Harvard Homicides Galore In Legal Medicine Studies

Several years ago there was a popular detective story on the market called "Harvard Has a Homicide." Now the University has done the author one better, for it has ten murders--or are they suicides or accidental deaths?--on its hands.

But there will be no last-minute changes in room assignments, or the course catalogue, for these horrors are merely scale models of the real thing. As described in the current "Alumni Bulletin," they are highly detailed groups depicting actual, though anonymous, instances of sudden death constructed for use by students of legal medicine.

"Nutshell Studies"

Dubbed the "Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death" by their creator Mrs. Frances G. Lee of Littleton, New Hampshire, they correspond in their purpose to the Pitman forest models which show a New England hillside undergoing contour and seasonal changes. Each setting depicts the scene of the tragedy as it would appear just before the medical examiner or policeman might arrive. Accompanying the model is such information as a detective might have obtained by interrogation up to the time he walked in the door.

Every clue necessary is shown in the group, and the problem of the student is to decide whether it was murder, suicide, or accidental death. Furthermore, everything is real, though scaled down to one inch per foot. Doors, windows, and bureau drawers open, clothing (including underwear) is complete, books have print-

ed pages, such items as knitting are real.

Over and above their classroom value, the models are masterpieces of precision. Skillfully and accurately they depict the kind of lives led by those who are supposed to be their inhabitants. Character, social and financial status, frame of mind can be determined by a close examinations of the settings, and those considerations are important in solving the cases.

Bathrooms and Barns

The backgrounds include a country living room of modern times, with popular magazines and local newspapers spread around on the tables, a bathroom of the 1870's, and an old barn. One of the most interesting sets is a double one showing the scene of a shooting as it would look immediately after the crime, and another picturization of it after well-meaning friends had "tidied things up."

The models are Mrs. Lee's latest step to improve the study of legal medicine in the University. Previously she has established a valuable library of legal medicine in memory of George B. Magrath '94, and the Francis Glessner Lee Professorship of legal Medicine, a chair now held by Dr. Alan R. Moritz