Abstract
BackgroundAnatomical subjects depicted in Eduard Pernkopf’s richly illustrated Topographische Anatomie des Menschen may be victims of the Nazi regime. Special collections librarians in the history of medicine can use this primary resource to initiate dialogs about ethics with medical students.Case PresentationReported here is the authors’ use of Pernkopf’s Atlas in an interactive medical humanities seminar designed for third-year medical students. Topical articles, illustrations, and interviews introduced students to Pernkopf, his Atlas, and the surrounding controversies. We aimed to illustrate how this controversial historical publication can successfully foster student discussion and ethical reflection.ConclusionsPernkopf’s Atlas and our mix of contextual resources facilitated thoughtful discussions about history and ethics amongst the group. Anonymous course evaluations showed student interest in the subject matter, relevance to their studies, and appreciation of our special collection’s space and contents.
Highlights
Anatomical subjects depicted in Eduard Pernkopf’s richly illustrated Topographische Anatomie des Menschen may be victims of the Nazi regime
One particular work with deep ethical implications is Eduard Pernkopf’s (1888–1955) anatomical atlas, Topographische Anatomie des Menschen (Atlas), which is a series of richly illustrated anatomical works that are infamous for the inclusion of Nazi holocaust victims depicted among its anatomical subjects [1, 2]
In 1997, libraries with copies of the Atlas received a letter from the University of Vienna, “Information for the Users of the Pernkopf-Atlas,” a one-page sheet that briefly describes Pernkopf’s connections to the Nazi regime
Summary
Anatomical subjects depicted in Eduard Pernkopf’s richly illustrated Topographische Anatomie des Menschen may be victims of the Nazi regime. Special collections librarians in the history of medicine can use this primary resource to initiate dialogs about ethics with medical students. Case Presentation: Reported here is the authors’ use of Pernkopf’s Atlas in an interactive medical humanities seminar designed for third-year medical students. Illustrations, and interviews introduced students to Pernkopf, his Atlas, and the surrounding controversies. We aimed to illustrate how this controversial historical publication can successfully foster student discussion and ethical reflection
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