Dr. L Auzoux anatomical model of a snail, 19th C

PRIVATE COLLECTION.This model was made during the 19th century by Louis Auzoux, a French doctor born in 1797 who studied medicine in Paris. His factory offered a wide catalogue, producing models of the complete human body, animals and insects, but also plants. These models are called clastic models, from the Greek Klastos, which means broken or in pieces; they could be taken apart in order to access the internal organs. The different parts are held together with metal pins and hooks. Each section is composed of several layers of paper pressed into metal lined wooden moulds. These are then filled with a pulp composedof flour starch paste, shredded paper, hemp fibre, lime and Poudre de Liège or powdered cork (Grob et al, 2008, Museum Boerhaave). Where pieces are hollow they are strengthened by additional layers of paper, and no pulp fill is added. When the basic structure is dry, arteries, veins and nerves composed of wire covered by hemp and paper are added and fastened with nails. Finally, the paper is painted withpigments bound in fish glue and a layer of gelatine applied as a varnish. Printed paper labels with numbers and little hands aid dismantling and reassembly.We can’t be precise about the date, but there is a similar snail in France dated 1882 and another one dated 1855 in Leiden (Museum Boerhaave) Nederland. It can be dismantled into 15 pieces. Some parts are kept together with rings, others can be opened thanks to hinges. It is 66.5 cm length, 27 cm height and the shell is 27 cm width.