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The arrests last week of several people, including the former manager of the morgue at Harvard Medical School, in a multi-state conspiracy to steal and profit off of human body parts prompted shock and horror. Sadly, however, the business of selling human remains, and obtaining them illegally, has a long history in Massachusetts and beyond. (Wolfe, 6/21)

In January 1912, in the depths of a New York City winter, an unusual new apartment complex opened on the Upper East Side. The East River Homes were designed to help poor families fend off tuberculosis, a fearsome, airborne disease, by turning dark, airless tenements inside out. Passageways led from the street to capacious internal courtyards, where outdoor staircases wound their way up to each apartment. Floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto balconies where ailing residents could sleep. The rooftops drew tenants outside with covered porches and reclining seats, on which tuberculosis patients convalesced. (Anthes, 6/17)

Dogs and their owners are said to look alike, but that resemblance is more than skin deep. They also have genetic similarities that extend to cancerous tumors and make dogs prime candidates for clinical trials that are pushing forward development of cancer drugs for both canines and humans, especially in the past decade, scientists say. (Jones, 6/20)

Research on microdosing is still “in its infancy and poorly developed,” said Harriet de Wit, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago. “There are very few controlled studies that have been able to study the phenomenon.” Researchers say the drugs are relatively safe in small doses; however, microdosing carries some risk. (Hu, 6/22)

As demand for mental health help has vaulted higher, celebrities ranging from musicians to TV stars to athletes have used their platforms and public profiles to discuss their own mental health challenges. It is both reflective of the broader societal shift that has destigmatized the discussion of emotional and mental health, and a trend that has made an impact in encouraging people to speak up about or address issues in their own lives. (Adelson, 6/21)

Kelsey Poll and her fiancé, Tyler West, were looking through her baby pictures at her family’s home in Layton, Utah, this year when West suddenly stopped and looked surprised. He pointed to a photo of a woman tending to her as a newborn and said: “Hey, I think that’s my mom. It looks like she was your nurse!” (Free, 6/16)

The continent’s abortion laws are a patchwork of progress and setbacks. And for many, accessing the right care at the right time is still a lottery. (Browne, 6/22)