Chinese woodcut: Abscesses -- breast tumours and swellings

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Chinese woodcut: Abscesses -- breast tumours and swellings. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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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:

The illustration shows the disease location and characteristics of tumours and ulcers of the breast. Breast tumours were known as ru yan (breast crag) both because of their hardness and because of the cavities that develop, which resemble mountain caves. Then as now, they were considered an extremely serious condition, and not readily curable.

Left-hand illustration:

The image illustrates the disease location and pathology of rutong bing (breast pain illness). This corresponds to acute mastitis, and is characterized by local swelling and redness, heat and pain.

Lettering

RIGHT-HAND ILLUSTRATION: Ruyan ('breast crag', breast tumour) has holes like mountain caves. If it is swollen like a water lily around the edge, this is a fatal sign. LEFT-HAND ILLUSTRATION: Ruyong (breast abscesses) are red and inflamed. They are hot and painful.

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