Here is my first post when I started this thread:
AA's intestines specimens and questions that may surround them.
THE QUEST FOR ANASTASIA by John Klier and Mingay wrote on p. 225 about Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville where the specimens of AA was stored, found and later sent out to be tested for DNA / mtDNA:
"Was tampering possible? The Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville has been storing specimens from patients since 1978, when it opened a pathology department. The basement department was relatively easy to enter, according to visitors. When the Manahan biopsy became the subject of such intense interest, the hospital authorites moved it to a safer place for storage, suggesting some concern by the hospital managment that the existing site was not secure."
At this point in the thread this is not about the matching of mtDNA with samples from Karl Maucher or Marg. Ellerick. This is just about the possibility of someone [matters not who] could have tampered with this evidence which is so important in proving AA was not GD Anatasia.
Let me add: This is not a thread which has any purpose of condeming the hospital, it's staff, it's doctors or anyone responsible for the safe keeping of the specimen. From reliable sources, I understand the hospital has an excellent reputation.
So let the discussion begin.
AGRBear
At this time, all there are are theories because no one has evidence which they can provide which proves a switch occured.
No one has disproved the theory that it was possible in those times for an expert someone, who was not connected with the hospital, and, knew the hospital's habbits and processors, to have switched everything invovled with the samples of AA.
I don't believe anyone has suggested that the actual tests on the samples provided by Dr. Gill and Dr. King was in question.
Therefore, those who believe AA was FS and not GD Anastasia will continue to use the DNA/mtDNA tests from the intestine samples to support their conclusion.
Those who believe AA was GD Anastasia will continue to have doubts about the tampering or switiching of the intestine samples because they believe there were people who had motive, the money, and the opportunity to make it appear that AA was not GD Anastasia and added to this made it appear that AA and Karl Maucher were related.
The line was drawn deeper in 2007 when Russia announced that the remains of Tsarvich Alexei and GD Maria may have been found in July.
I doubt FA or Bob will allow the thread to continue much longer since they are convinced that GD Anastasia was found in the mass grave and that the newly found remains are that of GD Marie and Alexei.
Before this thread is locked down, I want to thank all for having participating in this discussion.
AGRBear