Anomaly and Norm

The Adaptability of Life Between Anatomy and Biology

Congenital Malformations: a Historical Analysis of Anomalies

Congenital malformations reflect physical anomalies of significant impact. The life expectancy of these individuals was extremely low, and without explanations for the origin of the malformations or methods to provide help, they were often simply catalogued and studied.

Today, due to advanced prenatal diagnostics and general improvements in health, such malformations have become increasingly rare. The pathological specimens on display come from the Pathological Anatomy section of the Morgagni Museum of Human Anatomy of the University of Padua and are particularly precious from a historical and medical perspective. Pathological specimens such as osteomalacia with a lateral curvature of the spine, which causes bone weakening and a lateral curvature of the vertebral column, alongside anatomical models such as the athletic male torso, will lead to a progressive idealisation of the norm over the centuries.