http://mith.umd.edu/digitalstorytelling/2012/10/15/rewritten-history-of-artifacts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rewritten-history-of-artifacts HDCC 208B / Seminar in Digital Cultures and Creativity / Fall 2012 Mon, 11 May 2015 07:39:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 http://mith.umd.edu/digitalstorytelling/2012/10/15/rewritten-history-of-artifacts/#comment-82 Kanga Wed, 17 Oct 2012 03:57:57 +0000 http://mith.umd.edu/digitalstorytelling/?p=1053#comment-82 A painting of a strawberry desert? I think not. This diagram was in fact taken directly from a late 19th century medical text-book, where it was used as a visual aid to a segment on the historical extraction of a tennis-ball sized tumor from the leg of an elderly Japanese woman. Listed trivia about the operation indicate the strange banded nature to the tumor, which seemed to have undergone severe angiogenesis at its poles, while remaining largely vessel free around its circumference, possibly indicating that the singular extraction was in fact the conglomerate of a pair of tumors and the surrounding inflamed (but otherwise healthy, or at least treatable) tissue. This is medically unusual, though not necessarily impossible. The operating physician was noted to have sworn profusely at the size of the tumor, until the patient herself was forced to silence him. Later analysis of the text concurs that this was likely meant as a joke, as it is extremely unlikely that the patient would remain conscious through the procedure, even if not properly anesthetized. Additionally, medical apprentices are advised to note the distinctive patterning and coloration to the clotting taking place where the blooded regions meet the glass container. Notes at the bottom of the page indicate that the extremely white color of the tumor are due in large part to the presence of pus in reaction to the perhaps slightly less than clinically sterile implements used. The patient, in the end, survived and maintained use of her leg, though with overall reduced mobility. A painting of a strawberry desert? I think not. This diagram was in fact taken directly from a late 19th century medical text-book, where it was used as a visual aid to a segment on the historical extraction of a tennis-ball sized tumor from the leg of an elderly Japanese woman. Listed trivia about the operation indicate the strange banded nature to the tumor, which seemed to have undergone severe angiogenesis at its poles, while remaining largely vessel free around its circumference, possibly indicating that the singular extraction was in fact the conglomerate of a pair of tumors and the surrounding inflamed (but otherwise healthy, or at least treatable) tissue. This is medically unusual, though not necessarily impossible. The operating physician was noted to have sworn profusely at the size of the tumor, until the patient herself was forced to silence him. Later analysis of the text concurs that this was likely meant as a joke, as it is extremely unlikely that the patient would remain conscious through the procedure, even if not properly anesthetized. Additionally, medical apprentices are advised to note the distinctive patterning and coloration to the clotting taking place where the blooded regions meet the glass container. Notes at the bottom of the page indicate that the extremely white color of the tumor are due in large part to the presence of pus in reaction to the perhaps slightly less than clinically sterile implements used. The patient, in the end, survived and maintained use of her leg, though with overall reduced mobility.

]]> http://mith.umd.edu/digitalstorytelling/2012/10/15/rewritten-history-of-artifacts/#comment-76 Caitlin Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:29:01 +0000 http://mith.umd.edu/digitalstorytelling/?p=1053#comment-76 The picture "My Angel" is not referencing the carpet; the "Angel" is actually an angel! You can see it on the right-hand side in the upper doorway. See? That bright spot of light? That is the angel. Angels are made of light, and can only be seen in their true forms in pitch-blackness because their light is so dim. This one is unusually bright. Greg took this picture in an attempt to prove that angels exist. Angels are usually extremely hard to photograph, and many photographs have been faked, that is why very few people believe. Greg managed to catch this one, for which I loudly applaud him. He was very lucky to see this angel at all, let alone have the time to grab a camera and take a picture of it. He must always have his camera close by, and have a very good eye for photography, in order to get just the right angle so that the angel would show up in the film. Though, perhaps, the angel gave Greg a bit of help. Perhaps the angel is someone he knew? Someone he loved and who loved him, who was trying to offer comfort during a difficult time? The picture “My Angel” is not referencing the carpet; the “Angel” is actually an angel! You can see it on the right-hand side in the upper doorway. See? That bright spot of light? That is the angel. Angels are made of light, and can only be seen in their true forms in pitch-blackness because their light is so dim. This one is unusually bright. Greg took this picture in an attempt to prove that angels exist. Angels are usually extremely hard to photograph, and many photographs have been faked, that is why very few people believe. Greg managed to catch this one, for which I loudly applaud him. He was very lucky to see this angel at all, let alone have the time to grab a camera and take a picture of it. He must always have his camera close by, and have a very good eye for photography, in order to get just the right angle so that the angel would show up in the film. Though, perhaps, the angel gave Greg a bit of help. Perhaps the angel is someone he knew? Someone he loved and who loved him, who was trying to offer comfort during a difficult time?

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