Miniature model of an operating theater. The real sized version of this was how medical students would learn about operations. The patient down on the little table was often some one undergoing a real operation, and more times than not, was some one who was poor working class who had no other choice for (potently life saving) surgery. Pre-germ theory it was often up to lady luck weather or not you'd live from undergoing an operation here. This set up was used for dissection lectures, yes, but more times than not the unfortunate soul down there on the table was very much alive... at least at the start. We'll be here forever if I go into all the details of the history of this, kind of gory, spectacle. If you really wanna know more about the history of surgery I strongly recommend reading The Butchering Art by Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris... now some one stop me before I talk about the 300% mortality rate surgery again!
