X-ray being taken of a patient's thorax. The X-ray plate is beneath the patient at Point C., From Die Naturkrafte by M. Wilhelm Meyer (Leipzig, 1903)

Person-to-person blood transfusion, c1833. In Reads method depicted here, blood from the donor is passed through a pumped and forced into recipients arm via a canula. From The British Cyclopaedia of Arts and Sciences, Charles Partington, 1833. Woodcut. ,

Direct person-to-person blood transfusion at the wrist. After engraving from George Abraham Mercklino Tractatio med. Curiosa de murto et occasu transfusionis sanguinis Nuremberg., 1679, Engraving

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) British nurse and statistician, in hospital at Scutari 1 January 1855 writing letters for wounded soldiers of the Crimean War. After Barraud

Thomas Willis (1621-75) English physician. First in modern times to notice sweetish taste of diabetic urine in diabetes mellitus. Studied brain and nervous system. One of founders of the Royal Society. Hand-coloured engraving by George Vertue published 1742

Setting a fractured leg. Woodcut from Veldt Boeck van den Chirugia Scheel-Hans by Hans van Gersdorff (Amsterdam, 1593). A Dutch translation of Gersdorff's book first published in Strasbourg, 1517, and containing woodcuts from the original edition.

Direct person-to-person blood transfusion. After engraving from George Abraham Mercklino Tractatio med. Curiosa de murto et occasu transfusionis sanguinis, Nuremberg, 1679.