260 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LIII. No. 1368 



The purpose of tliis book is a presentation of 

 the history and bibliography of representations of 

 human anatomy by graphic means. Due considera- 

 tion has been given both to anatomic illustration 

 and to representations belonging to the graphic 

 and plastic arts. 



While engaged in the preparation of the 

 list of the anatomists of the world^ one of the 

 most useful works of reference was found to 

 be J. Ludwig Choulant's " Geschichte und 

 Bibliographie der anatomischen Abbildung," 

 which had been published in 1852 in Leipzig 

 by this energetic physician. It was likewise 

 of great value in studying the sources of 

 anatomical literature'^ and in other ways has 

 proven its value as an aid in the study of the 

 history of anatomy. Its importance in the 

 history of medicine is indicated by the nine 

 references to Choulant's work in Garrison's 

 " History of Medicine." 



Unfortunately this important work has long 

 been out of print and there are few copies 

 available for the younger generation of stu- 

 dents. It was thus with great interest that 

 we welcomed the announcement from the Uni- 

 versity of Chicago Press of the forthcoming 

 translation of this important historical docu- 

 ment by Mortimer Frank, a Chicago phys- 

 ician who had already earned fame by his con- 

 tributions to medical history. As an associate 

 editor of the Annals of Medical History he 

 made his influence felt in the development of 

 this important journal. His great collection 

 of early medical works and engravings, since 

 his lamented death deposited in the library of 

 the University of Chicago, gave him a grasp 

 of his subject such as few men are given to 

 attain. 



Dr. Frank did not live to see his book off 

 the press and his untimely death was greatly 

 mourned by the profession at large but espe- 

 cially was his loss keenly felt by those whose 

 interests were similar to his own. His friend. 

 Fielding H. Garrison, acted as editor and saw 

 the book through the press. 



1 Published in Eycleshymer 's ' ' Anatomical 

 Names," New York, 1917, pp. 177-354. 



2 This subject was discussed by the writer in 

 American Naturalist, LI., 193-208, April, 1917. 



The book is a handsome volume and the 

 press-work is well up to the standard of the 

 other publication from this press. Garrison's 

 memorial notice of Mortimer Frank intro- 

 duces the book to the reader. This is followed 

 by Frank's biographical sketch of Choulant, 

 thus making available for the first time in 

 English, the life of this important worker. 

 The succeeding pages are occupied with the 

 translation of the history and the reproduc- 

 tion of the bibliography to which important 

 additions are made, thus revising and bring- 

 ing the work up to date. 



The illustrations of the original publication 

 are well reproduced in the translation and add 

 great value to the work in the hands of stu- 

 dents of art. An imfortunate feature is the 

 arrangement of the descriptions of the figures, 

 these being placed in the back of the book 

 with no references to them on the plates. In 

 this arrangement Dr. Frank simply followed 

 Choulant's plan in the German edition. 



Choulant's original discussions of the 

 various artists who forwarded the study of 

 anatomy by their illustrative work may seem 

 to the art student somewhat unequal and this 

 same inequality is apparent in the transla- 

 tion ; but in making such a criticism one must 

 keep in mind that Choulant's idea was the 

 discussion of the work of each man as he had 

 aided in the development of anatomical illus- 

 tration. His very brief account of Michael- 

 angelo's work is not in any disparagement of 

 this eminent Italian's work but is due to the 

 fact that the great sculptor left few contri- 

 butions to anatomical illustration. 



The history and bibliography already has 

 its place in the literature and Dr. Frank's 

 translation will make the work available to 

 all students of the subject. While we regret 

 that our fellow worker was not given the joy 

 of seeing the book off the press, yet we may 

 rejoice that he was enabled to leave the work 

 so nearly complete as to warrant the publica- 

 tion of this important contribution. 



EoY L. MOODIE 



College op Medicine, 

 University op Illinois 



