Artwork of the Month - September 2025: 18th Century Surgical Instrument Set from the Wellcome Collection

 

This image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License

In addition to the monthly Art-in-Medicine series, Lucinda Bennett, Ascension Medical Librarian at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD, also features a monthly artwork that may be of interest to those who work in medicine.  

“Wellcome had a passion for collecting medically related artefacts, aiming to create a Museum of Man.[14] He bought for his collection anything related to medicine, including Napoleon's toothbrush. By the time of his death, there were 125,000 medical objects in the collection, of over one million total. Most of the non-medical objects were dispersed after his death. He was also a keen archaeologist, in particular digging for many years at Jebel Moya, Sudan, hiring 4000 people to excavate.[15] He was one of the first investigators to use kite aerial photography on an archaeological site, with surviving images available in the Wellcome Library. 

Wellcome's collection is now managed by the Science Museum, London, and has been in their care since 1976. Many objects from the collection are now on display in the museum's Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries. The Wellcome Collection exhibited a number of objects from Wellcome's collection in "Medicine Man", from 2007 to 2022. His collection of books, paintings, drawings, photographs and other media is available for viewing at the Wellcome Library. In 2003, the Brothers Quay directed a short animated film in tribute to the collection entitled The Phantom Museum.” (Wikipedia: Sir Henry Wellcome) 

Geography: United Kingdom 

Culture: British 

Artist: Unknown 

Medium: case, wood, case, brass, case, steel, case, velvet, lined and case, fishskin, covered 

Dimensions: Not listed 

Credit Line: Sir Henry Wellcome’s Museum Collection 

Accession Number: A86333 

Source: Science Museum Group

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - September 2025: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle

Artist: Walter Benington, 1914, Photograph, Wiki Commons

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

  It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 

It is, perhaps, common knowledge that the world’s most famous detective is in fact quite fictional. For over a century the long shadow of Sherlock Holmes has covered the mystery genre in an all encompassing hold. While the first acknowledged detective story is properly attributed to Edgar Allan Poe, the methodology of Sherlock Holmes and his friend John Watson set the standard for modern criminal investigation stories. What might not be so commonly known is how the author of such novels approached and created said narratives. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is known as a writer but that was not always his intended career - he was actually a physician first. 

“After graduating from Edinburgh University with the degree of Bachelor of Medicine in 1881 (the MD was then an advanced degree which he would earn by writing a thesis four years later), Conan Doyle took a faltering stab at general medical practice, followed by a disastrous attempt to establish himself, in London, as a specialist in eye surgery. Of the latter effort, fashionable London took no notice. His waiting room on Harley Street was poshly appointed, in a neighborhood home to some of the most famous physicians in the world, but Conan Doyle quickly discovered that he was the only person waiting in it. 

Now facing an abyss of poverty and professional isolation (the familiar story goes), and lacking social connections or private income, Conan Doyle seized on an untested resource. He turned to writing, brokering a nascent talent into a brilliant and lucrative career, never neglecting to incorporate elements of medicine into his fictional work. And yet, in the canonical account of his life, the literary lion remained at heart a medical man. Who was Sherlock Holmes, after all, but a doctor with surpassing powers of deduction who chose to specialize in the diagnosis of crime?” (Hektoen International) 

Sherlock Holmes Portrait

Artist: Sidney Paget, Drawing 1904, Wiki Commons

As is the case with all authors, Doyle pulled from the world he knew and the experiences of his life. While his tenure as a doctor was far shorter than his career as an author, the training he had in the medical field carried through in his writings. According to the timelines established by the Conan Doyle Estate, the young Arthur was a C student in medical school with a near insatiable wanderlust. He took a position as a ship’s doctor in the arctic, various short lived internships across the United Kingdom, and even traveled as far as Vienna to study German and hear lectures of the top physicians on the continent. During that time he observed the people and places he encountered, some of which made a great impact upon the formation of the titular character that would make him famous. “His model for Sherlock Holmes was Joseph Bell, MD, FRCSE, a renowned surgeon who worked at the royal infirmary and attended to Queen Victoria during her visits to Scotland. Dr. Doyle considered Dr. Bell the most important person whom he encountered during his own medical training. Dr. Bell was known for his inductive reasoning skills, observations, and clinical judgment—not to mention his timeless sense of style. Even today, more than a century later, one witnesses the classic deerstalker hat and tweed coat available as a Halloween costume for Art in Medicine September 2025 all ages. Dr. Bell recognized potential in Dr. Doyle during his medical training and selected him for an outpatient clerkship. It is here that the character study of Dr. Bell began…not only a master diagnostician, but also was known to make extraordinary observations about patients. He could discern where a sailor had traveled based on his tattoos, was able to determine patients’ specific regional origins by their accent, and could detect their profession by looking at their hands. He was reported to have noted that a man was a cobbler by the particular way the inside of the knee of the trousers was worn. He could also tell, by observing behavior and mannerisms, if someone had lied to him.” (American College of Surgeons) 

What also concerned Doyle was the swiftly changing world of medicine and the relationship between physicians and patients. As information spread faster than ever with inventions such as telegraphs and newspapers wrote stories about scientific discoveries, the public became privy to the once closed world of medicine. As such, the genre of medical journalism exploded in popularity, as did medical fiction. 

“...between 1892 and 1894 Conan Doyle published seven short pieces in The Idler: an illustrated magazine, a periodical which actively positioned its readers in close relationship with its contributors. Proximity between the public and experts had significance in medicine during this period: it was a contradictory time in the practice of medicine when professionalisation and specialisation had resulted in an increasing distance between the profession and the public, yet general practitioners’ financial success depended on maintaining good relationships with their patients and popular medical journalism proliferated.” (Authority and Medical Expertise) Yet for all his publishing in the field of medical fiction and attempts to make a private practice successful, it was not to be. From his background in medicine, of which he was very proud and vocal, came the novels which changed the mystery genre forever. Methods of investigating disease became the foundation of a genius detective. “His first Sherlock Holmes tale, the novel A Study in Scarlet, appeared in 1887, and the second, The Sign of Four, in 1890. They did not create much stir, but in 1891 and ’92 the first Sherlock Holmes short stories appeared in the then-new Strand Magazine and became an enormous transatlantic sensation. This soon made him one of the best-known and highest-paid writers in the world. In the end, over a forty-year period, he wrote four novels and fifty-six short stories about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.” (The Official Conan Doyle Estate) 

References: 

Hektoen International 

The Official Conan Doyle Estate 

American College of Surgeons 

Authority and medical expertise: Arthur Conan Doyle in The Idler

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - August 2025: Medieval Birthing Girdles

Birth Girdle

Early 15th Century, The British Library

Medieval Women in Their Own Words

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

  It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Medieval Birth Girdles

Throughout history and across the globe, people have created talismans, good luck charms, and all manner of comforting items meant to help guide us through hard times. Often these talismans hold a spiritual meaning and are artfully crafted.  In the European Medieval period, religion proliferated every aspect of life and an industry sprouted up around the creation of such aides.

Recently an exhibit at The British Library entitled “Medieval Women in Their Own Words” highlighted the contributions of women throughout this era. One object on display is of note for the health humanities, a highly decorated and rare example of a birthing girdle. Used as protection during the Early 15th century extremely dangerous period of labor and delivery, such items were implemented in England prior to the Protestant Reformation and somewhat into the Modern era of the 16th century. However, a Medieval Women in Their Own Words recent analysis of one such girdle had shed light on just how the girdle was actually used.

“In the medieval era, medical problems that might be considered minor today—such as a breech birth, in which the infant’s feet, buttocks or both are positioned to be delivered before the head—could prove fatal for the mother and child, as Alixe Bovey wrote for the British Library in 2015. According to the Guardian, historians posit that childbirth was the main cause of death for English women between the late 5th and 11th centuries; the study notes that the neonatal mortality rate during this period was between 30 and 60 percent.” (Smithsonian)

With such a high mortality rate for both women and newborns, it is no wonder that for centuries patients, midwives and the religious authorities were desperate to find any way to prevent such outcomes. Where then did the practice of wrapping a girdle around a pregnant woman come from? Like so many aspects of the Medieval era, one needs only look to the Church for answers. In this case, the use of birth girdles stems from a connection to multiple female saints and Marian devotion, a practice of veneration of the Virgin Mary of this era. Specific imagery, colors, and excerpts from scripture used together in everyday items from this time period have their own field of study.

Such a lens can be applied to understanding the origins and development of this girdle.  “In ‘English Birthing Girdles: Devotions for Women in ‘Travell of Childe,’ Mary Morse examines the texts and images deployed of nine English birth girdles produced between the reigns of Richard II and Henry VIII. She sets out the perceived benefits of the objects; ‘In medieval England, women in labour wrapped birth girdles around their abdomens to protect themselves and their unborn children. These parchment or paper rolls replicated the “girdle relics” of the Virgin Mary and other saints loaned to queens and noblewomen, extending childbirth protection to women of all classes.’ The legendary relic of the Belt (or Girdle) of the Blessed Virgin Mary is today divided into three pieces, and is the only remaining relic of her earthly life. According to tradition, the belt was made out of camel hair by the Virgin Mary herself, and at her Assumption, she gave it to the Apostle Thomas.” (Ritual Protection Marks)

Lately, one extant birthing girdle went under the first thorough testing to ascertain if it had actually been worn during labor as well as during pregnancy. What researchers found was fascinating and included a possible lifespan for the tool as well as evidence of multiple uses.

“By gently rubbing the fragile girdle with an eraser, researchers were able to extract preserved proteins without damaging the parchment. Next, they compared their results with samples from a new piece of paper and an 18th century parchment. The girdle contained dozens of additional proteins. "There were traces of honey, milk, eggs, cereals, and legumes—and quite a bit more human proteins," Fiddyment says. Many of those, she adds, are specific to cervico-vaginal fluid, suggesting the birth girdle was used during labor itself, the researchers report today in Royal Society Open Science.” (Science.Org)

How birthing girdles may have been worn 

Drawing, 2021, Smithsonian

This specific girdle (labeled as Manuscript 632 in the above article) was dated to a creation around the late 15th Drawing century, and is comprised of sheepskin parchment. With such findings of human proteins, evidence suggests that the girdle was tied around the women who used it during the moment of childbirth.

As for the foods present, those are attributed to both dedicated diets of the patient as well as medical uses, honey being a common medicinal since ancient times. What can also be discovered from the scroll is how often it was touched, used, even clues as to how the parchment was folded and wrapped around the body.  "MS. 632's severe abrasions implies that it was often touched or kissed, and accords with widespread evidence of medieval votive practices, where an image was kissed or rubbed so frequently the image is worn and blurred [21].  Its narrow width (330.0 × 10.0 cm) suggests that it was intended to imitate an actual metal or cloth girdle that could be wrapped around a woman's body, with the strategic placement of particular prayers against her womb.” (Royal Society Publishing)

This birth girdle is rare. During the reign of Henry VIII the Dissolution of the Monasteries was enacted, the first wave of the Protestant Reformation in England. Such objects associated with Catholicism were appropriated by the crown and often destroyed. That same analysis which discovered the use of the girdle during labor also discovered the lifespan of this particular example, which abuts the Tudor dynasty which would make it illegal.

“The chronological window during which these proteins embedded on MS. 632 is cautiously suggested between 1475 and 1625. The birth girdle dates to the late fifteenth-century, at earliest, providing the first date. The end date is more difficult to determine. In sixteenth-century England, power fluctuated between Catholic and Protestant monarchs, each influencing birthing practices, including the use of birthing girdles [30]. Because birth girdles were targeted during the Dissolution, this girdle may have been quietly stored. If this is the case, the girdle's active years of use extend from roughly 1475 to 1536—only 60 years of use.” (Royal Society Publishing)

References:
Smithsonian Magazine
Royal Society Publishing
Science.Org
Ritual Protection Marks

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Artwork of the Month - July 2025: "L ' Ange anatomique (The Anatomical Angel) or Dissection of a Woman's Back"

L ' Ange anatomique (The Anatomical Angel) 

or Dissection of a Woman's Back

by Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty

In addition to the monthly Art-in-Medicine series, Lucinda Bennett, Ascension Medical Librarian at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD, also features a monthly artwork that may be of interest to those who work in medicine.  

“[Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty's] studies began as a pupil of the painter and engraver Jacob Christoph Le Blon, the inventor of the first engraving and printing process that involved the use of colors (blue, yellow and red).  D'Agoty claimed that he proposed an improved method, using black, but was rebuffed by Le Blon. In any event, it was d'Agoty and his sons who popularized the process of color engraving in France. For many years, they published a journal with color illustrations.

He was elected a member of the Académie des Sciences, Arts et Belles-Lettres de Dijon. He is best remembered for collaborating with the physician and anatomist, Guichard Joseph Duverney to produce albums of anatomical charts: the Myologie complete en couleur et grandeur naturelle (1746). The tendons and veins were described as standing out in "horrible precision".

Together with his sons, Jean-Baptiste, Honoré-Louis, Jean-Fabien, Édouard and Arnauld-Éloi [fr], he produced a "French Gallery" and a "Universal Gallery" of portraits of famous men and women, which were published in 1770 and 1772.” (Wiki)

Geography: France

Culture: Western European

Artist: Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty (French, 1716 - 1785)

Medium: Color mezzotint on laid paper

Dimensions: Plate: 61.2 x 46 cm (24 1/8 x 18 1/8 in.)

Credit Line: Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen

Accession Number: 2012.92.47

Source: National Gallery of Art

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - July 2025: NLM Collections

Collections on the NLM Website, June 2025, Digital Collection Page 

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

National Library of Medicine (NLM) Collections

As one of the leading institutions in medical research, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in the United States boasts a formidable collection. NLM is the entity which oversees PubMed,
Medline, MeSH and all government clinical trials. Contained in their holdings are books, journals, technical reports, manuscripts, microfilm, and photos. 

This month we will investigate the collections of the NLM, how they categorize and preserve historic items and what is available for the general public as well as private researchers.

“We create exhibitions to enhance awareness and appreciation of the NLM’s trusted health information resources.  Our exhibitions feature the library’s rich collections, which encompass ten centuries of medical knowledge. As part of a U.S. national library, we seek to advance public understanding of National Library of Medicine how the past informs the present—and can shape the future. Our exhibitions focus on a variety of topics which explore the relationship between medicine and the arts, science and society, patients and practitioners, and the technology of medicine. Subjects of these exhibitions include the history of lead poisoning in America, the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, African American academic surgeons, and the history of women physicians, among others.” (NLM, Exhibitions)

Today, the National Library of Medicine encompasses not only a collection of physical media but a robust selection of online materials. However, that was not always the case as for most of history all knowledge was recorded via hand written or printed documents. As we are a young nation, how did such an institution grow so quickly in so short a time? It was not until after the War of 1812 that the collection which would one day become the NLM began to form. On their exhibitions website, the National Library of Medicine tells the story of its founding, starting with the earliest donation of medical texts in a private assembly.

“When Dr. Joseph Lovell took up his position as the first Surgeon General of the Army in 1818, he filled a few of his office shelves with books, journals, and pamphlets to serve as a reference collection for the Army surgeons under his command. In 1836, the US government for the first time provided funds for “books for the office,” and the growing collection officially became the Library of the Office of the Surgeon General, United States Army. The collection grew measurably after the Civil War, when the Surgeon General’s Library received an infusion of medical books and journals from the Army’s temporary hospitals. To take charge of the burgeoning collection, the Army summoned 27-year-old career Army medical officer and book lover John Shaw Billings. MD (1838–1913), who set out to create a comprehensive collection of medical materials. The relentless Billings wrote letters to physicians, editors, health and government officials, librarians, and society officers requesting donations, exchanges, and outright purchases. He accosted State Department officials traveling overseas, entreating them to bring back foreign medical books and journals.” (NLM, Exhibitions)

The remainder of this history website goes on to describe the growth of the Library throughout the 19th century, both World Wars, the construction of a new building to house the collection and the breadth of topics covered.  

Sagittal Series, Etching, color, 1968, National Library of Medicine 

Moving on, how do the archivists and preservationists keep such important items in good condition? Preservation is a field all to itself, and is highly specialized depending on the materials being addressed. “We use calibrated data loggers to measure and monitor the temperature and relative humidity of the underground collection spaces.  Temperature and relative humidity have an inverse relationship: when the heaters turn on in colder months, they dry the air and the relative humidity gets lower. In the warmer months, the A/C introduces moisture to the air as the inside temperature gets cooler, and the relative humidity increases ...  The NIH Integrated Pest Management team (IPM) supports us in monitoring pest levels. Pests, especially cockroaches, mice, and silverfish, LOVE library materials—they find

them both tasty and a good place to make their nests. And since we are trying to preserve our library collection and not start a new zoo, we work with IPM to prevent pesky critters from getting into the building. This also involves keeping our office areas clean and not bringing any food or drinks into the collection spaces. We also isolate incoming collection materials to make sure they are clean before integrating them into our processing and storage areas ...  The National Library of Medicine has a long history of preserving its collection through reformatting. This includes making photographic copies, like this librarian using a mobile camera in the stacks back in 1969. We also have an extensive microfilm collection. While microfilm might

seem tedious to access, it is actually an important and well-respected form of preservation. Polyester microfilm is rated to last for at least 500 years, if not longer, and all you need to access it is a light source and magnifying glass!” (NLM, Preservation)

What might not immediately come to mind when one considers the NLM is the presence of works of art. However, this Library does address, collect and display a great number of art pieces. In fact, there are databases and webpages dedicated to the various artworks contained in the Library’s holdings. One such exhibition was dedicated to a 20th century artist whose approach to anatomy became of interest to both visual art lovers as well as medical professionals. “Art is a profound medium for storytelling, and May Lesser stands among the artists who have used it effectively to capture the nuances of the medical world. Between 1966 and 1971, Lesser created more than 45 pieces that explore the complexities of medicine and humanity. In 1994, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) displayed her artwork in physical and online exhibitions that showcased her artistic and cultural contributions. Both served to foster dialogue about the complexities of healthcare and the human condition. Through pivotal works such as Sagittal Series, Blood Clot, and The Charity Wait, Lesser demonstrated her skill in capturing the unseen moments of medical practice that ensure her art remains timeless and transformative. In 2013, staff of the library rehoused a collection of thirty-nine Lesser prints which were donated to the Library in 2011, and remain preserved and available for study in its prints and photographs collection. These prints document the artist’s efforts to capture the emotional and physical realities of patients and practitioners.” (NLM, May Lessar)

References:

National Library of Medicine - Exhibitions

National Library of Medicine - Preservation

NLM - May Lesser A Legacy of Medical Artistry

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - June 2025: Dhanvantari & Ayuveda

The Sage Physician Dhanvantari

Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

c.a.1735-1740

Attributed to Manaku (active ca. 1700-1760)

Smithsonian

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Dhanvantari & Ayurveda 

Featured here is a page from an 18th century folio, specifically the “Sixth” component of the Bhagavata Purana series, also known as the “small” Guler-Basohli series. This folio resides in the Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. and depicts the subject of this month’s Art in Medicine topic. The object description accompanying the folio page on the Smithsonian website is as follows: 

“Dressed in the fashion of a nobleman at the court of Shah Jahan, the divine sage Dhanvantari wears a white jama and a gold-bordered patka (sash) adorned with a large flower motif. His beard is white, his face wrinkled with age, and he wears a Vaishnava tilak mark on his forehead. He sits on a yellow carpet decorated with gray-green leaves and maroon flowers. A narrow strip of cloud-streaked sky borders the brilliant orange ground. He holds two objects that may be associated with medicine.” 

As with so many religions across the globe, one or several gods and/or goddesses have been attributed to the discovery of medicine. Often seen as a gift of the divine, the ability to heal the sick and dying has long been associated with great skill as well as personal blessing. In ancient India, all medical practices can be traced back to an epic mythology wherein Dhanvantari emerges with this knowledge in the earliest ages of the world. In the museum label provided by the Smithsonian, the story of this figure is summarized, as is the iconography of his visual representation. “Dhanvantari, whose name means "arrow-moving," is regarded as the father of Ayurvedic medicine. The Bhagavata Purana relates that he emerged among the treasures thrown up by the turning of the sea, when the gods and demons worked together to churn the primordial ocean, thereby creating the entire universe. Dhanvantari appeared from the roiling waters bearing a jug filled with amrita, the nectar of immortality, as a gift for the gods. In more typical iconography, the sage holds the amrita jug and a conch shell signaling his affiliation with the god Vishnu. Here, however, Dhanvantari holds perhaps an air pump and a plant root.” (Smithsonian) 

Statue of Dhanvantari

Plaster & Paint, 2005; Source: Science Museum Group

In the 21st century statue also pictured in this writing, the iconography of Dhanvantari does include the conch shell and jug, but also a plant root similar to its 18th century counterpart as well as a star. He also is pictured as a far younger man, with dark hair and colorful clothes. Fluidity of artistic expression mirrors the values of the creator and the environment in which a piece is created. While the same central figure might be altered over time, certain visual cues key a viewer to their identity and purpose. Much like the changes in the medical field over time, visuals might evolve but their public’s understanding of the artistic representation remains. In modern Indian hospitals, statues of Dhanvantari are common sights, his presence alerts patients and families that the institution practices Ayurveda, the system he founded. So what is Ayurveda exactly? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, this medical practice is defined as the following: 

“Ayurveda, traditional system of Indian medicine. Ayurvedic medicine is an example of a well-organized system of traditional health care, both preventive and curative, that is widely practiced in parts of Asia. Ayurveda has a long tradition behind it, having originated in India perhaps as much as 3,000 years ago. Today it remains a favoured form of health care in large parts of the Eastern world, especially in India, where a large percentage of the population uses this system exclusively or combined with modern medicine. Like scientific medicine, Ayurveda has both preventive and curative aspects. The preventive component emphasizes the need for a strict code of personal and social hygiene, the details of which depend upon individual, climatic, and environmental needs. Bodily exercises, the use of herbal preparations, and Yoga form a part of the remedial measures. The curative aspects of Ayurveda involve the use of herbal medicines, external preparations, physiotherapy, and diet. It is a principle of Ayurveda that the preventive and therapeutic measures be adapted to the personal requirements of each patient.” 

Many of the underlying principles outlined in this medical practice are familiar to us today. Combining physical exercises such as Yoga with modern medicine for conditions such as joint pain or muscle ache are commonplace. Understanding changes in diet being beneficial for one’s health is certainly not a new idea either. This health system, founded by the god Dhanvartari, is no stranger to the scientific world either. Major organizations have highlighted the benefits of complementary medicine and this instance is no different. “Ayurveda’s global impact is further evidenced by its integration into international health and wellness industries. The First International Congress on Ayurveda, held in Milan in 2009, marked a significant step in bridging Indian and Western medical philosophies, attracting over 400 participants and highlighting Ayurveda’s relevance to contemporary health discussions. This event underscored the growing acceptance and integration of Ayurvedic principles in Western healthcare systems, promoting a holistic view of health that aligns with both traditional and modern scientific  approaches. Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the importance of  traditional and complementary medicine systems like Ayurveda, advocating for their integration into global health systems. This includes setting standards and guidelines for the safe and effective use of herbal medicines, which are pivotal in Ayurvedic practice. The endorsement by global leaders, such as when the Prime Minister of India highlighted Ayurveda’s role in treating international dignitaries, further validates its efficacy and global appeal.” (Indian Mythology in Clinical Medicine) 

References: 

Smithsonian - Museum of Asian Art 

Encyclopedia Britannica - Ayurveda 

A Literature Review of the Integration of Ancient Indian Mythology in Clinical Medicine

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - May 2025: Hospital Architecture & Design

 

Old St. Agnes Hospital

Colored Photograph, Built 1906, FMG Design

The May 2025 Art In Medicine topic is about Hospital Architecture and Design.

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Hospital Architecture & Design 

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘hospital’? The place you were born? A medical drama on television? Perhaps you are afraid of the place and it’s a negative connotation that comes to mind. Does the merit of design, the history of architecture or the benefits of health come to mind? For this month’s topic we are looking at the manner in which we build our hospitals, what has changed across time, and how better health outcomes can be affected by a well designed floorplan. Modern hospitals have their roots in European Medieval history. Houses for the sick were attached to church complexes and often had specific wards for the poor, lepers, pilgrims and such. Public hospitals, as we would know them, were funded by secular governments in addition to wealthy churches, and into existence after the Renaissance. “The history of hospital architecture is full of discussions about windows and their effects on patient health. In the 19th century, British hospital reformer Florence Nightingale argued for large windows. She claimed that well-ventilated hospital wards would help evacuate any miasma, the “foul air” thought to cause nosocomial infections. After the advent of the germ theory, the discovery of sunlight’s bactericidal properties led to numerous design experiments with the size, shape and orientation of windows in hospital wards.  Architects also took stock of the psychologic benefits of daylight. For instance, in the hospital he planned for Venice in 1963, celebrated Swiss architect Le Corbusier based the ward design on the patient’s relationship to daylight. He proposed overhead windows for when patients would be confined to bed, and horizontal windows in the wall for when patients would be mobile.” (Better Design, Better Hospitals) By the end of the 20th century, and into the 21st, the need for private rooms became tied up in cultural and financial expectations. More private rooms came into being, with whole pavilions dedicated to such layouts, the ability to charge for services began to mimic the amenities of a hotel. Good hospital design does not only cover patients and visitors, however important they are these groups are not the only inhabitants of the building. Staff are present twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week, and should absolutely be considered in both new construction and renovation. The American Medical Association even has multiple webpages discussing just this topic, where they point their concern towards staff well-being and ease of performing their duties. 

“Several accounts in the literature describe a lack of space parity: hospitals have well-designed and appointed spaces for patients and families but not for staff. In particular, a documented decline in staff social spaces signals a devaluing of health care professionals and denigration of their daily work experience and productivity. Even after a hospital is constructed, opportunities exist for ongoing performance assessment that can inform operational changes. For example, locked space for medication storage that serves an ICU may turn out to be insufficient to bridge resupplies from the central pharmacy, necessitating an expansion of storage near the ICU.

Ascension St Agnes, Photograph 2025, FMG Design

Ongoing performance assessment can identify such shortcomings so leadership can guide investment prioritization.” (How to design and build health care spaces for the best outcomes) As we move forward in both design trends and the expectations of patients, healthcare workers, stakeholders across the board, and society at large, we come into the discussion concerning sustainability. How do we balance the complex needs of a healthcare setting with the evolving expectation of green or sustainable building practices? Across the globe, healthcare professionals have partners with architects to solve this issue with glowing results. 

“The Butaro District Hospital in Rwanda has become a benchmark for how prioritizing patients’ health can prevent the spread of infectious disease and send patients home faster. Working with Paul Farmer’s Partners in Health, MASS helped design the hospital to mitigate and reduce the transmission of airborne disease through overall layout, patient and staff flow, and natural cross-ventilation. The use of local materials — like volcanic rock from the Virunga mountain chain — and local labor-intensive practices enabled a site-appropriate, sustainable design and stimulated the local economy.” (How the Architecture of Hospitals Affects Health Outcomes) In this same article, a valuable definition is identified early on, the definition of ‘social design’. While the term has been in use for decades, a solid understanding of its meaning and impact was solidified circa 2006. Social design describes the interconnectedness of relationships, both from the designers perspective and the end user. In the case of hospital architecture, this would translate into how the healthcare workers expect to use the space, what patients and their families desire from their experience, and the vision of the architect all blending into a single design. The needs of today’s community are not the same as their parents’, and that difference in time is almost negligible in the grand scheme of human society. Time moves quickly and so does design and the innovations of healthcare. When the very layout of a unit, the greenspace and accessibility of a hospital could lead to positive or negative outcomes, the time has come to take design and artistry seriously. “Healthcare institutions face numerous challenges today, from demographic changes to technological innovations. In this context, architecture has become a critical factor influencing the quality of care, sustainability, and the entire planning process of healthcare institutions. However, it is crucial to note that while architecture plays a significant role, it must be integrated with other aspects, such as healthcare policies and technological advancements, to create a holistic healthcare environment.” (Architectural Evaluation of Healthcare Facilities) 

References: 

How the Architecture of Hospitals Affects Health Outcomes 

Architectural Evaluation of Healthcare Facilities: A Comprehensive Review and Implications for Building Design 

How to design and build health care spaces for the best outcomes 

Better design, better hospitals

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - April 2025: Apothecary Supplies

 

A figure made up of the components of the apothecary trade.

Engraving 1695

Harvard Library.

The April 2025 Art In Medicine topic is about Apothecary Supplies.

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Apothecary Supplies 

Before the modern pharmacy became the ubiquitous corner store and hospital institution it is today, there were the apothecaries. Specializing in the manufacturing of all manner of medicines, these tradesfolk were part of the medical landscape in both Europe and North America for several hundred years before the science of pharmaceuticals replaced them. This month we review their history and the unique tools they utilized, some of which are still recognizable today. 

“The word 'apothecary' is derived from apotheca, meaning a place where wine, spices and herbs were stored. During the thirteenth century it came into use in this country to describe a person who kept a stock of these commodities, which he sold from his shop or street stall.” (Worshipful Society of Apothecaries) 

The work of the apothecary was to mix and sell a variety of concoctions to all manner of customers as well as treat customers when needed. Symbols of the shop that can still be found today include the mortar and pestle of Rite Aid, a device used to pummel ingredients in the shop and then weighed for sale on scales - another common icon of the pharmacy nowadays. 

“Apothecaries were a branch of the tripartite medical system of apothecary-surgeon-physician which arose in Europe in the early-modern period. Well established as a profession by the seventeenth century, the apothecaries were chemists, mixing and selling their own medicines. They sold drugs from a fixed shopfront, catering to other medical practitioners, such as surgeons, but also to lay customers walking in from the street. Their daily tasks- as distinct from those of a barber-surgeon or physician whose primary duties during this era involved related diagnosis and treatment- were thus defined by a focus on retail (sales to the public without performing other clinical roles).” (Who were the Apothecaries?) 

In the American colonies, the means by which citizens could access an apothecary was far more spotty than in the mother country of England, simply due to the lack of equally expansive cities, training opportunities and (by 17th & 18th century standards) proper hospitals to engage with. However, after independence, the need to formalize the career and where the specialist would practice their trade became a necessity. “As the nation’s first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH) was also the first to have an associated Apothecary shop for patients, which curbed the need for apothecaries to act as both doctor and pharmacist, as was required in more rural areas of the colonies and later the new states. As the hospital expanded and the realm of American pharmacy evolved, so too did the role of the apothecary.” (Penn Med) 

The apothecary of Pennsylvania Hospital is well documented with ledgers of herbs and sale bills as well as photographs of how the ingredients were kept, an image of the typical shop would have looked to patients of the past. Beyond the aforementioned mortar and pestle, apothecary jars became the best known tool of the trade with an industry that grew up around their design and manufacture. So widespread were these jars that individual artistic styles can be traced to specific locations and artists around Europe and in the United States. 

Apothecary Bottle, COCHLEAR

Glass & paint European 18th century

The National Museum of American History

“Common glass apothecary containers for crude drugs, ointments and liquids were among the many functional products made by skilled glassblowers, who might also create windows, drinking vessels, beads, and laboratory apparatus. Glass drug jars were not considered to have great monetary value and were fragile; consequently, such jars for holding oils, tinctures, and syrups once prevalent in German apothecaries of the 18th and 19th centuries are now very rare. 

Glass drug jars can be divided into three distinct groups. The first is composed of round or square-shaped jars with clear glass; these free-blown or mold-blown vessels are decorated with Baroque and Rococo motifs including shields, birds, festoons, ribbons, and crowns. The second includes jars such as the set of urn-shaped white or milk glass (milchglas in German) vessels meant to imitate more expensive porcelain ceramics. The third, of particular importance includes six 17th century wide- mouth blown vessels made from heavy green glass and probably used to store bulk products.” (Smithsonian) Today such jars are collectables that can be found in private collections and in museums dedicated to both the arts and medical history. So how were these all important tools fashioned? Glass making is no easy feat, no matter how common the use of the vessel turns out to be. On the Smithsonian’s dedicated page for the history of the apothecary jar, the process of crafting these containers is given in full and fascinating detail, with special attention to the decorative elements. “The ornamentation applied to the glass containers is of two types; baked enamel and cold-painted application. The more permanent of the two, enamel, uses pigments composed of finely ground glass that are fired to fuse the colored glass to the vessel. The simpler form of decoration is cold painting. Motifs are applied to the glass with paint and are not fired in a kiln. Once the paint dries, a thin layer of varnish is applied to prevent the paint from flaking and being scratched.” (Smithsonian) While the apothecary has been replaced with the pharmacist (chemist in some cases) the influence of the predecessors to the procession is clear. Even now when you walk into a CVS or Walgreens some stores will hang photos of the past, a glimpse into medical practices long since gone, and the shelves are more often than not lined with such artistic tools. 

References:

Smithsonian - Glass Apothecary Containers
Penn Med - The Evolution of the Apothecary
The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries
Who were the Apothecaries?

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - March 2025: Kumugwe

Kumugwe Mask

Wood, cedar, bark

C.a. 1900 

Portland Art Museum

The March 2025 Art In Medicine topic is about Kumugwe, from the Pacific Northwest.

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Kumugwe

“In examinations of world religions, the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada tends to be overlooked. This doesn’t mean, though, that its inhabitants haven’t fashioned for themselves a plethora of gods and spirits. Kumugwe, the god of health for the indigenous Kwakwaka’wakw people, is a great example of a fascinating and understudied deity ... As the god of health and wealth, Kumugwe can heal sickness and reward humans with great riches. Between his power over the oceans and his healing capabilities, Kumugwe deserves a spot among the great gods of health in global religious traditions.” (8 Gods of Healing from Around the World) 

In the United States, the history of indigenous people is not often taught in a comprehensive manner or not until later in the education system. As such, the varied beliefs and practices of Native Americans are unfamiliar to many and are often misunderstood; especially considering that said practices are still in existence and not a chapter in a history book. So for this month’s topic, we are going to look at a deity of healing who also inhabits some unexpected realms and how his presence is important to contemporary spiritual practices in the modern day. When one thinks of healing deities that tends to be the only aspect that god or goddess inhabits, but not so with Kumugwe. 

“God of the land beneath the sea, Kumugwe is associated with tremendous wealth and lives with his wife in an undersea palace made of copper planks guarded by an assortment of sea creatures. It is said that the posts of his house are living sea lions and its doors are like giant, snapping mouths, and that within the walls of his palace is hidden great treasure. If a mortal could reach the sea god’s palace alive they would return home as wealthy and powerful men, for Kumugwe can bestow not only wealth but also magical powers. He is also regarded as the adversary of the Thunderbird.” (Milwaukee Public Museum)  

Classical deities of health, such as Asclepius, are more commonly recognizable as our country drew so heavily on Greco/Roman traditions ranging from symbolism and architecture to the reading of mythology and history. While the staff of Asclepius is possibly one of the most recognizable emblems in today’s medical world, present on nearly every ambulance in the nation. Yet how many symbols of native religions are easily identified in the United States? The examples given here, in the form of ceremonial masks, are the means by which this god of so many epithets is depicted in ritual and celebration. Masks are representations of animals associated with specific ancestors and/or gods, who then gifted the images to their descendants. Another example, more commonly known, of this practice is the totem pole. 

“Masks of Kumugwe often show him with sea creature attributes, such as rounded fish eyes, rows of gills at the corners of his mouth, fins encircling his head, the suction cups of an octopus, and fish and aquatic birds which frame or sit upon his head. His most important totemic animals are loons, seals, sea lions, octopuses, orcas, and sculpins.” (Wikipedia) Some of those animal associations can be found in the visual art representing Kumukwe, with some masks including gills, shells, or eyes similar to the creatures which fill his domain. Understanding this Ar in Mede March 2025 deity of good health, wealth and the sea is bolstered by educating oneself on contemporary practices made in his honor. That includes a quick lesson on Pacific tribal cosmology. 

Komokwa Mask

Wood & pigment

Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) culture

1880-90

Metropolitan Museum of Art

“The beings that make up Kwakiutl mythology are remarkably diverse. Accounts of their interactions with humans and each other are passed along through stories that not only form the basis of traditional Kwakiutl spiritual and ceremonial life and lore, but also connect Kwakiutl families to their ancestral pasts. Many contemporary Kwakiutl identify themselves as Christians but incorporate traditional mythology into their faith, freely blending elements of Christian and indigenous religion. Broadly speaking, Kwakiutl mythology divides the world into several realms: the mortal world, the sky world, the land beneath the sea, and the ghost world. In reality, however, it is difficult to discuss Kwakiutl mythology uniformly owing to the diverse accounts found among the many bands that constitute the Kwakiutl First Nations, though some underlying commonalities exist.” (Milwaukee Public Museum) 

A quick search online will of course surface Wikipedia, and though short, the entry on Kumugwe (also known as Komokwa) highlights the breadth of diversity in the many groups who incorporate this deity into their spiritual practice. According to that entry, Kumugwe is also attributed to Qaniqilak, a spirit associated with the summer fishing season and in opposition to Tseiqami (the Thunderbird) who guides the winter dance season. Said dance is a celebration that is held to this day in various locations along the western coast of North America, both in the United States and Canada. It is important to note that such performances were illegal for many years under the governments of both aforementioned nations, with sacred items such as the masks shared here being confiscated and sold or donated across the globe to collectors. The revitalization of those spiritual practices and reclamation of said objects, is an ongoing effort. 

“The Winter ceremonials summon the fearsome and powerful beings of the spirit world, including the most powerful and dreaded of all the supernatural beings, the Cannibal Spirit. This spirit possesses initiates of the most highly ranked of the Kwakiutl secret dance societies, the Hamatsa (cannibal society), and can only be forced to leave the body of the initiate with the guidance and intervention of shamans and close relatives. These performers, adorned with eagle down, red cedar bark (representing human flesh) and black paint, give embodiment to a wide array of animated spirits like cannibal birds (servants of the Cannibal Spirit, such as Raven, Crane, Crow and Crooked Beak), Nu?ama?a (Fool Dancers), and others.” (Milwaukee Public Museum) 

At time of writing, there is not a tremendous amount written on Kumugwe, but hopefully in the future that will change. 

References: 

Milwaukee Public Museum - Cosmology & Ceremonial Life 

8 Gods of Health and Disease From Around the World 

Wikipedia - Kumugwe

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - February 2025: Hippocrates

Bust of Hippocrates, Engraving 1638, Paulus Pontius (after Rubens)

The February 2025 Art In Medicine topic is about Hippocrates.

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Hippocrates 

In the history of the medical arts, there is possibly no more familiar name than Hippocrates. Considered the father of medicine, Hippocrates’ name is invoked by all graduating physicians, his texts read in a great many classes and his image shared in various media across time and place. However, as is usually the case, history is often clouded by myth and this storied doctor is no different. So who was he really, do we actually know what he looked like, and are his writings truly written by a single author? 

“Hippocrates (born c. 460 bce, island of Cos, Greece—died c. 375 bce, Larissa, Thessaly) was an ancient Greek physician who lived during Greece’s Classical period … It is difficult to isolate the facts of Hippocrates’ life from the later tales told about him or to assess his medicine accurately in the face of centuries of reverence for him as the ideal physician. About 60 medical writings have survived that bear his name, most of which were not written by him. He has been revered for his ethical standards in medical practice, mainly for the Hippocratic Oath, which, it is suspected, he did not write. It is known that while Hippocrates was alive, he was admired as a physician and teacher. His younger contemporary Plato referred to him twice. In the Protagoras Plato called Hippocrates “the Asclepiad of Cos” who taught students for fees, and he implied that Hippocrates was as well known as a physician as Polyclitus and Phidias were as sculptors.” (Britannica) 

At the time Hippocrates was living and practicing, the perspective of where medicine lay within ancient Greek life was much different than how we view that field today. In fact, it was considered an art rather than a science, which was not yet fully formed as a discipline. As such, the philosophy which Hippocrates was taught and would later teach via medicine, approached treatment of the sick in a manner that is alien to many today.  “The term art is used very often, especially in Plato, however, the ancients separated art from other  (after  intellectual disciplines. Even when they perceive art in this more limited way, they always tend to include medicine among the arts, such as shoemaking, woodworking, agriculture, rhetoric and poetry, for the reason that medicine generates health. By creating health, medicine seems both, poetic and utilitarian art because physicians use a variety of tools and methods in order to achieve health for their society. Since medicine is the most important of the arts, those who are going to follow it are required to have many spiritual and moral qualifications if they wish to serve it properly.” (Philosophy & Hippocratic Ethic) 

Encyclopedia Britannica states the documents attributed to Hippocrates contain various theories, tones of writing, and evidence that these works were the cumulative experiences of several individual authors. As with many ancient texts, they were added to, translated and altered over the centuries. By all accounts Hippocrates was a real man, but wrote only a fraction of works bearing his name. Still, his impact was felt after his death in the manner in which later scholars and artists would interact with his body of work and even his appearance. “Hippocrates’ reputation, and myths about his life and his family, began to grow in the Hellenistic period, about a century after his death. 

Hippocrates Refuses the Gifts of Artaxerxes, Painting

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roucy-Trioson, 1792

During this period, the Museum of Alexandria in Egypt collected for its library literary material from preceding periods in celebration of the past greatness of Greece. So far as it can be inferred, the medical works that remained from the Classical period (among the earliest prose writings in Greek) were assembled as a group and called the works of Hippocrates (Corpus Hippocraticum). Linguists and physicians subsequently wrote commentaries on them, and, as a result, all the virtues of the Classical medical works were eventually attributed to Hippocrates and his personality constructed from them.” (Britannica) In later centuries these texts were then expanded upon by Muslim physicians, further carried the teaching of Hippocrates into a new era, codifying his theories on illness. “By translating masterpieces of Greek learning into Arabic, which would be eventually rendered into Latin, scholar-physicians such as Haly Abbas, Rhazes, Avicenna, and Albucasis performed the extraordinary miracle of reintroducing Greek authors into Western Europe, including Hippocrates and Galen.” (The Art of Science & Healing) By the modern era, fictions blurred with fact as to what this famous physician did or did not do. In fact, even his appearance is not honestly known. The elderly man with short hair and a full beard is an archetype typical of Classical Greece, not a means of true portraiture. How we imagine Hippocrates could be just as fictional as some of the stories attached to him, such as the instance with the King of Persia, as depicted here. “The painting is based on a historical and legendary episode that occurred during the reign of Artaxerxes I, when Persia was ravaged by a devastating plague. In a desperate attempt to save his kingdom, the Persian king sent ambassadors to Greece to request the help of Hippocrates, the most renowned healer of his time. Artaxerxes offered lavish gifts and large sums of money to persuade Hippocrates to come to Persia and eradicate the plague. However, Hippocrates, staying true to his homeland and his ethical principles, rejected the king’s offer. Despite the wealth and rewards he was promised, Hippocrates chose to remain in Greece, refusing to aid the enemies of his country, even though it meant forgoing great riches. Soon after, the same plague spread to Greece, affecting the land Hippocrates had chosen to protect.” (Art Insider) 

References: 

Hippocrates - Encyclopedia Britannica 

The Art Insider

Philosophy and Hippocratic Ethic in Ancient Greek Society: Evolution of Hospital - Sanctuaries 

The Art of Science and Healing: From Antiquity to the Renaissance

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.