Lately, we have been obsessing over vintage medical artifacts. Maybe it's because Halloween is in the air, and the upcoming holiday sweetened our tooth for macabre decorative items like mid-20th century anatomy charts. A favorite is The Winslow Health and Hygiene Series. The medical diagrams were named in part after Charles-Edward Armory Winslow, who was an American bacteriologist and public health expert. In 1915, Winslow founded the Yale Department of Public Health within Yale Medical School. Later, he became the president of the American Public Health Association. Winslow brought to the world's attention what seems like a no-brainer today; that healthy living is the first line of defense against disease. Diagrams from the series, depending upon the year it was published, the subject matter, and condition range from $50 to over $800.
We found a few choice examples online like the chart shown above, available at Haven Vintage. The item is in fair shape and features someone who looks like a gymnast performing the Heimlich Maneuver on a choking victim. A great conversation piece! Price: $129
Another antique retailer, Get Back Inc currently has several items from The Winslow Health and Hygiene Series. Each diagram appears to be mint but they come framed which might make it difficult to determine the item's true condition. We love the above chart titled, The Ear. Price: $800
A shop we visited last week in Chicago called Urban Remains is offering a pristine example (shown at the top of the post) from the Winslow series that features the circulatory system. A big plus -- the diagram still has it's original wooden dowels. Price: $375
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