Chicago International Museum of Surgical Science

This museum opened up to the public on September 9, 1954.  It was the result of the work of Dr. Max Thorek who founded the International College of Surgeons (ICS) in 1935.  The museum was originally designed as a repository for the growing collection of historical surgical instrumentation, art, and books.  Dr. Max Thorek was also an internationally acclaimed amateur photographer and author of several books.

This museum is housed in an old mansion that was owned by Eleanor Robinson Countiss to house her family.  Her father JK Robinson was an executive at the Diamond Match Company and he provided the home building fund for her.  The building was acquired by Dr. Max Thorek and the International College of Surgeons.

There are many interesting displays inside the museum that are definitely worth the look.  A cab ride can be taken from the Ogilve or Union Station (about 15 minutes in light traffic) to visit.  Of particular interest to me were the trephined skulls from Peru.  

It is my opinion (all though not stated in the display at the museum) that these skulls had some sort of alteration done to them before trephination such as head binding and possibly some cradleboard effects.   This is a subject that I am studying on my own and hope to correlate and explain at some time in the future.  

Here are some photos from the museum:

https://imss.org/

https://www.ancient.eu/Trephination/