the effective use of photography in illustrating certain aspects of paedi- atrics, ophthalmology and graphics. The method of presentation in each case was admirable.

An up-to-date assessment of the needs for medical education in Columbia was given by Mr Peter Cull. Communication has a n important role to play in establishing preventive medicine in a country which is in desperate need of health education.

Changing the tempo, Dr Clifford Hawkins gave us one of his many variations on a theme of ‘Problems Encountered by a Lecturer’.

It is rare to encounter a n illustrator talking about dreams, aspirations and conflicts within the sphere of his day-to- day work. The majority are rather too clinical for this indulgence. However, Mr Ron Donovan related his own personal account of moving from a well entrenched medical illustration depart- ment to coordinating and developing a teaching service in a new institution. As with any new venture there are always many problems to overcome i n the pursuit of perfection. Mr Donovan appears to have surmounted a good deal of them and has gone a long way to reaching his goal.

The only original paper was presented by Mr Nicholas Graver of New York. He had managed, after a great struggle,

to design a biographic department which satisfied his own requirements and in doing so he was able to confound the authorities. The revolutionary de- sign incorporated removable internal walls enabling the structure to be altered to suit its various needs. Mr Graver’s paper indicated quite clearly what can be achieved with perseverance.

On the television front, there was little that was new and the contributions offered only served to consolidate exist- ing knowledge.

The re-introduction of the 10 minute paper was a n undoubted success and deserving particular note was Miss Patricia Turnbull’s assessment of the ‘Dignity of the Patient’. She was posing the question in relation to the present- day recording facilities, i.e. television. The patient has the right to preserve his or her dignity and the expectation that others will respect that right is justified. In our eagerness to produce our ma- terial we must never lose sight of the fact that we are dealing with individuals whose emotional responses are no dif- ferent from our own. Their involvement in medical education is a voluntary gesture and we would do well to remern ber i t .

The Keynote address must be in- cluded as a highlight of the conference. Dr Valerie Graves asked, ‘Is Excellence a Delusion?’ She reminded us that we

The Medical Picture Show

Good exhibitions of medical illustration are rare; public exhibitions are rarer still. The Medical Picture Show (Science M useum, London) combined technical and artistic merit with suitability for public viewing, though some of the comments I heard suggested that even pictures and models are sometimes a little too close to reality for comfort. The centrepiece was the Urban and Schwartzenberg collection, dating from 1870, of anatomical drawings and paintings prepared for various medical publications. Although printing methods have changed radically, the combined skills of nineteenth-century artists and engravers in producing such intricate texture and fine image quality

Figure 2. The Medical Picture Show.

live in a rapidly changing world with technological advance having its inevit- able effect on society. A world where finance is dictating the odds and where cost-effectiveness concerns us all. At the risk of being called a blasphemer she urged us to examine our motives in producing excellent results. Were we losing sight of what was required for each project and simply satisfying our own creative egos? We must be able to assess the degree of excellence required and apply our skills and knowledge accordingly. We must also be convinced that what we produce will be used and not lie gracing the shelves of some library or even worse, be lost because of poor filing systems. The best illus- trations in the world are useless if they cannot be retrieved.

Dr Graves concluded by urging us not to be afraid of a new era but to take from the emerging technology and use the techniques to our advantage. “We can still pursue excellence, but only if we are prepared to look at modern commercial approaches, to help to make the best of our skills”.

It is often an advantage to re-examine our motives and Dr Valerie Graves prompted us on this occasion. Her suggestions may produce some interest- ing results.

K. P. DUCUID

The Journal of Audiovisual Media in Medicine 87

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still fascinate. The Atlas of Human Anatomy, for example, illustrated by Fritz Meixner with wood-block engrav- ings by Matalony, was first published around 1896 and the original wood blocks lasted for 25 editions.

There were many superb examples of present-day illustrations - they came from Europe, the UK, and the USA. A bewildering array of techniques was presented: lifelike models of skin con- ditions; surrealist erosion casts of the bronchial tree; endoscopic photographs and paintings of every conceivable orifice and cavity; otherwise invisible images produced photographically by infrared and ultraviolet irradiation; photomicrographs; light sectioning for measurement; watercolour, scraper board, carbon dust. The list is endless. The technical excellence of most of the exhibits enhanced their aesthetic appeal and,’even though the somewhat sketchy annotations were totally incornprehen- sible to the layman, it was still possible to enjoy their artistic beauty. On bal- ance, a thoroughly worthwhile way to spend a n hour in London. The Institute of Medical and Biological Illustration, with the expert help of the Science Museum staff, should be congratulated on compiling an exhibition that was a major contribution towards educating the public about medicine. (Figures 2 and 3) .

J E A N N. MCCULLOCH

Acknowledgement Reproduced with kind permission of the Editor of the British Medical Journal.

Figure 3. Part of the Urban and Schwartzenberg display

HUMAN ANATOMY THE SKELETAL SYSTEM

A Slide Set from A COLOUR ATLAS OF HUMAN ANATOMY R.M.H. McMinn and R.T. Hutchings

In response to requests from teachers of Anatomy throughout the world we are now pleased to make available the first in a series of sets of transparencies based on the original photographs used in A COLOUR ATLAS OF HUMAN ANATOMY.

187 transparencies covering the whole of the skeletal system

The slide sets are packed in a handsome plastic container which permits ready access to specific slides as required.

Send for FREE SAMPLE of transparency plus complete list of contents.

WOLFE MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS (Dept AVMI 10 Earlham Street LONDON WCZH 9LP f75.00 ~ l u s VAT

88 Reports

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