The Phlebotomist, 1828
Monkey sitting at a table and two old female monkeys, one sitting, against the back wall on which are shelves containing many jars. Bloodletting was based on an ancient system of medicine in which blood and other bodily fluid were considered to be "humors" the proper balance of which maintained health, but it often weakened sick patients. It was the most common medical practice performed by doctors from antiquity up to the late 19th century, a time span of almost 2,000 years. Leeches could also be used. The withdrawal of so much blood as to induce syncope (fainting) was considered beneficial, and many sessions would only end when the patient began to swoon. Lithograph by James Duffield Harding, 1828
Size: 3503px × 3900px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1820s, 1828, 19th, ancient, anthropomorphic, anthropomorphism, art, artwork, bizarre, blood, blood-letting, bloodletting, bw, century, drawing, historic, historical, history, illustration, letting, lithograph, medical, medicine, odd, peculiar, phlebotomist, phlebotomy, quackery, quirky, satire, satirical, satirization, science, strange, system, unusual, wacky, weird, western
