Medical History

Tuscany is an enchanting place filled with scenic beauty, but beneath the surface there is dark history. On a recent painting trip to Italy I had the opportunity to tour an abandoned psychiatric hospital in the town of Volterra. In the late 19th Century when it

The art of medicine is as old as human civilization, and what we think is new has often been done before. When researching the history of wound care I came across an interesting historical antecedent to today’s palliative care practices. I found it in the library

Surgeons and medics apply a plaster-of-paris body cast on an injured soldier.  Photo courtesy of the New York Public Library.  During WWII, the incidence of pressure ulcers in young injured soldiers increased as a result of plaster body casts and immobilization splints – an early example of medical

This post gives another preview of what I will be covering in my upcoming webinar entitled History of Pressure Ulcers & Wound Care: Past, Present, & Future, sponsored by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.  Some years ago while browsing in an antiquarian bookstore I opened a

This post gives a preview of what I will be covering in my upcoming webinar entitled History of Pressure Ulcers & Wound Care: Past, Present, & Future, sponsored by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.  The fascinating history of wound care dates back to the earliest

I am thrilled to announce that registration is now open for my webinar entitled History of Pressure Ulcers and Wound Care: Past, Present and Future, sponsored by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP). This event takes place on November 19th at 1:00 PM EST, and

    Click here for a downloadable PDF of Charcot’s Lecture on Pressure Ulcers.  . Some years back while browsing in an antiquarian book sale I came across a translated collection of lectures by the great 19th century neurophysiologist, Jean Martin Charcot (1825-1893). Inside this book I

    Click here for a downloadable PDF containing all historiated initials from the Fabrica.  The medical profession has a long and fascinating history, and if you are interested in learning more don’t miss this upcoming event at the New York Academy of Medicine. The program will

The anatomical masterpiece by Andreas Vesalius entitled De Humani Corporis Fabrica had two editions, the first in 1543 and the second in 1555. There were many changes in the text and woodcut illustrations, but one of the most mysterious alterations was the redrawing of the title

This post continues to mark the 500th birthday of the great anatomist Andreas Vesalius, whose masterpiece tome, De Humani Corporis Fabrica, skillfully combined art and medicine. Today I will discuss the enigma of the historiated V that was introduced in the 1555 second edition of the