Editing Public lecture (section)

==Public autopsies==
Besides public lectures, public autopsies have been important in promoting knowledge of medicine.  The autopsy of Dr. [[Johann Spurzheim|Johann Gaspar Spurzheim]], advocate of [[phrenology]], was conducted in public, and his brain, skull, and heart were removed, preserved in jars of alcohol, and put on display to the public.   Public autopsies have verged on entertainment: [[United States|American]] showman [[P. T. Barnum]] held a public autopsy of [[Joice Heth]] after her death. Heth was a woman whom Barnum had been featuring as being over 160 years old. Barnum charged 50 cents admission. The autopsy demonstrated that she was between 76 and 80 years old.