Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Words of wisdom from Jerome Lejeune

Mary Meets Dolly shares a wonderful story of her father's conversation with Jerome Lejeune, the French geneticist who discovered the cause of Down Syndrome and spent his life working to improve the lives of children with the extra chromosome. He was appalled that his work was being used to find and eliminate these children in-utero.

The post also includes a lovely excerpt from Lejeune's testimony on when human life begins. Allow me to share a favorite bit:
When I had the honor of testifying previously before the Senate, I took the liberty of referring to the universal fairy-tale of the man smaller than the thumb. At two months of age, the human being is less than one thumb's length from the head to the rump. He would fit at ease in a nutshell, but everything is there: hands, feet, head, organs, brain, all are in place. His heart has been beating for a month already. Looking closely, you would see the palm creases and a fortune teller would read the good adventure of that tiny person.

Had I world enough, and time, I might be able to adequately sing the praises of this wonderful man. Brilliant, devout, gentle, humble. He was all the things I wish I was.

8 comments:

Christina Dunigan said...

Where the hell are they, Tlaloc? In his luggage?

Two months.

TIME PERIOD: 54 - 56 days post-ovulation

Eyelids and external ear more developed and the upper lip fully formed. The brain can move muscles.

In female embryos, the clitoris is beginning to form. The penis will develop from the same tissue.

Fingers lengthen while distinct grooves (digital rays) form between the fingers, which also lengthen as the hands approach each other across the abdomen. Feet approach each other, but are still fan-shaped and the toe digits are still webbed.

Primary ossification centers appear in the long bones, directing the replacement of cartilage by bone. This process usually begins in the upper limbs. Fingers overlap those of opposite hand, and the digits of the fingers fully separate. Feet lengthen and become more defined.

Christina Dunigan said...

Tlaloc, you claimed that the parts in question ARE NOT PRESENT. Your exact words were, "But they aren't all in place."

And I find it telling that you refer to human beings as "the finished product", as if we roll off the assembly line at General Motors.

Why do you hate the unborn so? It's as if you went to ToonTown and a fetus dropped a piano on your brother's head or something.

Anonymous said...

tlaloc confuses development with completeness. From the moment of conception we are all complete human organisms. Just like in utero, we all continue to develop throughout out lives. We are never fully "developed" but that doesn't make us any less human.

Lauren said...

Tlaloc, you simply state NOT ORGANISM again and agian with only a laymans understanding of science and dispute evidence to the contrary by again yelling "NOT ORGANISM". It is scientific fact that a human at every stage of development is an organism.

In fact, nearly every definition of human life include the word "organism". Your blind spot on this is astounding.

I'm not going to debate this with you, because it's a bit like debating that the visually observable mid-day sky is blue with someone who claims it to be yellow.

Just posting so anyone who sees tlaloc's claim knows that he has the scientific credintials of a few college courses, and will out right deny definitions from medical sourses.

Anonymous said...

Tailoc,
Try picking up an embryology textbook. I recommend "The developing human : clinically oriented embryology" / Keith L. Moore
Also I recommend "A Child is Born : new photographs of life before birth and up-to-date advice for expectant parents" / photos., Lennart Nilsson

Anonymous said...

Tailoc,
Try picking up an embryology textbook. I recommend "The developing human : clinically oriented embryology" / Keith L. Moore
Also I recommend "A Child is Born : new photographs of life before birth and up-to-date advice for expectant parents" / photos., Lennart Nilsson

Anonymous said...

Ooops, sorry about the double post, posting button (java) wasn't working right.

Anonymous said...

"Actually I have a degree in physics and I work in a materials science laboratory that is pretty much on the forefront of our particular area of interest in the world."

A degree in physics (which covers science areas such industrial management, architectural, biomedical, and environmental engineering related areas) is not the same thing as a degree in physiology or health science. Not to mention, I looked up the course requirements for such a degree and they do not include any kind of human development courses such as biology, structure and development of vertebrates, physiology, and anatomy for example, the courses required for those who actually care for and study patients (both born and in the womb) So no, your degree doesn't automatically qualify you to be an expert in this area. You're no more an expert in the field of obstetristics and developmental biology than I am.