UCL students drop human brain on the floor during lab experiment

Last week a group of girls who were participating in a human brain experiment in a UCL anatomy lab dropped the human brain on the floor during the experiment.

Three students in the same lab session have confirmed to The London Tab that they saw the brain dropped and that it seemed to be an accident.

One student said: "It was an accident and then I think they may have sort of laughed uncomfortably."

The incident happened in a lab for the second year module, Structure and Function of the Nervous System.

This comes after a complaint on UCLove which claimed that the students were "joking about" with the brain and laughed when it was dropped.

The post read: "To the girl and her friends who were joking around during the human brain practical and ended up dropping a human brain on the floor and laughing about it. Be more respectful, imagine your mother, sibling or friend passed away and gave their body to science and this is how they were treated.

"It wasn't funny and I hope in the future you all don't joke about something like this. The practical was a privilege and your actions were disgusting."

One student in the same lab experiment, who would prefer to remain anonymous, confirmed that they were able to carry on with the lab and continue using the brain after it had been on the floor. They were very quick to retrieve it and another student came to assist by "massaging" the brain after the drop. They went on that they would be "surprised if they're not banned from the anatomy lab."

Another anonymous student said: "The general consensus at the moment seems to be that it appeared accidental because they looked shocked when they saw it had been dropped."

When carrying out a lab experiment in the Rockefeller Topographical Anatomy Lab every student is required to sign a form that confirms that they will treat the bodies they are dealing with with respect.

There are also further privacy rules around acting with professional conduct when in a lab scenario.

The London Tab have approached UCL for comment.

Featured image by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash.