Tuesday, November 24, 2009

What the ...?


I believe this is a photograph of some medical students giving this poor guy an examination but it looks like an exercise in humiliation to me.  I mean, really.  Was it absolutely necessary to take off this guy's shirt, put him in some weird feetless paper pants, poke him in the chest, make him rub his head at the same time, and then photograph it for posterity?  Not one of these guys can keep a straight face!  It looks they attempted to create the atmosphere of a lab by drawing diagrams on the blackboard and putting up unflattering photographs of the patient on the wall, but I'm not buying it.  Shameful!

Creator: National Film Board of Canada
Date: ca. 1948
Source: University Relations and Information Office fonds (PC 80, A.83-52) - Box 7, Folder 342, Item 14

2 comments:

  1. It is kind of sad when the examiners can't keep a straight face!

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  2. Is man being examined genuinely upset/ worried, or is he trying to hold back a smile as well. Is the whole thing posed. Wouldn't be the first time. cf. Robert Capa's fallen soldier.

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