The Fate of Anatomical Collections (The History of Medicine in Context)

Almost every medical faculty possesses anatomical and/or pathological collections: human and animal preparations, wax- and other models, as well as drawings, photographs, documents and archives relating to them. In many institutions these collections are well-preserved, but in others they are poorly maintained and rendered inaccessible to medical and other audiences. This volume explores the changing status of anatomical collections from the early modern period to date. It is argued that anatomical and pathological collections are medically relevant not only for future generations of medical faculty and future research, but they are also important in the history of medicine, the history of the institutions to which they belong, and to the wider understanding of the cultural history of the body. Moreover, anatomical collections are crucial to new scholarly inter-disciplinary studies that investigate the interaction between arts and sciences, especially medicine, and offer a venue for the study of interactions between anatomists, scientists, anatomical artists and other groups, as well as the display and presentation of natural history and medical cabinets. In considering the fate of anatomical collections - and the importance of the keepera (TM)s decisions with respect to collections - this volume will make an important methodological contribution to the study of collections and to discussions on how to preserve universitiesa (TM) academic heritage. Contents 6 List of Figures 10 List of Plates 14 Notes on Contributors 16 A Museum of My Own: Notes on the Cover Image 20 Acknowledgements 22 PART I: Introduction 24 1 Setting the Stage 26 2 Organ Music 34 PART II: Fated Collections 44 3 Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? 46 4 Gender, Fate and McGill University’s Medical Collections: 76 5 Resilient Collections 96 6 Inside the Charnel House 116 PART III: Preparations, Models and Users 134 7 Adieu Albinus 136 8 User-Developers, Model Students and Ambassador Users 152 9 Mapping Anatomical Collections in Nineteenth-Century Vienna 166 10 Fall and Rise of the Roca Museum 184 PART IV: Provenance and Fate 200 11 The Fate of the Beaded Babies 202 12 ‘Not Everything that Says Java is from Java’ 218 13 Cataloguing Collections 234 PART V: Museum and Collection Practices Today 252 14 Anatomical Craft 254 15 Restoration Reconsidered 270 16 From Bottled Babies to Biobanks 286 17 Ball Pool Anatomy 302 Appendix 316 Index 320 This Volume Explores The Changing Status Of Anatomical Collections From The Early Modern Period To Date. It Is Argued That Anatomical And Pathological Collections Are Medically Relevant For Future Research, And Are Important In The History Of Medicine, The Cultural History Of The Body, And The History Of The Institutions To Which They Belong. In Considering The Fate Of Anatomical Collections – And The Importance Of Keeper’s Decisions With Respect To Collections – This Volume Will Make An Important Methodological Contribution To The Study Of Collections And To Discussions On How To Preserve Universities’ Academic Heritage.