Credit: © The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.10287
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    The Italian method of nose replacement

    Date
    1816
    Creator
    Charles Turner (1774 - 1857, British) , Draftsman
    After
    Charles Turner (1774 - 1857, British) , Draftsman
    Object type
    Library reference
    Tracts/X54/2
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (print): 220mm
    width (print): 183mm
    Subject
    Content object
    human body
       > nose
    Description
    Illustrating the Italian Method of nose replacement surgery; the patient was required to wear a full body harness for approximately three weeks whilst the grafted skin from the upper arm fused with the skin on the face. The skin would then be entirely removed from the upper arm and sculpted into the replacement nose.

    The practice of this method was eventually replaced by the Indian Method because it was thought to produce unreliable noses- as Carpue recalls they were prone to turn purple or fall off entirely over cold winters.

    Plate 2 from An Account of Two Successful Opertaions for Restoring a Lost Nose from the integuments of the forehead, in the cases of two officers of His Majesty’s army: to which are prefixed, historical and physiological remarks on the nasal operation; including descriptions of the Indian and Italian methods. by J. C. Carpue (London, Longman, Hurst, Rees Orme and Brown, 1816). Inscribed: ‘Plate 2. London Published October 20th 1815 for the Proprietors by C. Turner, No50 Warren Street, Fitzroy Square, C. Turner fecit.'
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > United Kingdom
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