More On Forensic Testing: Abraham Lincoln

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One of the Chicago History Museum’s items on display, includes the blood-drenched cloak that Mary Todd Lincoln supposedly wore on the night of her husband, Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The Museum officials questioned the legal and ethical rights to do DNA testing on the cloak and worked with attorneys, forensic experts and others as to who should have a voice in the decision to do this testing. What brought this attention to the museum was the family of a person who suffered with Marfan syndrome. Since Abraham Lincoln was tall, loose jointed and had an abnormally shaped chest, it was suspected that he had the genetic condition known as Marfan syndrome. So, that family thought that genetic testing that could find that Lincoln had the disease MIGHT stimulate more funding for research and a possible cure. Those against this testing, brought up the fact that Lincoln had a predisposition to depression, so some thought that such testing could change how Lincoln was viewed in the future, for his political achievements. Should living relatives be contacted? Should permission be given, seeing as how DNA testing could change the way we view historical figures? What do you think?