Starrs said the body will be exhumed within a month's time, "so long as there is no rabbit brought out of a hat and someone comes out on the scene and objects."
But by Tuesday, there had already been some objections by the grand-nephews of Houdini's widow, who said the proposed exhumation is just a way to promote sales of the book, according to the associated press.
If plans do go forward, Starrs' team of scientists will include Baden as well as two other GW professors, George Stephens, a geophysics professor, and forensic science professor Walter Rowe. William Bass, a forensic anthropologist, was also asked to join the team. Starrs said all the scientists, himself included, will work pro-bono.
"Hopefully there will be some payback from the University for my expenses," he said.
Even if the scientists are not paid for their work, Rowe, the forensic science professor, said when working with famous people there is always the incentive of possible media attention and publishing findings.
Rowe's specialty is looking at hairs, fibers and clothing to see how they degrade over time, so he will be less involved in the search for poison.
He explained that while the autopsy will likely only take a couple of days, analysis and interpretation of the data may take months. He said the team's success in examining the body will largely be affected by the extent to which the body has decayed, and that there is the possibility that Houdini's teeth may be all that is left of the magician, leaving little for the scientists to work with.
"(Houdini's death is) not a big part of history, but it is kind of interesting. I would just say let the science say what science says," Rowe said.
He said he trusted Starr's judgment in deciding to take the case, but that investigations of this sort can get tricky when peoples' motives are questioned.
"I think a cardinal mistake is that people go into these investigations with the belief that they are going to prove he was murdered," he said. "Then you wind up with results that no one will trust because (the researchers) have preconceived agendas."
But by Tuesday, there had already been some objections by the grand-nephews of Houdini's widow, who said the proposed exhumation is just a way to promote sales of the book, according to the associated press.
If plans do go forward, Starrs' team of scientists will include Baden as well as two other GW professors, George Stephens, a geophysics professor, and forensic science professor Walter Rowe. William Bass, a forensic anthropologist, was also asked to join the team. Starrs said all the scientists, himself included, will work pro-bono.
"Hopefully there will be some payback from the University for my expenses," he said.
Even if the scientists are not paid for their work, Rowe, the forensic science professor, said when working with famous people there is always the incentive of possible media attention and publishing findings.
Rowe's specialty is looking at hairs, fibers and clothing to see how they degrade over time, so he will be less involved in the search for poison.
He explained that while the autopsy will likely only take a couple of days, analysis and interpretation of the data may take months. He said the team's success in examining the body will largely be affected by the extent to which the body has decayed, and that there is the possibility that Houdini's teeth may be all that is left of the magician, leaving little for the scientists to work with.
"(Houdini's death is) not a big part of history, but it is kind of interesting. I would just say let the science say what science says," Rowe said.
He said he trusted Starr's judgment in deciding to take the case, but that investigations of this sort can get tricky when peoples' motives are questioned.
"I think a cardinal mistake is that people go into these investigations with the belief that they are going to prove he was murdered," he said. "Then you wind up with results that no one will trust because (the researchers) have preconceived agendas."
