After completing the material for this week, I don’t fully
understand the necessity of a connection between medicine and art. There were
many examples of artists who have used the human body or images of it in their
work, but I don’t think medical procedures or representations should be seen as
an art. Personally, some of the images and material for this week were
disturbing to me, which I’m assuming is what the artist was trying to achieve.
Especially the portion of lecture about the French artist who had plastic
surgeries performed on her in front of an audience to make an artistic
statement. While this definitely left an impact, I think some things should be
seen as purely scientific.
Plastic surgery was originally used during world war one to
help those who had been exposed to powerful weapons and was a necessity, not an
act of vanity. It is interesting how many medical procedures that originated as
cures or treatments for serious problems have been turned into subjects of art or
are performed by choice to benefit the recipient.
The Oath by Hippocrates
discusses the obligations doctors are held to and mainly includes putting their
patient’s heath and best interest first. It is interesting to consider whether
plastic surgery—which is so commonly used today as an unnecessary surgery out
of vanity—would be tolerated under the original oath. This article talks about the health risks of certain plastic surgeries and yet people continue to put themselves through these surgeries for the potential benefit to their appearance.
Edmonds, Alexander. "Is It Time to Ban Cosmetic Surgery?" Editorial. n.d.: n. pag. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 04 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2013.
"Greek Medicine - The Hippocratic Oath." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 02 July 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2013.
Next Nature. N.d. Photograph. NextNaturenet Exploring the Nature Caused by People RSS. Web. 26 Oct. 2013.
Tyson,
Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 27 Mar. 2001.
Web. 26 Oct. 2013.
I would have to slightly disagree on your viewpoint on plastic surgery. Plastic surgeons continue to perform reconstructive surgeries on people who have been burned and have other devastating effects on the exterior of the body. Those who request plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons may have had internal injuries that deformed their exterior image, such as broken noses, or have diseases that weight cannot easily be controlled. Plastic surgeries do have many risks, but just as any other surgery does. It is true that many people abuse the fact that they can alter their body, reach their idea of perfection, and perform unnecessary procedures that not only put their life at risk, but also tear their wallets apart. I believe that there is a thin line to where plastic surgery is a necessary procedure versus a procedure out of vanity or insecurity. Although either way, it is true that plastic surgery is an art in itself, where the surgeon needs to be a special kind of person that has an eye for perfection, symmetry, art, and medicine.
ReplyDeleteWow. I actually didn't think of plastic surgery at all when I first read the prompt.
ReplyDeleteI guess that's because I looked at it from a perspective of nature is beautiful and medicine restores nature. But I guess that's very untrue. We have plastic surgery, prosthetics, and artificial organs.
But to an engineer, any of those would be beautiful as well.
So I guess beauty is the eye of the beholder, and everything is art.
Kristina,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you the striking images we had to see during this week were quite disturbing to me as well. But personally I feel like everything in medicine - especially when you have to see the inside of the body is disturbing.
But I guess when a doctor tries to treat his/her patient they have to creatively find a cure given all the circumstances and I believe doing this is a form of art.
And I like your comment on how plastic surgeries now a days might not sit well with the Hippocratic oath!