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Summary ILofHL Pg. 89-117 In the book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by author Rebecca Skloot tells the story of Henrietta which had cervical cancer and died. Her cells where mass produced and harvested all over the world without the families knowledge. Continuing with chapter twelve after Henrietta dies of terminal uremia doctor Gregory Gey wanted to do an autopsy on Henrietta to harvest more cells. Day Lacks Henrietta’s husband first said no to the autopsy but after much convincing from his cousin and Gey he agreed under the stipulation that it would benefit the children. After the autopsy Henrietta was transported back to Clover the town which Henrietta lived. Day put Henrietta in the hallway for family and friends to view. On the day of her funeral it was storming. The wind blew one of the Lackes cousins house over killing him. Years later Peter Henrietta’s cousin stated “we shoulda knew she was tryin to tell us somthin with that storm.” At first Henrietta’s cells were harvested for one reason to stop the polio virus. In 1952 a doctor named Jonas Salk who worked at the University of Pittsburgh stated he found a cure for polio. When they started they were using monkeys to test with but were to expensive, so they used cells from Henrietta to confirm the cure. The (NFIP) ‘National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis” went to Gey for help. One problem they ran into was cells grew on a flat surface and ran out of space quick so it was labor intensive. Gey had a technique that cells grew by suspension in medium and was stirred by a magnetic device. The (NFIP) found out about the cure and the cell which would be cost effective so they hired William Scherer to follow through with the development Distribution Center at the Tuskegee Institute. Charles Bynum was a science teacher and was active in civil rights also was the director of the foundation. The Tuskegee Institute figured out that there were no shortages with Henrietta’s cells. So they started selling cells for ten dollars a vial for all sorts of viruses, cultures, hormones, bacteria, and proteins. Researchers discovered how to freeze cells until they needed them it was a big advancement for the 1950’s. Researchers ran into another problem everybody that was using Henrietta’s cells were mixing their own medium so it was hard for one researcher to duplicate and achieve the same results as others. Gey started standardizing methods to work with cells. There was an accident in Texas when a geneticist accidentally mixed the wrong liquid with Henrietta’s cells and they grew bigger. The mistake showed a positive outcome they could now detect Down Syndrome and Klinefelter Syndrome. Samuel Reader a business man and his partner Monroe Vincent understood the expansion and market of cells sales. They started a company in Maryland to distribute cells. When the cold war escalated Henrietta’s cells were exposed to nuclear bomb tests. They were also tested to demonstrate underwater and flying effects on the human body. Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical used Henrietta’s cells. Gey was nervous by the 1950’s to many researchers were using cell culture and he wished it would calm down. Gey did not have control over cells when big companies started distributing them. In November of 1953 reporters and the public wanted to know more about the cells and who they came from. Day was contacted about releasing Henrietta’s name but Day did not give in. He agreed to have an article written but with different names. Because of the fake name Henrietta’s family did not know anything about her cells. Going back to right after Henrietta’s death they had family from all over for dinner and someone had tuberculosis and spread it to a few other family members. Lawrence, Days oldest son dropped out of school to take care of the brothers and sisters. He was eventually drafted into the war. Ethel was Henrietta’s replacement. Ethel was mean and angry towards the Lackes children. She beat them, did not feed them, made them work all the time. Galen Henrietta’s cousin started molesting and beating Deborah, Henrietta’s oldest daughter. She did not want to be alone with Galen. Deborah fell in love with a boy from school named cheetah. She wanted to drop out of school and get married so Galen would stay and stop abusing her. A few of Deborah’s cousins wanted to marry her and she said no. Deborah had a lot of questions about her mother and her sister Elsie that died at the age of fifteen in a metal hospital.