The Illuminated Body: Representation in Medicine and Culture

Introduction

The exhibition explores the Medical Body as well as the Cultural Body. Anatomical charts and reproductions of body parts used by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine are on display to portray how culture plays a part in anatomical theory. The "quick fix" approach to healing and self-improvement is illustrated by a number of quack medical devices that were offered for sale from the late nineteenth century through the 1950s. Some claimed to "improve" the body by electrical means. The Relax-A-Cizor and Rejuvene, for example, are two such devices. Other appliances were said to assist in weight loss, hair restoration and breast enlargement. Many were eventually declared fraudulent by the U.S. government and recalled after numerous consumer complaints. 2. Samurai armor, circa 1700. On loan from the Putnam Museum, Davenport

Protective attire as an extension of the body is also exhibited. Technological advances have brought as many risks as benefits, and special garments that shield the body from visible and invisible threats are often necessary --particularly for those working in farming, medicine and science, space exploration, police work and the military. Three striking examples are a partial suit of Samurai armor borrowed from the Putnam Museum in Davenport, contemporary operating room attire and a space suit on loan from the Langley Research Center in Virginia.

The Illuminated Body has drawn upon an unusually wide range of collections and experts in the University and other institutions. Special thanks go to the University of Iowa Collections Coalition for their many contributions to this exhibition by way of ideas, artifacts, and expertise.