Henrietta Lacks, Part I

While reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, racism was still very evident through the mentioned segregation of hospital rooms, bathrooms, and differing pay rates from whites, etc. However, what most confounded me was the medical malpractice that repeatedly occurred during the search for immortal cells.

The first part of the book details Henrietta’s African American life, and how her cells ever came about to be used for science. Nevertheless, I don’t believe that her racial category was the reason at all, behind her cells falling into this medical study. Skloot says, “Gey took any cells he could get his hands on- he called himself ‘the world’s most famous vulture, feeding on human specimens almost constantly (30).’” Had Henrietta been a white woman, I believe they still would have proceeded with growing the cells and continuing their research in the same manner. Other scientists did have racist ideals and intentions directed towards only benefitting the white population, and racism is shown throughout the book, but I do not believe the collection of her cells was a racist act. Gey was collecting cells of all races, or at least it seemed to be so.

Although racism was still prevalent, the hospital did not differ her treatment dramatically, for being black. Skloot says, “According to Howard Jones, Henrietta got the same care as any white patient would have…(64).” The medical treatment Skloot describes seemed to be the standard care for all patients; Henrietta had received the known solutions to help the cancer resolve. However, racism was shown in different ways while she was treated. She was placed in a colored exam room and “a nurse drew blood and labeled the vial COLORED… (65).” Otherwise, her color seemed to have no effect on her care. Even Gey had “told a few of his closet colleagues that he thought his lab might have grown the first immortal human cells (41).” He did not say, the first immortal black human cells. The discovery was prized nonetheless.

Overall, the cells being taken from Henrietta, I believe is more about the denied medical rights of the patient, rather than racist ideals. That fact that Henrietta was African American, could have been why they didn’t tell her about the removal of her cells, but it seemed as if Gey was taking cells from white women too, which does not make it seem like the malpractice was a racist intention. Although, I could be mistaken, and maybe this was a denial of her rights because of her color.