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The Wisconsin Historical Society has asked University of Wisconsin textile expert Majid Sarmadi to run a blood test on a bedspread that may have covered President Abraham Lincoln after he was shot 150 years ago. Sarmadi and the state's crime lab have run their own preliminary tests, and the FBI may be asked to conduct its own test.
If blood is present, Sarmadi said he hoped to confirm eventually whether it was Lincoln's blood through DNA tests on other assassination artefacts.
No DNA test has been conducted on any artefacts such as a pillow on display at the Ford's Theatre museum known to contain Lincoln's blood, because of fears of ruining them, Bellais said.
"Technology now has it that you can actually test these things without destroying the pieces," Bellais said. "I wouldn't be surprised that fairly soon we will have Lincoln DNA on record."
Yes, it is almost time to clone Lincoln.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday April 14 2015, @11:09PM
>No test has been conducted on ... a pillow ... for fear of ruining it.
It's 150 years old and covered in blood. Pretty sure it's ruined already. I appreciate that it has historical value, but surely that means that it's value comes from its potential to teach us about the past. It has no other intrinsic value. It's not like it's a beautiful work of art or some holy relic that people come to gaze upon, it's a goddamned pillow.
We already know what historical pillows look like, and we all know what blood stains look like. If there could be valuable DNA info in there, test it now before its too late.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Tuesday April 14 2015, @11:46PM
One could find relatives and possible markers for various psychological properties.
(Score: 2) by Zinho on Wednesday April 15 2015, @03:03PM
One could find . . . possible markers for various psychological properties.
Is there a need for that? Lincoln's bouts of "melancholy" are well documented, so we already know that he suffered from clinical depression. The best you'd get from DNA analysis is correlation against the already-know behaviors he showed. Analyzing DNA from a modern subject who could be interviewed in person instead of studied via historical documents would be more useful.
"Space Exploration is not endless circles in low earth orbit." -Buzz Aldrin
(Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday April 14 2015, @11:53PM
If there could be valuable DNA info in there
DNA Valuable to who?
I mean, look, this is all idle curiosity at best. There is no medical secrets of value to any person living or dead, no medical breakthrough held in abeyance, and no real chance of a clone, and no right to do so even if possible. There is literally nothing to gain here other than trying to diagnose his geeky appearance. A full diagnosis changes nothing.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by sigma on Wednesday April 15 2015, @02:47AM
It's not like it's a beautiful work of art or some holy relic that people come to gaze upon
Yes it is, it's exactly like a holy relic.
A large part of the problem with US politics is that the people of the USA have chosen to behave as though their presidents are deities or demigods, instead of servants of the people. It's no surprise to see the same religious fervor applied to presidential relics as saintly ones.