About Wax Anatomical Models

History

• Anatomical models were first used in the late 17th century as an alternative or adjunct to the examination of human corpses. The first anatomical models were made of wax and came primarily from Italy, where museums devoted to these early works of art still exist. Wax as a modeling medium fell out of fashion by the early 19th century, as it was both expensive and fragile, at which time papier-mache became the most frequently used medium for modeling. Owing to the fragile nature of the wax models, there are a limited number of them still in existence, mostly housed in museums under strict humidity controls. Modern anatomical models are typically made of plastic and metal, and are used by both students in medical fields and doctors.

Function

• Medical students must learn about the human body; howindividual body parts work and how they interact as whole systems. In modern society, this is achieved through a combination of many different modes of learning: dissection of human cadavers, use of models, photos and computer simulations and with imaging technologies such as x-rays and cat-scans. Prior to the advent of such technological advances, however, many medical students did not have access to cadavers and may have only had limited chances to observe a dissection done by a professor. Anatomical models provided a simple solution to this problem. Doctors and professors worked with artists and sculptors to create amazingly realistic renditions of different parts of anatomy based on the observation of cadaveric dissection. These models were made of wax through the early to mid-19th century, as wax provided a pliable, realistic medium that mimicked bodily tissues, and were kept in classrooms where they could be examined firsthand by students, who could refer to them as often as necessary. Many models, in fact, could be taken apart to facilitate closer examination of individual body parts.

Modern Models

• Modern anatomical models are generally made of plastic, sometimes with metal pieces. Plastic provides several benefits- it is easily colored and molded into various shapes, is flexible and difficult to break, and lightweight. Models are available for individual body parts, as well as portions of, or whole, bodies and can be purchased from anatomical supply companies, biological and science supply warehouses and medical education companies. Many of these models fit together so that students can see how the different systems of the body are connected. Plastic models are often used by MDs in their practices, as well, to demonstrate procedures or conditions to patients.

Collections

• Wax anatomical models were largely produced in Europe, and many museums boast large collections of these artifacts. The Josephinum, in Vienna, Austria, houses one of the largest collections of wax models in the world, consisting of more than 1100 pieces that were requested and paid for by the Emperor Joseph ll. Models include individual organs, limbs and even entire bodies that can be disassembled by students, enabling them to view each part of the body and how it fits into the whole. Italy's University of Cagliari has assembled what is largely considered the most beautiful collection of wax anatomical works, all hand-carved by Clemente Susini from 1802- 1805. Many of Susini's figures are not only useful for anatomical study, but incredible works of art, such as his famous model, "Medical Venus", a reclining girl (with removable torso and organs), lying in a coffin-like bed.

Types

• During the time period that wax anatomical models were in use, many different types of model were produced by artists. Moulage models were representations of parts of the body (often representative of a particular condition) that were mounted on a plaque or frame. These were not models that could be picked up and examined, and were primarily hung in physicians' offices as examples of various types of disease or deformity. Other types of wax models included models of specific organs and small body parts, such as the eyes or the heart, models of systems such as the skeletal or muscular system, models of entire bodies and models of portions of the body such as extremities or the torso.