bioephemera is art + biology - everything from representations of science in art and literature to the neuroscience of aesthetics. 
Illustration by John George
From Opera Chirurgica by Hieronymus Fabricius, 1684
From Sothebys via Bibliodyssey
When I saw this illustration over at Bibliodyssey, the first thing I thought of was the creepy Nazi henchman Kroenen in the film Hellboy. Shiver! But apparently it's a medical device - a full-body splinting apparatus. (At least, it's a concept drawing for such a device, since as Peacay points out, you probably wouldn't survive injuries extensive enogh to require full-body splinting in 1684.)
Medicine & Health
Comments
MAN I can't get BibliOd to work in my feed reader! ARG. That suit is SO AWESOME I can't get over it.
Posted by: mordicai | December 3, 2008 9:31 AM
Ooh...how comfortable looking! ;-) I can't imagine what conceptual injuries inspired this design, unless people were regularly launched from catapults in the 16oo's.
Posted by: Dana | December 10, 2008 9:23 AM