What Language Are We Talking About? Anatomical…

It must have been more convenient to observe a tongue from all angles when it was presented to students as a plaster anatomical model rather than an actual anatomical cross-section… Karl Ernst Bock, German physician and anatomist, 1809–1874. Graduating in medicine in 1831, he specialized in anatomy, physiology, and pathology at the University of Leipzig, where he became a full professor in 1845. His books were very successful in European scientific circles; they included anatomical atlases, a pocket atlas, and books on pathological anatomy, diagnosis, and therapy. Deeply committed to the dissemination of science and the popularization of knowledge, he published numerous articles and manuals promoting physical exercise and health. Franz Josef Steger, German sculptor, 1845–1938. He worked in collaboration with Dr. Bock and the University of Leipzig, using Bock's drawings, molds from life, or sculptures. He produced a large number of human anatomical models in plaster or ceramic, distributed via catalogs to universities in Germany, Europe, and beyond. This prolific output, resulting from the collaboration between Professor Bock, the sculptor Steger, and the University of Leipzig, began in 1860 and continued after Bock's death. Primarily intended for medical students, it offered a novel and high-quality approach to the study and understanding of anatomy; the precision and attention to detail allowed for observations faithful to a reality not directly accessible. The original small brass plaque bears the names as well as LIPS for Leipzig. A rare and museum-quality object.