Human anatomy wall chart that supported the foundation of medical education
Medical students who advance to specialized courses first learn anatomy, which deals with the complex structures of the human body. In an era when there were no computers or slides, during the lecture on human anatomy, the instructor pointed to a wall chart of anatomy hanging in front of the classroom. At the Gifu University School of Medicine, 534 wall charts of human anatomy that were actually used in lectures are all preserved. The artist who drew these wall charts was Toshio Tange (1917-1984), who was a technical officer in the First Department of Anatomy.
Under the direction of successive professors of anatomy, Tange copied anatomical charts from famous human anatomy books and scientific papers on thick drawing paper. Some are in color, and some are in black and white. In order to maintain the overall proportions when drawing in a significant enlargement, it seems that he applied a matrix (a grid) to the original picture and used a painting method in which each grid was enlarged and drawn. If you attach a shaft to the top and bottom of the drawn anatomical chart and connect a string to the upper end so that it can be hung, it becomes a hanging chart.
With the advent of slides and personal computers, many universities seem to have discarded the wall charts, but Gifu University School of Medicine has mounted all the wall charts and preserved them in good condition. Currently, the human anatomy wall charts are housed and exhibited in the Gifu University Library's "Archive Core" and has a new value as science art.
Organizing commentary: Dr. Takao Senda, Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University.
Digital Imaging: M.S. Kazusa Tsukahara, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Gifu University.
Digital Imaging: Dr. Nobumitsu Kawakubo, Professor, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Gifu University.
・Digital images may not be reproduced for any purpose. Please contact us in advance even if you wish to cite the images (limited to legitimate use).
・You are free to link to this digital image database for educational, research, and study purposes, as long as you do not do so for profit.
・Please contact in advance: archcore(at)t.gifu-u.ac.jp(*Replace (at) with @)