Posts tagged 19th century

kidsneedscience:

Born in 1707, Carl Linnaeus would rise to such a level of greatness that the philosopher Jean-Jaques Rousseau once said “Tell him I know no greater man on earth,” and was heralded by many of his contemporaries and apostles as Princeps botanicorum - the Prince of Botany. This praise was not without merit: he’s the reason we name almost everything in biology the way that we do. Prior to Linnaeus, the science dealing with naming, organizing, and classifying organisms, called taxonomy, was a disorganized and confusingly complex mess. The word taxonomy is derived from an irregularly-conjugated Ancient Greek word taxis which means arrangement, and the Ancient Greek suffix -nomia, derived from the Ancient Greek word nemein, meaning to manage.

Linnaeus had a passion for botany, and while he went to school to study medicine, his long-term goals always included learning about plants. At 25, he won a grant to travel to Lapland and document the local flora and fauna. While there, he began to classify the flowers he found with what we now know as the bionomial classification system - from the Latin bi, meaning two, and nominus meaning name. Prior to this system, species were given long, many-worded descriptive names, and there were several competing outlines for classifying plants and animals into groups, none of which were particularly accurate or helpful to a scientist not intimate with the specific branch of biology the outline was designed for. 

The binomial classification system uses two identifiers for a species - the “generic name” (also known as its genus), and the “specific” name (also known as the species). Linnaeus introduced this system in his book Systema naturae, first published in 1735. Even though the first edition was basic and just twelve pages long, it introduced to the scientific community a system that was simple, understandable, easy to remember, and easy to add new species to. Throughout his life, Linnaeus and his apostles continued work on Systema naturae, and by its 10th Edition in 1758, it classified over 4400 species of animals, and 7700 species of plants.

Portrait of Carl Linneaus by Hendrik Hollander, 1853, in the public domain.

Image from Haeckel’s Tree of Life in the public domain.

Guest post for Kids Need Science.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature 101

biomedicalephemera:

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis
Can you believe that this incredible nuisance of a bird was once on the verge of extinction - and not in the distant past? Hunting and slaughter by farmers in the late 1800s led to the critical endangerment of the entire Branta canadensis species, until the International Migratory Birds Treaty was passed in 1918.
While the species as a whole began a slow recovery process at that point, several of the subspecies were still on a rapid decline due to habitat loss, and by 1962, both the Aleutian and Giant Canada Goose were believed to be functionally extinct. However, the discovery of a wintering flock of Giant Canada Geese in Rochester, MN, that year, and the discovery of two small Aleutian Canada Geese flocks the next year, kicked off a conservation movement to restore the habitat and flyways for the entire species.
Well, the movement worked, obviously. In less than 40 years, all seven subspecies have been removed from the endangered species list, and the species as a whole is now considered a nuisance bird in many areas.
As they prefer open spaces with water, they’re often present in the same area as humans: around beaches, airports, and golf courses; their toxic droppings (not to mention their big ol’ engine-clogging bodies) have caused many problems over the past decade or so. In fact, they were the cause of the birdstrike that resulted in the “Miracle on the Hudson” a few years back. So far, culling and extermination efforts have only had limited effects on the overall population.
Voegel, aus Asien, Africa, America, und Neuholland in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. Carl Wilhelm Hahn, 1818.

biomedicalephemera:

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis

Can you believe that this incredible nuisance of a bird was once on the verge of extinction - and not in the distant past? Hunting and slaughter by farmers in the late 1800s led to the critical endangerment of the entire Branta canadensis species, until the International Migratory Birds Treaty was passed in 1918.

While the species as a whole began a slow recovery process at that point, several of the subspecies were still on a rapid decline due to habitat loss, and by 1962, both the Aleutian and Giant Canada Goose were believed to be functionally extinct. However, the discovery of a wintering flock of Giant Canada Geese in Rochester, MN, that year, and the discovery of two small Aleutian Canada Geese flocks the next year, kicked off a conservation movement to restore the habitat and flyways for the entire species.

Well, the movement worked, obviously. In less than 40 years, all seven subspecies have been removed from the endangered species list, and the species as a whole is now considered a nuisance bird in many areas.

As they prefer open spaces with water, they’re often present in the same area as humans: around beaches, airports, and golf courses; their toxic droppings (not to mention their big ol’ engine-clogging bodies) have caused many problems over the past decade or so. In fact, they were the cause of the birdstrike that resulted in the “Miracle on the Hudson” a few years back. So far, culling and extermination efforts have only had limited effects on the overall population.

Voegel, aus Asien, Africa, America, und Neuholland in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. Carl Wilhelm Hahn, 1818.

Disarticulated bones of the skull
The skull consists of 22 bones; 16 in the neurocranium (brain-case), and 8 in the endocranium (facial bones). At birth, these bones are not secured tightly together - this allows for passage of the infant through the birth canal (newborn heads are often cone-shaped for the first few days, if delivered vaginally), and allows for the rapid expansion of the brain during the first several years of life
By adulthood, however, the skull is one cohesive unit, and one of the strongest and least-deformable structures in nature. For human skulls, upwards of one ton of force (if evenly applied) is required to depress the bone just one centimeter. Of course, fractures and punctures can weaken the structural integrity of the skull significantly.Anatomical Atlas, Illustrative of the Structure of the Human Body. Henry H. Smith, 1867.

Disarticulated bones of the skull

The skull consists of 22 bones; 16 in the neurocranium (brain-case), and 8 in the endocranium (facial bones). At birth, these bones are not secured tightly together - this allows for passage of the infant through the birth canal (newborn heads are often cone-shaped for the first few days, if delivered vaginally), and allows for the rapid expansion of the brain during the first several years of life

By adulthood, however, the skull is one cohesive unit, and one of the strongest and least-deformable structures in nature. For human skulls, upwards of one ton of force (if evenly applied) is required to depress the bone just one centimeter. Of course, fractures and punctures can weaken the structural integrity of the skull significantly.

Anatomical Atlas, Illustrative of the Structure of the Human Body. Henry H. Smith, 1867.

fuckyeahmedicalstuff:

Bernardo Alberto Houssay was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 10, 1887.He was the first Argentine and Latin American scientist awarded the Nobel Prize. The National Academy of Sciences of Sweden awarded him in Physiology and Medicine for his discovery of the role of the hypophysis gland in carbohydrate metabolism and in diabetes. He entered the School of Pharmacy of the University of Buenos Aires at the exceptionally early age of 14, graduating in 1904. He had already begun studying medicine and, in 1907, before completing his studies, he took up a post in the Department of Physiology. He began here his research on the hypophysis which resulted in his M.D.-thesis (1911), a thesis which earned him a University prize. In 1910 he was appointed Professor of Physiology in the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. During this time he had been doing hospital practice and, in 1913, became Chief Physician at the Alvear Hospital. In addition to this he was also in charge of the Laboratory of Experimental Physiology and Pathology in the National Department of Hygiene from 1915 to 1919. In 1919 he became Professor of Physiology in the Medical School at Buenos Aires University. He also organized the Institute of Physiology at the Medical School, making it a centre with an international reputation. He remained Professor and Director of the Institute until 1943. In this year the Government then in power deprived him of his post, as a result of his voicing his opinion that there should be effective democracy in the country. Although receiving many invitations from abroad, he continued his work in an institute which he organized with the support of funds contributed by the Sauberan Foundation and other bodies. This was the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, where he still remains as Director. In 1955 a new Government reinstated him in the University. He has worked in almost every field of physiology, having a special interest in the endocrine glands. He has made a lifelong study of the hypophysis and his most important discovery concerns the role of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis in carbohydrate metabolism and the onset of diabetes. He has worked on many other topics in physiology and pharmacology, including the physiology of circulation and respiration, the processes of immunity, the nervous system, digestion, and snake and spider venoms. Apart from his research, he has been active in promoting the advancement of university and medical education, and of scientific research, in Argentina. Dr. Houssay is the author of over 500 papers and of several books. He has won many prizes ranging in time from that of the National Academy of Sciences, Buenos Aires, in 1923, to the Dale Medal of the Society of Endocrinology (London) in 1960.
He was a key figure in the development of science in Argentina. The result of his tireless efforts is the creation of numerous research institutes and training of several generations of scientists. Medical graduate with honors from the University of Buenos Aires, he was, along with others, behind the creation of the National Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), which he chaired until his death on September 21, 1971. He also created the Institute of Experimental Biology and Medicine, and co-founded the Argentina Association for the Advancement of Science.  He holds honorary degrees of twenty-five universities and is a member of the Argentine National Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Letters, the National Academy of Sciences of Buenos Aires, the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of Buenos Aires, and of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. He is honorary professor of 15 universities, foreign associate of 11 academies or learned societies, member (honorary or correspondent) of 38 Academies, 16 Societies of Biology, 11 of Endocrinology, 7 of Physiology and 5 of Cardiology. He has been decorated by the governments of several countries.

fuckyeahmedicalstuff:

Bernardo Alberto Houssay was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 10, 1887.

He was the first Argentine and Latin American scientist awarded the Nobel Prize. The National Academy of Sciences of Sweden awarded him in Physiology and Medicine for his discovery of the role of the hypophysis gland in carbohydrate metabolism and in diabetes. 


He entered the School of Pharmacy of the University of Buenos Aires at the exceptionally early age of 14, graduating in 1904. He had already begun studying medicine and, in 1907, before completing his studies, he took up a post in the Department of Physiology. He began here his research on the hypophysis which resulted in his M.D.-thesis (1911), a thesis which earned him a University prize.

In 1910 he was appointed Professor of Physiology in the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. During this time he had been doing hospital practice and, in 1913, became Chief Physician at the Alvear Hospital. In addition to this he was also in charge of the Laboratory of Experimental Physiology and Pathology in the National Department of Hygiene from 1915 to 1919. In 1919 he became Professor of Physiology in the Medical School at Buenos Aires University. He also organized the Institute of Physiology at the Medical School, making it a centre with an international reputation. He remained Professor and Director of the Institute until 1943. In this year the Government then in power deprived him of his post, as a result of his voicing his opinion that there should be effective democracy in the country. Although receiving many invitations from abroad, he continued his work in an institute which he organized with the support of funds contributed by the Sauberan Foundation and other bodies. This was the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, where he still remains as Director. In 1955 a new Government reinstated him in the University.

He has worked in almost every field of physiology, having a special interest in the endocrine glands. He has made a lifelong study of the hypophysis and his most important discovery concerns the role of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis in carbohydrate metabolism and the onset of diabetes. He has worked on many other topics in physiology and pharmacology, including the physiology of circulation and respiration, the processes of immunity, the nervous system, digestion, and snake and spider venoms.

Apart from his research, he has been active in promoting the advancement of university and medical education, and of scientific research, in Argentina.

Dr. Houssay is the author of over 500 papers and of several books. He has won many prizes ranging in time from that of the National Academy of Sciences, Buenos Aires, in 1923, to the Dale Medal of the Society of Endocrinology (London) in 1960.

He was a key figure in the development of science in Argentina. The result of his tireless efforts is the creation of numerous research institutes and training of several generations of scientists. Medical graduate with honors from the University of Buenos Aires, he was, along with others, behind the creation of the National Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), which he chaired until his death on September 21, 1971. He also created the Institute of Experimental Biology and Medicine, and co-founded the Argentina Association for the Advancement of Science.

He holds honorary degrees of twenty-five universities and is a member of the Argentine National Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Letters, the National Academy of Sciences of Buenos Aires, the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of Buenos Aires, and of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. He is honorary professor of 15 universities, foreign associate of 11 academies or learned societies, member (honorary or correspondent) of 38 Academies, 16 Societies of Biology, 11 of Endocrinology, 7 of Physiology and 5 of Cardiology. He has been decorated by the governments of several countries.

Bottom: Short Beaked Echidna [right] (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and Western Long-Beaked Echidna [left] (Zaglossus bruijni)
Center Left: Starfish (Echinodermata spp.)
Center Right: Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Top: Echidna (mythological)

Originally, “Echidna” was a Greek mythological figure, a monstrous snake-like creature, and the mother of Cerberus, the Chimera, the Gorgon, and more. Her name roughly translates to “she-snake”, and the monotreme known as the echidna is cited in many sources as being named after her.

However, it is becoming more accepted these days that the echidna has the same etymological origins as the Greek term “ekhinus”, or “sea-urchin/porcupine [spine-skinned]”. Though similar-sounding, “ekhidna” and “ekhinos” have distinct etymological histories, and should be recognized as different terms.

It’s unknown if “ekhinus” originally referred to the sea-urchin or the hedgehog/porcupine, but the use of the term in reference to Echinaceae (coneflowers) is a direct reference to the spiny nature of the sea-urchin.

biomedicalephemera:

“Great Beast” (Megatherium) skeleton, from George Shaw’s Zoological Lectures delivered at the Royal Institution, 1800. 
Megatherium americana was one of the few species of South American megafauna to not die out soon after the Great American Interchange at the beginning of the Pliocine era, and there’s evidence that it was encountered and hunted by early humans, especially after it expanded northwards into southern North America.
The size of a bull elephant, Megatherium were largely quadrupeds, but could use their massive tail as a tripod-like base to allow themselves to stand on their hind legs and pull down the choicest branches of leaves. Their somewhat smaller (rhino-sized) ancestor Promegatherium is believed to be a direct ancestor of both Megatherium and modern-day sloths. 

biomedicalephemera:

“Great Beast” (Megatherium) skeleton, from George Shaw’s Zoological Lectures delivered at the Royal Institution, 1800. 

Megatherium americana was one of the few species of South American megafauna to not die out soon after the Great American Interchange at the beginning of the Pliocine era, and there’s evidence that it was encountered and hunted by early humans, especially after it expanded northwards into southern North America.

The size of a bull elephant, Megatherium were largely quadrupeds, but could use their massive tail as a tripod-like base to allow themselves to stand on their hind legs and pull down the choicest branches of leaves. Their somewhat smaller (rhino-sized) ancestor Promegatherium is believed to be a direct ancestor of both Megatherium and modern-day sloths. 

Dissection to show the superficial muscles of the back
This engraving by the anatomist John Bell displays the trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles of the back. These opposing muscles connect to the vertebral column and contribute to the strength of the upper extremity.
Engravings of the bones, muscles, and joints: illustrating the first volume of the Anatomy of the human body. John Bell, 1817.

Dissection to show the superficial muscles of the back

This engraving by the anatomist John Bell displays the trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles of the back. These opposing muscles connect to the vertebral column and contribute to the strength of the upper extremity.

Engravings of the bones, muscles, and joints: illustrating the first volume of the Anatomy of the human body. John Bell, 1817.

kidsneedscience:

Today is the birthday of Irish Chemist Thomas Andrews, born to a linen merchant in Belfast Ireland in 1815. Andrews was the first scientist to understand and demonstrate that ozone is a form (O3) of oxygen. Ozone is known for its peculiar smell-humans can discern the presence of Ozone in concentrations of as little as ten parts per billion in the air. This unusual property gave ozone its name, which comes from the Ancient Greek word ὄζειν (ozein) meaning to smell. The word was coined by Christian Friedrich Schöenbein with his discovery in 1840. Schöenbein recognized that the peculiar smell after lightning strikes was due to ozone.

Image of the ozone hole courtesy NASA, in the public domain. See a very short animation of the changing size of the hole here.

odditiesoflife:

The Bestiarium of Aloys Zötl (1831-1887)

These beautiful watercolours come from the Austrian painter Aloys Zötl’s Bestiarium, a series of exquisite paintings of various animals undertaken from 1831 through until his death in 1887. He was relatively unknown until, decades after his death, his work was “re-discovered” by surrealist André Breton who was taken by the surrealist aesthetic he saw present in the images – as he writes: “Lacking any biographical details about the artist, one can only indulge one’s fantasies in imagining the reasons which might have induced this workman from Upper Austria, a dyer by profession, to undertake so zealously between 1832 and 1887 the elaboration of the most sumptuous bestiary ever seen.”

How To Die at Work: 1875 edition.

biomedicalephemera:

Thanks again to Antiquus Morbis for the inspiration; many of these terms can also be found over there, in addition to hundreds of other causes of death.
————————————————————————-

Though the Occupational Safety and Health Act as we [in the US] know it has only existed since 1970, there have been differing levels of federal oversight in the workplace since the Bureau of Labor was created as part of the Department of the Interior in 1888, and the Department of Labor was established in 1913. Though their oversight may not have been as stringent as what we have now, and laws may not have protected people as they do today, it was certainly better than nothing.

So what was working before ANY oversight like? Well, here are a few ways you could have died from your occupation, assuming you didn’t get killed by falling, getting crushed, getting impaled, or straight up getting ripped apart by the machinery (read: I’m not covering industrial disasters today; they’re coming later):

Aluminosis/Kaolinosis - Fibriod phthisis caused by the inhalation of clay dust.

Brass Founder’s Ague - A debilitating fever (often cyclical, like ague) caused by inhalation of the fumes of burned-down zinc, copper, or magnesium, in brass foundries.

Byssinosis - A lung disease caused by inhalation of cotton fiber dust or other vegetable fiber dust (flax, hemp, sissal). Leads to coughing, wheezing, progressive lung scarring and narrowing of the airways, and eventually death. Death isn’t so much due to the scarring, but more because of the highly reduced ability to fight pulmonary infections. Was particularly common in young girls and women, especially those in thread factories.

Caisson Disease - Spinal affection caused by either moving from a condensed atmosphere underground or a pressurized diving apparatus into the ground-level atmosphere again. Often occurs in conjunction with “The Bends”. Known as Diver’s Paralysis.

Cancer Scroti - …this is an awful one. A cancer noted by Percival Potts, affecting primarily chimney sweeps. Scrotal cancer, often appearing around puberty. Unfortunately was often treated as if it was a venereal disease, which wouldn’t have helped anything. Often led to the cancer spreading to the lymph nodes, leading to death before 18. Also known as Soot wart.

Danbury Shakes/Hatter’s Shakes - Symptoms of inhalation mercury poisoning exhibited by the hat-makers in Danbury, CT (the hat capital of the world in the 1800s). Often involved shaking, delirium, slurring speech, twitching, and a lurching gait. Sometimes these guys were mistaken for drunks.

Lacemaker’s Disease - Lead poisoning sometimes found in lace-makers.

Mad Hatter’s Syndrome - Differs from Danbury Shakes in that it more often leads to death, and is more often caused by unintentional ingestion of mercury (rather than inhalation). Involves severe ataxia, gastrointestinal symptoms, and emotional instability, in addition to the symptoms of Hatter’s Shakes. 

Matches Disease - Oh god. Phossy jaw. Will do a full post on this and radium jaw soon. Caused by working with and inhaling the dust of white/yellow phosphorous, which was the primary ingredient in matches for a long time. Young girls and unmarried women were the primary makers of matches, and ended up the most affected by this disease. In the end, your jaw basically rots off and you go crazy and then you die. Also known as Phosphorus necrosis.

Potter’s Rot - Known as silicosis today. Caused by inhalation of silica particles often found in clay. Silica embeds itself deep in the alveolar sacs (meaning that it cant be coughed out), and the body, trying to get rid of the irritant, becomes inflamed and deposits collagen around the silica. This causes fibrotic nodules in the lungs, respiratory insufficiency, severe cough, fever, right ventricle heart disease, weight loss, and cyanosis. Silicosis leads to a significantly increased risk of tuberculosis and cancer, as well as mycobacterial infections. Also known as slate-worker’s lung/sandblaster’s asthma.

Ptilosis - Another form of fibroid phthisis, caused by inhalation of feather dust and down dust. In the ostrich feather industry of South Africa (which aside from pen quills, had a huge boom around 1880 thanks to the fashions of the time - feathers were prominent for over a decade, and came back in style frequently), this was particularly prevalent.

Rag Sorter’s/Rag-Picker’s Disease - Anthrax. Should do a post on the history of anthrax soon. Really interesting topic. Rag sorters were the women who sorted rags in the paper factories. Rag sorter’s disease often manifested itself as cutaneous anthrax, but pulmonary (inhalation) anthrax was not uncommon.

Sailor’s Fever - Yellow Fever. Almost always acquired in the tropics.

Silo-Filler’s Lung - Acute bronchiolitis fibrosa obliterans, caused by inhaling high levels of nitrogen oxides. Recently-filled silos have very high levels of nitrogen dioxide (which is one reason why you never want to be in a poorly-ventilated silo). Nitrous fume intoxication causes cough and shortness of breath, followed by high fever, chills, and a more serious shortness of breath. Death from pulmonary edema following the second phase was not uncommon.

Woolsorter’s “Pneumonia” - Inhalation anthrax. Anthrax spores are soil-borne, and when wool is sorted, it still carries the environmental dirt and grime that the sheep (who largely live outdoors) pick up. As the dirt is knocked free, soil-borne spores are also released. The sheep didn’t necessarily have to be infected itself to pick up anthrax spores as it lay on the ground. Though mortality rates from pulmonary anthrax hover around 45% these days thanks to early diagnosis, improved treatment, and (most of all) Pasteur’s anthrax vaccine for livestock, historic mortality rates were ~92%. Pretty awful thing to catch in the workplace.

stilllifequickheart:

Oguchi Unkin
Peafowl and Flowers
19th century

stilllifequickheart:

Oguchi Unkin

Peafowl and Flowers

19th century

“As bad a mode of warfare as poisoning the wells of the enemy…”

In 1675, the first major agreement on chemical warfare was brokered between France and the Holy Roman Empire in Strasbourg. The treaty prohibited the use of poisoned bullets and missiles (such as arrows), and was, for the most part, actually fairly well-observed by all sides.

Chemical warfare, though still proposed from time-to-time by weapons engineers and strategists, was largely dismissed until near the end of the 19th century as “dirty” and “as bad a mode of warfare as poisoning the wells of the enemy”. Even the early snipers near the end of the US Civil War (though despised by many) were seen as more honorable and justifiable than chemical attacks. Various attempts at this kind of warfare were used in limited extent by small groups and nations not interested in such niceties, but there is little evidence that Western nations engaged in such tactics on large scale.

In 1899, the great powers of the world once again recognized the threat that emerging technologies and discoveries could pose to both peace and human (or at least civilian) rights in wartime. This resulted in the Hague Declaration of 1899, which prohibited the use of chemicals, toxins, or biological agents against others. However, the declaration was not binding to any nation, as it was not unanimously agreed upon. Still, a fragile agreement still stood among all, and chemical warfare was still off the battlefields for the time being.

That is, of course, until the Great War broke out, and one Fritz Haber would change the world forever…

More on the History of Chemical Warfare:

Center for Nonproliferation Studies: Chronology of Major Events in the History of Biological and Chemical Weapons

ScienceDaily: Siege Mine Smoke Attacks at Dura-Europos

Medical Management of Chemical Casualties Handbook: Introduction and History

Foreign Affairs [Canada]: History of Chemical Warfare

Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program: A Brief History of Chemical Weapons

Avoiding Armageddon: Chemical Warfare

biomedicalephemera:

1862. Private Patrick Hughes, Co. K, 4th New York Volunteers, was wounded at the battle of Antietam.
Private Hughes survived, but when he sneezed, a cone would protrude from the wound site.

biomedicalephemera:

1862. Private Patrick Hughes, Co. K, 4th New York Volunteers, was wounded at the battle of Antietam.

Private Hughes survived, but when he sneezed, a cone would protrude from the wound site.

Danse Macabre - Danza de la Muerte - Totentanz

“The Dance of Death

What’s up, chickadees? I got distracted from my schoolwork today and spent thoroughly too much time editing and posting Danse Macabre illustrations on the Flickr Photostream. Check them out, use them, re-post them, whatever you want. And you two guys who requested more “Dance of Death” stuff had better appreciate the heck out of this (and disregard that I was already preparing it when you asked :P)!

Images:

Top“The Dangers of the Ocean o’er/Death wrecks the Sailors on the Shore” - “The Shipwreck” - 1815
Center Left
: “The Bones of All Mankind” - 1753
Center Right
: “The Monk” - 1753
Bottom Left
: “The Child” - 1423 (re-print from 1903)
Bottom Center
: Frontispiece to “Magnus in Ortu; Maximus in Meridie; Major in Occasu”, depicting death and life [infant angel] painting the heavens and earth. - 1727 
Bottom Right:
“The Infant” - 1753

ofpaperandponies:

biomedicalephemera:

From a late 19th century promotional booklet by Chase & Sanborn, importers of tea and coffee. 

Or perhaps I don’t have any Monarchs yet…
“Banded Red Butterfly” is an old common name of the Monarch Butterfly. It was also used for the Viceroy butterfly, but they have that one additional stripe on the bottom wings - what we have here is a Viceroy.

ofpaperandponies:

biomedicalephemera:

From a late 19th century promotional booklet by Chase & Sanborn, importers of tea and coffee. 

Or perhaps I don’t have any Monarchs yet…

“Banded Red Butterfly” is an old common name of the Monarch Butterfly. It was also used for the Viceroy butterfly, but they have that one additional stripe on the bottom wings - what we have here is a Viceroy.