# Who here has seen a human brain...with their own eyes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700 "2003-08-26T06:42:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/41 "2003-08-28T09:45:19Z")
I think for that to work, **Mangetout** , you’d have to open up the skull, _and_ carefully remove an eyeball (not severing the optic nerve), and stretch the eye over to where it could get a good (if unfocused) view at the brain. Of course, you’d have to slice open the dura, too. And I don’t think an HMO would cover any of this. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/42 "2003-08-28T11:58:23Z")
[Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?&threadid=156958) is the thread I mentioned, in case anyone is wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Peter\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/43 "2003-08-28T12:28:36Z")
Yes. Alive and dead. Whole and in parts. Many years as a field paramedic. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/44 "2003-08-28T13:09:24Z")
Not only saw it, I sponged it off the walls, floor, ceiling, bathtub, and toilet when a friend suicided using a high-powered rifle. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/45 "2003-08-28T13:14:49Z")
Saw half of one in my experimental psychology class in college like lots of other folks here. The professor noted that besides being cheaper to order only one lobe from the supply company it was easier to point to the actual area on the interior rather than saying, “about here is where the hypothalamus would be.” He made the usual jokes but my favorite was, “For those of you who listen to my lectures and say I only have half a brain - Well, here’s your proof.” ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/46 "2003-08-28T15:22:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by heboisha \* > \*\*While I was in kindergarten some people came to my class with various body parts that we kiddies got to play with. So I’ve handled a human femur, viewed some chyme in a bucket, and yes, touched the human brain. It was wet, gray and rather firmer than I expected. > > I really enjoyed my kindergarten class, I think that’s been the peak of my life so far. \*\* In kindergarten? jeez you sure went to a progressive school ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/47 "2003-08-29T20:52:32Z")
I was a medic in Viet Nam working in a Battalion Aid Station for an aviation unit. One of the mechanics walked into the tail rotor of a helicopter. It lifted off the top of his skull and spread his brains around the tarmac. We medics put his body into a body bag and put what we could round up of his brains int a plastic bag next to his head and put both into an open ambulance/jeep. While we were waiting for another helicopter to take the body to where our doctor (the Battalion Flight Surgeon) was so he could do the autopsy, my dog Sam jumped into the jeep. One of the other medics saw Sam with his muzzle in the plastic bag of brains and tossed him out of the jeep. To this day I can not tell you if Sam had time to eat any of the brains. After the autopsy, I told our doctor about Sam and the plastic bag of brains. He said that it wouldn’t have made any difference to the autopsy, cause the guy died from a lack of brains anyway. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/48 "2003-08-29T21:29:02Z")
Anatomy class in college. Also, when I was 7 I had headaches and they X-rayed my head. I threw up when I realized I was looking at my own brain. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/49 "2003-08-29T22:04:58Z")
I used to do computer support at a medical school, so I’ve seen some grisly stuff. It was fun taking new people up to what I called the “Hall of Horrors” up on the fifth floor. There was a long series of glass display cases with all kinds of nasty stuff in 'em, including brain sections. My favorites, though, were the gangrenous foot, and the forearm, both just floating happily in their jars. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/50 "2003-08-30T01:04:47Z")
General Science classroom in Junior High had all sorts of kooky stuff in jars on shelves along one wall. The brain was much less cooler than the exploded (in the sense of a technical diagram) pregnant cat. In HS the chemistry/physics teacher’s husband taught at a local university with a medical college, so we bugged her about trying to arrange a field trip to view a human dissection. The Uni wouldn’t go for it, though. I also have something tickling my memory involving juggling cat brains, but I don’t remember where it’s from. ---
**Author:** ![Svt4Him](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@Svt4Him](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svt4Him)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/51 "2003-08-30T01:14:15Z")
My Iraqi friend who worked for the UN said it’s the grossest thing she’s seen. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/52 "2003-08-30T12:11:22Z")
Seen it, held it, cut it up, stuck pins in it to identify the cranial nerve roots…the joy of being a medical student. Mostly, I just smelt it. Formalin is the most disgusting thing ever. I’ve been to a Moroccan tannery, where they spread pigeon dung and lime on raw animal skins. In 46 degrees Celsius heat. After 2 years of anatomy, I didn’t even flinch. ---
**Author:** ![griswold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b38774/32.png) [@griswold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griswold)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/53 "2003-08-30T17:07:20Z")
I’m currently studying in the medical field and saw a surgery last week where a tumor was removed from a man’s brain. I got a good closeup of the piece of brain laying on the table but the doctors were mostly blocking my view of the actual surgery. I did get a good view of the bone and scalp being reattached though. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/54 "2003-08-31T00:06:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by T. Slothrop \* > \*\*After the autopsy, I told our doctor about Sam and the plastic bag of brains. He said that it wouldn’t have made any difference to the autopsy, cause the guy died from a lack of brains anyway. \*\* I’m a little embarrassed to have laughed so hard at this story. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/55 "2003-08-31T07:01:01Z")
Well, I saw a brain in a bucket, but it was all shrivelled, not sure if that counts. My neurosurgeon was all excited to show it to me, but then, no good, raisin-like. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![madcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@madcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madcat)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/56 "2003-08-31T10:06:46Z")
During various college classes saw a couple removed & preserved (whole & sections), 2 live (surgery), & 1 dead (autopsy). Was once standing close enough to someone who shot himself to acquire souvenir brain fragments(along with other assorted nastiness) on my person-not a fashion accessory I would recommend. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/57 "2003-08-31T17:15:40Z")
At a program in which I took a college-level psych 101 class the summer after seventh grade, my teacher brought a big ole bucket-o’-brains with her, cross-country from Seattle to eastern Pennsylvania. (I’ve always wondered what the security and baggage people at the airport thought of that one.) One day, she passed out a box of gloves, took us outside (because of the smell), and passed around some whole and halved brains. I stood off to the side, since I found the whole thing incredibly gross and kind of insensitive (that had once been someone’s whole life and thought, after all), but I certainly saw them. I go to grad school (PhD program in cell biology) at a medical school now, and my lab is on the same floor as the med student anatomy labs, but I avert my eyes and walk really quickly if the doors happen to be open when I walk by. I’m somebody who has trouble cutting up raw chicken; cadavers are _really_ not my thing. ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/58 "2011-11-04T18:53:28Z")
I can’t think of a better thread to revive- but I hope it doesn’t end up with me censured… When I was in 6th grade, a classmate’s father was a neurosurgeon and brought in a human brain which we gloved up for and which was passed around the room for each child to hold- How many of you have held a human brain? Those who have cut them up win, but it was a good experience for a sixth grader. I will remember that forever. I also saw them in Gross Lab, when I visited a med student friend, but the entire cadaver experience rather overwhelmed the brain… ---
**Author:** ![Jbone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@Jbone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jbone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/59 "2011-11-04T19:31:17Z")
Saw a cadaver in Biology 201 class in college. They also had another upper-torso cadaver that was cut perfectly in have for a full side view. Kinda neat and gross at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700/60 "2011-11-04T20:12:04Z")
Update: As a doctor I’ve seen some brain tissue. In a couple of rather unfortunate DOAs when I was working in the Emergency department. Also, unfortunately, in OB/Gyn, there was a pre-viable induction for an [anencephalic foetus](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002547/), and I was at the delivery- so, um, exposed foetal brains. Sad.☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-here-has-seen-a-human-brain-with-their-own-eyes/197700.md?page=4)