Friends of the John Martin Rare Book Room

Pumpkin Slice Blend

Damien Ihrig, MA, MLIS
Curator, John Martin Rare Book Room

Hey folks, the annual Halloween edition of the newsletter is back for some spooky fun. This month, I highlight historical illustrations of 16th-century medical instruments. These instruments appear to be taken straight from a David Cronenberg movie (see the gif with an example from his movie Dead Ringers). They are both beautiful and frightening - finely crafted works of metal art and gothic horror.

Below you will find illustrations from Bartich's Ophthalmodouleia (1583), Croce's Chirurgiae (1573), Gessner's Chirurgia (1555), Guidi's Chirurgia è Graeco in Latinum conversa (1544), Pare's Opera (1582), Rueff's De conceptu et generation (1580), and Tagliacozzi's De curtorum chirurgia per insitionem (1597). Click on the images for more information. And if these tickle your funny bone, there are plenty more examples in the collection!

I hope you enjoy this brief diversion during your busy fall. We will resume normal programming next month.

Until then, safe Halloweening, everyone. Stay well and happy reading!

Hours

The Room is currently under renovation. Requests for materials will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please contact me at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or 319-335-9154.

 

Needles from Bartisch's Ophthalmodouleia, 1583
Those are interesting. I wonder what they're used for...

 

Male with curly hair and a ruffled collar with needles in his eyes, from Bartisch's Ophthalmodouleia, 1583
Oh.

 

Vision correction device that uses a hood and prism on the head of a patient, from Bartisch's Ophthalmodouleia, 1583

A medical instrument from Tagliacozzi's De curtorum chirurgia per insitionem, 1597.
And I thought wearing glasses was rough.
  Early plastics were very metal.

 

Several little saws from Croce's Chirurgiae, 1573.
These translate literally in the text to "little saws." Spot on.

 

An ornate drill from Gessner's Chirurgia, 1555.

An ornate drill from Gessner's Chirurgia, 1555.
Would the ornate design of these instruments distract me from the fact that they were drilling into my body?

 

Absolutely not. But they are lovely nonetheless!

 

A serrated multitool/scissors from Guidi's Chirurgia è Graeco in Latinum conversa, 1544.
This multipurpose device would make Ron Popeil smile.

 

An ornate drill from Pare's Opera, 1582.

A pincer/scissors tool from Rueff's De conceptu et generatione, 1580.

Good for a nice bottle of wine, too.

 I don't even know how this would work. And I'm not sure I want to.

 

A three pronged speculum from Pare's Opera, 1582.
Nope.
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Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact our office in advance at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or 319-335-9154.