The return of Lincoln's body to the White House

[Angela]

(11-08-2013 06:29 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  One of the interesting stories come from Herb Collins, retired curator of the Political Collection at the Smithsonian. Herb says that all of Abraham Lincolns blood from the autopsy was saved and was at the National Museum (now know as the Smithsonian). It has long since disappeared, along with the boat that Booth and Herold crossed the Potomac in. Those Victorians collected everything!

Thank you Jim - I had ALWAYS been wondering about this! Every time someone laments the fact that we cannot take any DNA samples because the body is buried under tons of concrete, I'd thought that since it was embalmed, the blood must have been removed and I had always expected it to be kept somewhere. Too bad that people back then could not imagine the possibilities of science...