research to take place. Unfortunately, back in the time of Henrietta’s life they did care much for the poor or the people of color. They did as they pleased with them and the doctors also didn’t believe in telling the patient the horrifying truth. It should be common knowledge of others to give the right Henrietta’s family to have control over her body parts. It is now a natural law to respect the cells of others and there patient must first sign a consent and a release form. This goes back to the scientist not caring about those of color and the poor.
ReplyDeleteThe question asked was, is Henrietta still alive? Yes to a certain extent. Her personal identity lives on but she does not. Her legacy through her family will not thrive due to the fact they have no control over the research that has been taking place. They have not received any compensation up to this point and it is ridiculous. Back then they believed in doing whatever they pleased to the poor and to colored people. Did they have the right to do what they did to Henrietta without consent, NO.
Well Henrietta is still alive. Henrietta’s cousin has every right to feel the way he did. Her actual body is not here, but she still lives on in spirit and in her cells. I felt in the book that Henrietta’s family still believes that she is still alive. I’m torn between the Tuskegee institute owing the Lacks family. On one had I do believe that they owe the Lacks family an apology and some money. On the second hand I don’t feel they owe the family anything. Because if Henrietta wasn’t feeling sick and under the weather and decide to go to John Hopkins Hospital then the HeLa cells would have never been discovered.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta’s cousin Cliff was absolutely right when he stated “They named then HeLa! And they still living!” (page 122) throughout the book, doctors refer to the cells of Henrietta as immortal. The definition of immortal is a being that lives forever and the fact that Henrietta’s cells are still alive today and will not die means that they are immortal. A passage from the book on page 2 shows reveals that there are trillions of Henrietta’s cells that are in laboratories now and still growing.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of personal identity is a somewhat controversial issue. Personal identity is defined as the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity. For example, some people believe that personal identity is bodily and therefore is subject to the body. Others believe that personal identity is attached to the mind and therefore travels with the brain. In the case of Henrietta, the issue of personal identity has to do with her living cells that are immortal. This instance would deal with bodily personal identity and those who believe this would also argue that Henrietta is still alive today. If a portion of her body, her cells, are still living and growing then she must still be considered alive today. Those who believe that personal identity is attached to the mind would argue that Henrietta is not alive because she has passed away and her brain is not functioning anymore. I believe that personal identity is attached to the body. The fact that human cells are the most basic building block of the human body and hers are still alive means that she is still alive in my opinion.
In my opinion Henrietta's cousin was not right by yelling out that she was still alive. Even though during the book the doctor stated that Henrietta's cells were immortal, her mind and soul are no longer being of any use in that body.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta's cousin was in error when he stated that she was still alive. Throughout the book, it is clear that the cancerous cells were the cells that survived and these cells were only alive because of the aggressive nature of the cancer. It is my belief that death happens when a person's soul leaves their body and Henrietta's soul was long gone before her cousin yelled that she was alive. Even if I believed that life was connected to cells, i would also disagree due to the fact that as the cells were moved from culture to culture over time and used in research, the very nature of the cells started to evolve. This evolution made the cells less human than they were the day they were removed from Henrietta by the doctor.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Tuskegee Institute, I believe that they, along with every other individual and institution that made a profit because of the original cells' ability to survive in culture, owe the family a percentage of the profits. I am basing this argument on the statement of the young scientist who explained that both the researchers and Henrietta (the source of the cells) had a part in the progress that has been attained due to the immortal nature of the the HeLa cells.
We all know that in a way he was saying that Henrietta was still alive by her cells that are still living and are still being used. But she's dead physically of course. And as far as Tuskegee, the people that used the cells were wrong but just like every other doctor or institute that uses her cells, I don't believe that Tuskegee should pay anything. Besides, just like the family of Mrs. Lacks, and everyone else who may know her story, they aren't grieving over her death anymore. Our children will feel closer to her than her family. Like it was stated in the book, they've moved on and so has the memory of Henrietta. People are just mad that even today no money is being put up. If it hasn't happened yet then it most likely won't due to some of the laws back then.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding the definition of alive is the first responsibility in drawing an absolute conclusion. As stated on dicitionary.com the technical meaning of alive is "in a state of action; in force or operation...” This would give thought to Henrietta's cousin as actually being correct. Given the situation and circumstances of Henrietta's death, her cousin may have been speaking from an emotional standpoint rather than from a logical or scientific standpoint, but this does not absolutely make her cousin incorrect. Because the definition does not describe any physical attributes to the word "alive" it can be assessed that a small part of her, cells, were actually still alive and in a state of action. This action was not taking place in the physical body of Henrietta but in the bodies of many other hospital patients. The term "immortal" was generously used by Dr. Guy and his collogues at John Hopkins to refer to the HeLa cell. With a scientific approach to cells, immortal simple means the ability to divide, according to dicitionary.com. With a general knowledge of both of these definitions, it can be assumed that Henrietta's cousin was using a general understanding of both definitions and acting from an emotional standpoint.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Tuskegee, I feel that instruction and or person that has made any type of gain, i.e. financial or career, from the HeLa cell, Henrietta Lacks, or her family owes some portion of the publicity or finance to the Lacks family. Unfortunately, the natural rights of Henrietta Lacks were not executed. Though she is deceased, the actions of her doctor's to remove and test her cells, are not less praised than the actions of Skloot who published the book to help many gain knowledge on the HeLa cell and its development. The exploitation of this family has far exceeded the thoughts of many. It is my opinion that each institution that has made any gain in some ways owes this family.
I agree that Henrietta's cousin was right when he shouted in the graveyard that Henrietta was still alive, because of her cells she’s still thriving today. On page 2,it says that Henrietta Lacks' cells are alive today and “one scientist calculated that if you could lay all HeLa cells ever grown end to end, they’d wrap around the earth at least three times." The doctors also refer to her cells as immortal. The cells are in fact apart of Henrietta therefore rendering her immortality on the sole basis that her cells would not be available if Henrietta did not exist. After she passed, she left living cells with her DNA ingrained in them making her life last as long as there is a single cell here on Earth that originated from her(meaning all the cells that have or will ever be created). I totally agree with this statement mentioned earlier.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Tuskegee University is deeply in debt to the Lack's family because without her cells the medical industry wouldn't have progressed to the state it is in now. I agree that HeLa cells continue to help science make strides and they also continue to reproduce for science to do so. The family has suffered enough from not knowing what was going on already. They should be paid for their suffering.
Henietta cousin was right when he shouted in the graveyard she was still alive because her cells lives on. As roslyn stated in the beginning of the book a scientist said if you were to add up her cells they would wrap around the earth. several times.
ReplyDeletePersonal identity could never be tampered with but you can give up organs, cells as we seen in this book but you still are you ownself.
I think Tuskegee Institute should give the family of ms. lack a portion of their proceeds eared from her cells.
Henriettas cousin was riight. As long as there is still something to fight over se is still alive. Not to mention her cells are still living and reproducing. That is her genetic makeup.
ReplyDeleteTuskegee owes some royalties to the family to show their gratitude and at least the acknowledgment of her contribution to science and their own success
In the most basic sense, Henrietta's cousin was right. Cells are the basic building blocks for life. In the sense that Henrietta's cells are still alive and providing life he had a point.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that Tuskegee does owe a great deal to Ms Lacks. Her cells provided jobs in laboratories that allowed young African Americans the opportunity of helping the world. Tuskegee received acclaim nationally for their work with HeLa and im sure they received alot of money.
Henrietta's cousin was correct when he shouted that she was still alive. Henrietta's cells have traveled the world, cured disease, went to the moon, and have saved millions of lives. They live today in vaccines, experiments, and laboratories. Because all of her is not deceased, she is very much alive.
ReplyDeleteTechnically, the Tuskeegee Institute does owe some credit to the Lacks family for their contribution to science. It may not be that they are entitled to any monetary gifts since, this occurred at a time where there were very few patient rights. At the least they should offer the family free health insurance and offer them some great recognition and possible some monetary grant.
Henrietta's cousin was right and saying that she was alive.In my opinion as long as her cells were still growing they were infact alive.Yes the transportation of those cells have helped to find cures for different things.
ReplyDeleteTuskeegee does owe the Lacks family for allowing them to still use her cells for further expirementation .In my eyes its just the right thing to do because of all that the family has indured
Yes,I also, feel that,Henrietta's cousin was right for saying that she is alive. He has every right to believe and feel that. Being that the same cells (still to this day)thats research is being done on,is run through his same blood stream. And the fact of knowing that "HeLa" and in labortory's across the world, she is alive still this day.
ReplyDeleteTuskeegee owe them their lives and so on. Because Dr. Gey,took what did not belong to him. In other words, he did not get authorization from nor her family. Before and after she was conscious to eveyone.