A preliminary atlas of early human fetal activity.

The first published photographic study of fetal physiology using live human fetuses. Includes 20 full-age photographic plates, each with 6-12 images (189 total). The fetuses, all between 8.5 and 14 weeks gestation, were obtained by surgical abortion "undertaken in the interest of the health, sanity or life of the mother." During a secretive departmental study begun in 1932 Hooker and team used horse hairs to stroke the face, body, arms and legs of fetus and filmed their reflexes with a motion picture camera. When the studies were conducted the specimens were technically still alive but had been separated from the placenta, resulting in asphxia and death within 13 minutes.