Chinese woodcut: Abscesses -- gangrene, etc.

  • Digital Images
  • Online

Available online

view Chinese woodcut: Abscesses -- gangrene, etc.

Public Domain Mark

You can use this work for any purpose without restriction under copyright law. Read more about this licence.

Credit

Chinese woodcut: Abscesses -- gangrene, etc. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

Woodcut illustrating the 17th century text Xu Ping waike zhengzong (Orthodox Manual of External Medicine with Commentary by Xu Dachun), from an edition published in 1860 (10th year of the Xianfeng reign period of the Qing dynasty).

Right-hand illustration:

Tuoju ('shedding lesion', gangrene) belongs to the category of ulcer and abscess diseases (yongju bing). The lesions, which generally appear on the toes, are shaped like a grain of millet and the colour of red dates. The condition is analogous in current medical terms to thromboangiitis obliterans or arteriosclerosis obliterans. When the disease is advanced, the toes resemble cooked dates. It is known as tuoju (shedding lesion), because the toes may drop off when sepsis is advanced.

Left-hand illustration:

Pidu yong (spleen and belly abscesses) also belong to the category of ulcer and abscess diseases. In some texts they are known as shang fa bei (upper back lesions). They are found on the upper back, below the Celestial Pillar Bone (tianzhu gu - 7th cervical vertebra). In the illustration they are shown in a horizontal distribution covering a wide area. They owe their name to their appearance. If the lesions are reddish violet, raised and inflamed, the prognosis is favourable; but if they are purplish black and flat or concave, the patient will die.

Lettering

RIGHT-HAND ILLUSTRATION: Tuoju ('shedding lesion', gangrene); shaped like a grain of millet; in colour like red dates; 100% fatality. LEFT-HAND ILLUSTRATION: Pidu yong (spleen and belly abscesses); they are caused by eating barbecued and strongly flavoured foods. If they are reddish violet, raised, inflamed and purulent, [the patient] will live; if they are purplish black and depressed or concave, [the patient] will die.

Type/Technique

Permanent link