Snake oil or science?

It was a gorgeous day in Paris - sunny and Springlike. We spent the morning wandering through parks and street markets and then found another quirky museum. This was the medical museum in the University area. Tucked away at the back of an imposing marble-halled building, it was fascinating. There were prosthetic limbs from the 16th century, medical kits retrieved from the Battle of Waterloo and many gruesome exhibits including a table made from human body parts (including a foot and numerous ears) which apparently was presented to Napoleon III. I took a photo but decided it might put people off their food!

So I've opted for this gorgeous detail on one of the staircases. It was interesting to see how medics from an earlier period knew so much of what we know now about surgery and anatomy. On the other hand, they had some bizarre theories. We saw a big machine which was there to provide electrotherapy to women of a nervous disposition for example. It just emphasised that there are always a lot of snake oil salesman among the scientists.