The National Library of Medicine (NLM) was established in 1836. To celebrate its 175th anniversary, the library gave itself and readers a marvelous gift. Hidden Treasure: The National Library of Medicine is a visually voluptuous volume of objects excavated from the library's vast collection of medically important items, along with some fascinating medical curiosities.
Left, Complete Study of Human Anatomy, 1831-1854. Jean-Baptiste Marc Bourgery, illustrations by Nicolas-Henri Jacob. A fastidious combination of straps and bandages compresses the patient's facial arteries. Bottom of page, 3 different angles of an instrument made to exert pressure on the carotid. Middle, Kaishihen: Complete Notes on the Dissection of Cadavers, 1772. Shinnin Kawaguchi. Kyoto, Japan. Printed woodblock book, color illustrations; 28 leaves; 7 3/8 × 10 3/4 in (18.7 × 27.2 cm). Rib cage, heart, and lungs exposed by cutting open the rib cage. Right, Atlas of Topographic Anatomy, 1911. Eugène-Louis Doyen with J.-P. Bouchon and R. Doyen; heliotypes by E. Le Deley. Reproduced with permission from Blast Books Inc.