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Converting Human Material into Tissue Culture, c.1910–70

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Tissue Culture in Science and Society

Part of the book series: Science, Technology and Medicine in Modern History ((STMMH))

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Abstract

The numerous accounts of ‘test-tube babies’ that appeared in the interwar period documented the cultivation of human material. But although these stories drew upon biological practices and were endorsed by scientists, human tissue was in fact hard to maintain and was used far less than chick tissue. Human material rarely survived for more than a few days in vitro, and generated little results of scientific or medical interest. But researchers continued to obtain and culture various types of human tissues, as they believed that any findings obtained from them would be more applicable to patients.

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Notes

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  1. University of Manchester, UK

    Duncan Wilson (Wellcome Trust Research Associate)

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© 2011 Duncan Wilson

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Wilson, D. (2011). Converting Human Material into Tissue Culture, c.1910–70. In: Tissue Culture in Science and Society. Science, Technology and Medicine in Modern History. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230307513_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230307513_4

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-349-32945-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-230-30751-3

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