Wooden models of human skeleton made in Edo era, Japan, with special reference to Hoshino wooden skeleton

摘要

The wooden model of the human skeleton, called wooden skeleton, is a distinguished original craft object in Edo era (1600-1867), Japan, when medical doctors were unable to keep the human skeleton for their study and teaching purpose. There are three kinds of wooden skeletons, i. e. Hoshino, Kagami and Okuda wooden skeletons made in 1792, 1810 and 1820, respectively. The former two are of adult male and the latter of female. They were made in surprising accuracy as compared with figures appeared in medical books available in Japan at that time, which suggests scientific readiness of the doctors and skills of the craftsmen. A complete set of the skeleton, except for the hyoid bone, has been preserved for Hoshino and Okuda wooden skeletons, while several bones have been missing in Kagami wooden skeleton. Each bone of Hoshino and Kagami wooden skeletons was made separately and connected by a tenon and a corresponding mortise at the articular surface. So it is hardly considered that all wooden bones were assembled into the whole body skeleton on use. Okuda wooden skeleton, on the other hand, was made for being shown in sitting position. The skull of Hoshino wooden skeleton is of special interest: the skull cap is not open, yet the internal structures of the skull, such as the sella turcica, foramina for nerves and vessels, and sulci for venous sinuses were made in considerable accuracy. Moreover, the proper connection of most foramina was proved between the inside and outside of the skull. The skull caps of Kagami and Okuda wooden skeletons are open as those used in the modern medical education.