Grace Collins DESMA9 Week 4

Medicine, Technology, Art: Cannibalism

In terms of the body, art, and medicine, there is actually a very interesting medium exhibit on cannibalism in San Diego. The exhibit explains myths and general information on cannibalistic practices. It divides it into three parts, cultural cannibalism, medical cannibalism, and cannibalism as a means of survival. As mentioned in the Casini article, MRI’s have artistic representation comparable to a portrait (Casini 2012, 73). This takes the human body and translates it into a 2d scan photograph. Similarly, this San Diego exhibit takes the human body, but does so in a way that allows for body parts & organs to be exposed, as shown below.

As I mentioned, the exhibit shows a few different types of cannibalism. Sometimes this is the case for situations like boat or plane crashes as a means of survival. However, medical cannibalism is also in the exhibit, which offers an interesting take. The Smithsonian Magazine mentions ancient peoples, “ingested remedies containing human bones, blood and fat as medicine for everything from headaches to epilepsy” (Dolan 2012).

The usage of medicinal practices and art are also found within other forms of art & media, for example TV shows like Criminal Minds and Dexter. While this overall example relates directly to MRI Scans and photographs looking into the body, the exhibit offers an artistic representation into the myths & realities of cannibalism. 




SOURCES

Casini, Silvia. “Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between Science and the Arts.” Configurations, vol. 19, no. 1, 2011, pp. 73–99., https://doi.org/10.1353/con.2011.0008.

“Group Self-Guide - Museum of Us.” San Diego Museum of Man, https://museumofus.org/wp-content/uploads/Cannibals-San-Diego-Museum-of-Man-Self-Guided-Group-Visit.pdf.

Magazine, Smithsonian. “The Gruesome History of Eating Corpses as Medicine.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 6 May 2012, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-gruesome-history-of-eating-corpses-as-medicine-82360284/.

N/A. “Floyd Feylinn Ferell.” Criminal Minds Wiki, https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Floyd_Feylinn_Ferell.

N/A. “Ron Galuzzo.” Dexter Wiki, https://dexter.fandom.com/wiki/Ron_Galuzzo. 


IMAGES

Museum of US. “Cannibals: Myth & Reality.” Museum of Us, 14 Oct. 2021, https://museumofus.org/exhibits/cannibals-myth-reality/. 

Wayne, Gary. “Seeing Stars.” Dexter Filming Locations: Galuzzo's House, https://www.seeing-stars.com/Dexter/GaluzzosHouse.shtml. 

Serena, Katie. “By Eating Corpses, Rich Europeans Once Thought They Could Heal Themselves.” All That's Interesting, All That's Interesting, 20 Dec. 2017, https://allthatsinteresting.com/medicinal-cannibalism. 

Comments

  1. Matt Wang - DESMA 9April 23, 2022 at 10:35 PM

    Fascinating post Grace - didn't think at all about cannibalism in this context, especially "medical cannibalism".

    Interestingly, cannibalism isn't just a human pattern; it is prevalent in many animal populations, often for the same reasons that you discussed. One paper in the American Naturalist (citation below) argues that cannibalism can limit disease by killing parasites, which are a large part of disease transmission, as well as generally limit the spread of pathogens. I'm curious if any of this has been verified with the historical examples of cannibalism that you've brought up as well!

    Allen, Benjamin G. Van, et al. “Cannibalism and Infectious Disease: Friends or Foes?: The American Naturalist: Vol 190, No 3.” The American Naturalist, 1 Sept. 2017, https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/692734.

    ReplyDelete
  2. valeriiaskosyrevaDESMA9April 24, 2022 at 8:55 PM

    Very interesting! It's good hear something new especially about the cannibalism in the medical field! And how this idea, in comparison to the regular connotation behind cannibalism, relates to the weekly discussion. I️ think your article is very direct and conveys its message in an organized matter. Also, really liked that you included personal knowledge of the exhibit !

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