Category Archives: Homework

Homework #1: Wellcome Images Database

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The image I chose from the Wellcome Library is called “Gentlefolk of Leeds Afflicted with Disease; Mrs. Prince, after surgical removal of a breast. Watercolour, 1841.” The painting captured my attention because of the graphic imagery of the woman’s mastectomy. From the painting, it shows a middle-aged woman, possibly in middle class society. She looks healthy based on her weight and has the red blush on her cheeks. However, the skin on her face may be covered with make-up, so we cannot be sure how healthy she really is. She is wearing a lace cap, a dark dress, and a yellow shawl. Her dress and shawl are loosened to reveal her breasts and makes the observer to focus his/her attention to them. The woman has an open wound on her right breast, with vivid details of what it is inside of it. We do not know what kind of disease she had on her breast, which required this kind of operation in the 1800s. This is like the images we saw in class because the artist must have studied in detail of the internal body, possibly seeing woman undergo the surgery or possibly at her autopsy, in order to paint this image. It also shows us that doctors did indeed do these kinds of procedures back in the 1800s on women that had diseases, tumors, or cancers on their breasts.

Homework #1: Wellcome Images Database

A tattoo on a piece of human skin showing a male bust and a flower stem Photograph Late 19th century Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images

A tattoo on a piece of human skin showing a male bust and a flower stem
Photograph, Late 19th century
Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images

Choose a historical image from Wellcome Images, an important database of images on the history of medicine. This homework will give you the opportunity to explore this database so that you can make use of its images for future assignments. Post your image and compare it to the images we have seen in class. What is striking about the image, why did it capture your attention? How does it compare to some of the imagery that we have seen in class?

  1. Register for an account on Wellcome Images. This will give you more options to save and download images
  2. Search for a historical image of a medical topic that you would like explore.
  3. If you’re unsure of where to start, click on the galleries along the bottom of the home page to look around.
  4. Download an image to share with your classmate.
  5. Create a post on our OpenLab website that includes your chosen image. Follow the directions under “Posting Guidelines” to learn how to submit a post and upload an image.

Link to Wellcome Images website

Please submit your post and image by class on Tuesday September 29th.