Marburg Lenchen

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The full specimen of a heavily pregnant woman, which is exhibited in the Museum anatomicum , the medical history museum of the Philipps University of Marburg , is popularly referred to as the Marburger Lenchen . The specimen depicts the anatomical conditions of the birth and shows a topographical sagittal section through which the internal organs are made visible in a longitudinal section. It was probably made around 1900. The origin of the woman is uncertain, but contemporary circumstances suggest that she is from a poor background.

preparation

The Marburger Lenchen is a moist preparation that was made durable by soaking it in formaldehyde and is therefore still in good condition today. The preparation is almost colorless, because the formaldehyde has broken down the natural coloring agents hemoglobin and myoglobin . The median section shows the head and trunk of the specimen with its organs in a longitudinal section. The legs of the preparation were cut off as there was no container to preserve the entire body. The two sagittal sections are each kept in two glass containers, one with and one without the fetus . The fetus, which had almost been born, probably died of intrauterine infant death because the head was already driven very far into the birth canal. After the mother's death, the child was delivered by caesarean section and dissected individually. The fetus was then reintroduced. The woman suffered from kyphoscoliosis , a severe curvature of the spine, which was probably caused by bone tuberculosis . This curvature led to a massive narrowing of the pelvic outlet, which made natural birth impossible.

The specimen has been in the Marburg Museum Anatomicum since the end of the 19th century and is the only complete specimen from a pregnant woman in Germany. Allegedly, the specimen came from the Marburg Women's Clinic to the Anatomical Collection at the end of the 19th century. However, its origin cannot be determined beyond doubt.

"The crass fox"

The novel Der krasse Fuchs by Walter Bloem describes student life in the late 19th century. At the center of the story is a medical student from the University of Marburg, who impregnates the carpenter's daughter Lene Tritop and leaves her shortly afterwards because of the difference in class. When the labor pains set in, she throws herself into the Lahn out of desperation. Since she died by suicide, she is not allowed to be buried in a cemetery. So it is turned over to anatomy and taken to the university's anatomical classroom. The dissection of the corpse is to be carried out by the medical student who was responsible for their situation. The student's remorse is great when he sees the corpse. He feels guilty because he left her and is responsible for her death.

Life

The life of Lenchen in Marburg can no longer be reconstructed. The heavily pregnant woman was probably unmarried and took her own life by throwing herself into the Lahn. It cannot be clarified whether the representations in Der krasse Fuchs are based on facts and can be transferred to the life of Lenchen in Marburg. This preparation gives an insight into the financial and moral pressure unmarried or abandoned women were under during this time. Suicide or infanticide seemed the only way out.

Criticism of the exhibition of the preparation

The Marburger Lenchen achieved sad fame. Critics demand that the specimen be taken from the collection of the Museum anatomicum and that a Christian funeral be carried out, as it cannot be assumed that the young woman has given her consent to make herself available for anatomical purposes or an exhibition.

literature

  • Walter Bloem: The blatant fox. Grehtlein, Leipzig et al. 1911.
  • Kornelia Grundmann, Gerhard Aumüller (ed.): The Marburg Medical History Museum. Museum Anatomicum. History and exhibits. (= Marburger Stadtschriften zur Geschichte und Kultur, 98). Marburg 2012.
  • Marita Metz-Becker: Women in the Marburg City History. A biographical manual. (= Marburg city writings on history and culture, 99). Marburg 2012.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Kornelia Grundmann, Gerhard Aumüller (ed.): The Marburg Medical History Museum. Museum Anatomicum. History and exhibits. (= Marburger Stadtschriften zur Geschichte und Kultur, 98). Marburg 2012, p. 93.
  2. ↑ Kornelia Grundmann, Gerhard Aumüller (ed.): The Marburg Medical History Museum. Museum Anatomicum. History and exhibits. (= Marburger Stadtschriften zur Geschichte und Kultur, 98). Marburg 2012, p. 93.
  3. ↑ Kornelia Grundmann, Gerhard Aumüller (ed.): The Marburg Medical History Museum. Museum Anatomicum. History and exhibits. (= Marburger Stadtschriften zur Geschichte und Kultur, 98). Marburg 2012, p. 94.
  4. ^ Marita Metz-Becker: Women in the history of the city of Marburg. A biographical manual. (= Marburg city writings on history and culture, 99). Marburg 2012, p. 101.
  5. ↑ Kornelia Grundmann, Gerhard Aumüller (ed.): The Marburg Medical History Museum. Museum Anatomicum. History and exhibits. (= Marburger Stadtschriften zur Geschichte und Kultur, 98). Marburg 2012, p. 95.
  6. ^ Marita Metz-Becker: Women in the history of the city of Marburg. A biographical manual. (= Marburg city writings on history and culture, 99). Marburg 2012, pp. 101-102.
  7. ^ Marita Metz-Becker: Women in the history of the city of Marburg. A biographical manual. (= Marburg city writings on history and culture, 99). Marburg 2012, p. 101.
  8. ↑ Kornelia Grundmann, Gerhard Aumüller (ed.): The Marburg Medical History Museum. Museum Anatomicum. History and exhibits. (= Marburger Stadtschriften zur Geschichte und Kultur, 98). Marburg 2012, p. 95.
  9. ^ Marita Metz-Becker: Women in the history of the city of Marburg. A biographical manual. (= Marburg city writings on history and culture, 99). Marburg 2012, p. 102.