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Preserves
The Department of Defense maintains a collection of human developmental specimens. On display at the Walter Reed Campus in Washington DC, the index documents the human growth cycle from zygote to newborn. While most of the collection is given over to specimens of normal anatomical development, the fetal abnormalities seem to be the highlight of the exhibit and include examples of cyclopia, anencephaly, conjoined siblings, achondroplastic dwarfism, and sirenomelia (a.k.a. Mermaid Syndrome). Among the "normal" specimens, the most fascinating is a 6-month fetus, floating in its environs: placenta intact and mother's belly still attached. I learned of the collection while working for a DoD forensic lab; it was the setting for our holiday party. Posted On: July 30, 2007
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