fssa
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Questions for Ch. 20-32
Chapter Twenty: The HeLa Bomb
1. What did Stanley Gartler discover about eighteen of the most commonly used cell cultures?
Stanly Gartler found out that the cell cultures all contain a rare genetic marker called G6PD-A which was present almost exclusively in black Americans.
2. How did the scientific community respond to Gartler’s theory about HeLa contamination?
I think Skloot puts it best: "Gartler's findings did not go over well." Scientists resisted this finding at first, then gradually accepted that their cell culture lines were contaminated, and realized that they had spent countless research hours and dollars on what were essentially HeLa hybrids that they thought were unique cultures.
ChapterTwenty-one: Night Doctors
1. What do the Lackses believe John Hopkins did to black people?
They kidnapped blacks off the street and experimented on them.
2. What are “night doctors?” Where did the term originate and why?
Night doctors kidnapped black people off the street and conducted experiments on them. The term originated from white plantation owners who scared blacks from meeting or escaping.
ChapterTwenty-two: “The Fame She So Richly Deserves”
1. Explain how Henrietta’s real name became public knowledge.
Howard Jones wrote an article about George Gey that contained information about HeLa and of course, Henrietta’s real name.
2. Do you agree that Henrietta should have been correctly identified in order to “give her the fame she so richly deserves,” or do you think her anonymity should have been protected?
I agree. I think that the doctors should have told Henrietta’s family about that her cells right after they took them.
Chapter Twenty-three: “It’s Alive”
1. How did Bobette find out about HeLa?
Gardenia's brother-in-law
2. Why did researchers want DNA samples from Henrietta’s family?
Because the researchers were looking for a specific gene marker that existed in Lack’s
Chapter Twenty: The HeLa Bomb
1. What did Stanley Gartler discover about eighteen of the most commonly used cell cultures?
Stanly Gartler found out that the cell cultures all contain a rare genetic marker called G6PD-A which was present almost exclusively in black Americans.
2. How did the scientific community respond to Gartler’s theory about HeLa contamination?
I think Skloot puts it best: "Gartler's findings did not go over well." Scientists resisted this finding at first, then gradually accepted that their cell culture lines were contaminated, and realized that they had spent countless research hours and dollars on what were essentially HeLa hybrids that they thought were unique cultures.
ChapterTwenty-one: Night Doctors
1. What do the Lackses believe John Hopkins did to black people?
They kidnapped blacks off the street and experimented on them.
2. What are “night doctors?” Where did the term originate and why?
Night doctors kidnapped black people off the street and conducted experiments on them. The term originated from white plantation owners who scared blacks from meeting or escaping.
ChapterTwenty-two: “The Fame She So Richly Deserves”
1. Explain how Henrietta’s real name became public knowledge.
Howard Jones wrote an article about George Gey that contained information about HeLa and of course, Henrietta’s real name.
2. Do you agree that Henrietta should have been correctly identified in order to “give her the fame she so richly deserves,” or do you think her anonymity should have been protected?
I agree. I think that the doctors should have told Henrietta’s family about that her cells right after they took them.
Chapter Twenty-three: “It’s Alive”
1. How did Bobette find out about HeLa?
Gardenia's brother-in-law
2. Why did researchers want DNA samples from Henrietta’s family?
Because the researchers were looking for a specific gene marker that existed in Lack’s