An
assistant professor of neurology at the University of Florida was recently
charged with the illegal storage and preservation of human remains. When
police searched his house, they discovered preserved brains, heads, arms,
and other human and animal body parts in Tupperware containers.
The strange episode began
when the man's wife called the police alleging domestic battery. When
police responded, they discovered the mummified body parts, which were all
property of the University of Florida. The professor had taken them home
to conduct research without permission.
A former colleague told
reporters, "I believe he was storing the parts to prepare anatomical
drawings [ for a textbook], not for experimentation. The parts were
preserved in a low-toxic fixative that would allow him to take them out
and examine them for accurate figures and diagrams.... I do not think [he]
was using the parts for anything terribly strange or perverse.... I was
more concerned about the domestic battery charges than the
experimentation."
The professor was fired a
few days later, according to one account, for possessing human remains.
The university also wanted to disassociate itself from negative publicity
and any damage to the university's research and donation program.
The police are attempting
to identify the remains found in the professor's house.
