Lunch Time Talk: Charles Bell and his Anatomical Models

Join us for this bite sized lunch time talk exploring the history of medicine.
 
Surgeons’ Hall holds a collection of models made by Scottish Surgeon Charles Bell in the early nineteenth century, and this talk by human remains conservator Cat Irving will explore what we know about Bell’s techniques, and what these tell us about surgery at that time.

In a letter to Francis Jeffrey, the writer Sydney Smith talks about his experience of seeing a model made by Bell: “I could not have conceived that anything could be so perfect and beautiful as his wax models. I saw one to-day which was quite the Apollo Belvedere of Morbid Anatomy.” Bell did not intend these as a work of art – for him, this was a teaching resource, but an artistic streak would inform much of Bell’s work.

Talks will last approximately 30 mins and there will be tea and coffee available for ticket holders.