Test tube containing Thomas Edison's last breath

It is said that in a test tube at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan state, the United States was storing "the last breath of the inventor of Edison" just before he died on 3:24 am on October 18. / 1931. Is that true? How do people keep it? If so, what should be kept for? In fact, it all started with the wonderful friendship between Edison and Henry Ford, the couple who together created the future of modern people.

The test tube story contains Thomas Edison's breath

Ford and Edison are good friends. Ford admired an older friend, Edison, who encouraged Ford to continue developing gas-powered cars. In his last year, Edison went to live at the vacation home he bought earlier in Fort Myers, Floria. At that time, Ford also bought a house close by and both of them sat in wheelchairs together.

Edison left in 1931 and Ford was in 1947. After Ford's wife Clara died in September 1950, all his belongings were transferred to the Henry Ford Museum. In May 1951, it was discovered that among hundreds of items there was the appearance of a sealed test tube with Edison's hat and shoes. And then, people did not pay attention to that box.

It was not until 1978 in an exhibition entitled "Henry Ford - A Personal History" that the appearance of a hat, shoes and glass test tube were displayed in a glass cage. At that time, a few staff members in the museum remembered these items and also included a note with the words "This is the test tube he requested from my father's bedroom" . However, it was discovered that the piece of paper was not found anymore and the annotated glass cage was:

"Edison's last breath? It is said that Henry Ford asked Charles, Thomas A. Edison's son, to take his last breath from Edison's lungs - a hero and friend of Ford. This test tube found at Ford's mansion along with Edison's hats and shoes ".

Picture 1 of Test tube containing Thomas Edison's last breath
The test tube image is believed to contain Thomas Edison's last breath kept at the Henry Ford Museum.

In the late 1980s, the Henry Ford Museum received a copy of a letter from Charles A. Edison, Edison's son, to a broadcaster. The original of the letter is still unknown but it was written on June 27, 1953 and the content is:

"During Edison's last sickness moments, there were 8 empty test tubes next to him. They were taken from his desk at the West Orange Chemical Laboratory. Although he was known as an inventor, researcher in the electric field, but his true love is chemistry, which is not unusual, but a symbol, that these test tubes were with him in minutes Shortly after his death, I asked Hubert S. Howe, his doctor, to seal the test tubes with wax, he did and then, I gave them to Mr. Ford. "

Is that true? Photos of Edison's bedroom show that his bedside is filled with mementos and pictures. And indeed, Edison loved to study chemistry throughout his life. Hubert S. Howe is also Edison's personal doctor and a family friend and also a famous sculptor. He was even allowed to make Edison's mask after his death and took his hand.

It seems that Charles actually asked to seal the test tube to keep memories of his father. At the same time he gave Henry Ford, a close friend of his father, to keep memories, a last breath of the deceased. And remember, Einstein's brain is also kept by people after his death as a way to remind the latter to honor and honor the efforts of the previous great men.

The test tube may not contain Edison's last breath, it may be just a hollow tube but it is real, and indeed, it represents Edison's great contributions to humanity. He may have died, but the test tube proves that what he can do is live forever and inspire dedication to many other scientists after his time.