"Orthopaedic film 16 mm, 1940s" by Raphaël Tinguely, University of Lausanne
Entry in category 1. Object of study; Copyright CC-BY-NC-ND: Raphaël Tinguely
Films made by health professionals have long been on the fringes of medical history. This situation is justified by the absence of a systematic archiving policy within most institutions. It can also be explained by the nature of the medium, which is sometimes mobilised for its illustrative functions in written texts, and is sometimes subservient to the culture of entertainment and therefore considered unscientific. However, since its origins, the cinematograph has been used to support the work of doctors. In this picture, we see 16 mm film shot in the 1940s by the operator Victor Rich at the request of the orthopaedic surgeon Rodolphe Louis Rochat of the Lausanne Orthopaedic Hospice. The reel was found in the cellar of the operator's grand-nephew last year. Its discovery testifies both to the importance of film history for the history of medicine, and to the importance of oral history in archive work.
"Orthopaedic film 16 mm, 1940s" by Raphaël Tinguely, University of Lausanne
Entry in category 1. Object of study; Copyright CC-BY-NC-ND: Raphaël Tinguely
Films made by health professionals have long been on the fringes of medical history. This situation is justified by the absence of a systematic archiving policy within most institutions. It can also be explained by the nature of the medium, which is sometimes mobilised for its illustrative functions in written texts, and is sometimes subservient to the culture of entertainment and therefore considered unscientific. However, since its origins, the cinematograph has been used to support the work of doctors. In this picture, we see 16 mm film shot in the 1940s by the operator Victor Rich at the request of the orthopaedic surgeon Rodolphe Louis Rochat of the Lausanne Orthopaedic Hospice. The reel was found in the cellar of the operator's grand-nephew last year. Its discovery testifies both to the importance of film history for the history of medicine, and to the importance of oral history in archive work.