Summer Health Science Institute

Day Two

John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science

Day Two began at the MHMS, with a brief review of human anatomy and physiology from Mr. Adam Benjamin (Director of Dissection Programs and Education Specialist).

To begin with, participants were given a heart model. Mr. Benjamin reviewed the parts of the heart, the flow of blood, and indicators of heart disease.

Participants then received a dissecting tray, dissecting tools, gloves, and a notebook with dissection instructions. They then received a sheep heart to dissect.

The dissection notebook, instructions, and questions were intended for students in grades 4-9 (so we needed lots of help).

After dissecting a sheep heart, participants got a chance to view, touch, and learn about two real human hearts. The first was a normal heart, but the second (which was huge and bloated), came from a steroid user who had died of heart failure. Pictures of these hearts are in the Dissection Gallery.

Dissections of a sheep brain and cow eyeball followed. Pictures of these dissections are also in the Dissection Gallery. Participants also got to view two real human brains, one normal and one with visible damage from a stroke.

A set of lungs (one normal and one with disease from smoking), led the participants to the afternoon's activities. After lunch, everyone was introduced to the educational and instructions side of the museum, and got to learn about the Discover Carts. These carts are rolling displays of nutrition, digestion, smoking risks, hygiene, and other health-related topics, that are wheeled into the main museum and manned by museum volunteers. For the afternoon, the participants were the volunteers. Groups of children and adults crowded around as participants explained the contents of the cart, did some activities, and discussed positive health choices.