Baptist East helps explore mummy's secrets

The Louisville Science Center had a mummy, and Baptist Hospital East had the technology and the medical experts. When the two came together on June 15, 2004 history was made -- and discovered.

The mummy -- believed to be more than 2,500 years old --came to the United States as part of an Egyptian exhibit for the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. At the end of the fair, Kentucky Lt. Gov. Samuel Thruston Ballard bought the mummy, which was put on display at the Louisville Free Public Library Museum.

During the 1937 flood, rising waters from the Ohio River flooded the museum, damaging everything inside, including the mummy. In fact, the mummy’s head was separated from its body. Efforts were made to dry out the mummy and it was put back on display. When the Louisville Science Center opened in 1977 on Main Street, the mummy moved there and was displayed to visitors until 2000. Then the mummy disappeared - into the collections storage area.

Theresa Mattei, director of Exhibits at the center, said the mummy (locally known as Then-Hotep) was a very popular attraction. "Visitors always asked, 'Where's the mummy? When is she going to be back on display?'""

The World Around Us, a permanent exhibit at the Louisville Science Center, will open in June 2005 and will mark the return of the mummy. The new exhibits are being designed to introduce scientifically accurate information about the mummy -- thanks to Baptist Hospital East.

The Science Center contacted the hospital and asked for its help to provide information through X-rays, CT scanning and other diagnostic imaging. An endoscopy was also planned. Radiology Director Pam Colburn said Baptist East was honored to be selected as a partner in this project.

"We truly enjoyed working with the Louisville Science Center personnel on the mummy project! There was so much excitement in the room as the images began to appear on the computer screen. It was an awesome experience and we were thrilled that Baptist East was selected for the project," she said.

The mummy was carefully transported to the hospital and arrived at 8:30 p.m. for testing on June 14. Thousands of X-ray and digital images were collected. Andrew Clark, Radiology manager, Darren Cole, PACS coordinator, Brenda Nelson, X-ray, and Therese Higdon, CT Scan, provided their expertise for more than 12 hours of scanning and imaging. At 6:30 a.m. the next day, Gastroenterologist Martin Mark, M.D., assisted by Celine Vollmer, Endoscopy nurse manager, performed an endoscopy on the mummy’s skull and upper torso.

The scope revealed a heart and brain inside the mummy -- a pleasant surprise to everyone -- since traditionally many of the organs were usually removed during mummification. Digital images provided by Radiology revealed the mummy’s bones were in very good shape --minus a few fractures probably caused after mummification.

Radiologist Ted Steinbock, M.D., speculated the mummy was likely "a female in her 30s or 40s when she died." He added Baptist East is very fortunate be part of such an important project. He will be gathering a detailed report of all of the findings for the Science Center.

Radiology staff were particularly excited to see the mummy, inside and out.

"This was an outstanding opportunity for our Radiology department. The excitement was mounting for several weeks before bringing the mummy in for imaging. We were not disappointed and had a wonderful time working with the Louisville Science Center on this project. I look forward to sharing this experience with my children and friends visiting the Science Center during the years to come," Clark said.

"Imaging the mummy was a very exciting experience. Everyone present could not wait to see each new image. With each image you knew you were going to discover something different. As a science enthusiast, it was a privilege to be included in this project," Cole said.

"It was very exciting to be a part of the 'mummy project' and to see history and technology compliment each other. Being able to extensively examine the mummy without compromising her integrity was the challenge. We were able to answer many of the questions about her, and raise even more," Nelson said.

Science Center officials were pleased with all of the work - donated by the hospital for the new exhibit - and look forward to more findings, as the images are further studied. "We are very grateful for the support of Baptist Hospital East, which helped us investigate the mysteries of science surrounding our Egyptian mummy," Mattei said. "It will be exciting to reveal more details to Science Center visitors once the mummy becomes a part of our new permanent exhibit, 'The World Around Us,' which opens in June 2005."

The mummy returned to the center on June 15, 2004 and will be on display beginning in summer 2005, when the new permanent exhibit opens. The digital images, videos, photographs and test results conducted at Baptist East will be incorporated into the new displays.