Philidelphia 3: The Mutter, the cheese steak, and the Brauhaus

The title sounds like a the title of a Tom Robbins book, but don't get that excited.  Despite reading all his books and envying his prose, I'm still not capable of clever metaphors to tie the story together and reveal the deeper understandings of the human condition.  Rather, expect more of the same, quasi-coherent sentences slammed together in a way that implies competence.

Sarah reminded me about the awesome couple who flagged us down on our way into the Eastern State Penitentiary.  They had purchased a parking permit for $20 that was still good for the time we would be in the ESP and offered it to us for nothing.  It was such a kind gesture.

So, onto the Mutter Museum.  This is a place that Sarah and I have been talking about visiting for many years, and it did not disappoint.  It is set up like a curio, or an old school display museum with huge cabinets.  There are many permanent exhibits, and the installation was about Civil War medical practice... chop chop.  Since we weren't allowed to take any pictures, the one's below are gleaned from the internet.  I'll spare my readers the viscera and mostly focus on the skeletons.  If you want the full experience, you can try the following keywords added to Mutter Museum: giant colon, teratoma, syphilis, pimple, fetus, soap lady, human foot, human hand in jar, pickled human skin, bilateral cross section of human face, dried penis... On second thought, you probably shouldn't google any of that.  Just enjoy the following.

 

This is the Hyrtl Skull Collection.  There are 139 skulls here that the anatomist Joseph Hyrtl collected during his lifetime.  They all predate 1874 and are incredibly varied.  Some are from older people, some from the very young.  He was focused on collecting from the Caucasian population, but in a way that showed the variability in that group.  Looking at this collection is akin to looking at any of Darwin's collections of animals.  Looking at the shapes of the eye sockets and the width and height of the craniums, and the brow ridges, and etc. really shows you how evolution occurs.  You'd think that a skull is a skull is a skull, but they certainly are not... especially when it's been trepanned, lost its teeth, been shot, or contracted syphilis.

 

There were lots of incredible collections which through comparison and juxtaposition encouraged a deeper understanding of our physiology.  Left is typical, center is the "Mutter Giant".  Right is a dwarf.

 

The wax models throughout were really impressive.  These models were used before preservation techniques became more effective.  We couldn't believe how realistic the models were.  I would've loved to've touched one.  It's hard to believe it wouldn't be slippery with fat and fluid.

 Trephined skulls!!!!!!!!!

Ok.  That's it for now.  I'll separate this post from the two about eating (mostly just tired of writing at this point).  Hope you enjoyed this little trip through the curio of the weird and depraved.  It was certainly worth the trip to Philly.