This collection of nine American Frohse Anatomical Charts was donated to the Strauss Health Sciences Library by Dr. George Ulrich. Before being mounted for display, the charts were stored in their original wooden chart stand, which was designed to allow the large instructional plates to be easily displayed and stored in classroom settings.
Dr. George Ulrich earned a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Colorado in 1978 and received his M.D. from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1985. He spent much of his career as a submarine and diving medical specialist in the U.S. Navy before pursuing a career in ophthalmology and glaucoma care. Throughout his career, Dr. Ulrich also made significant contributions to medical education and research.
Reflecting on how he acquired the charts, Dr. Ulrich recalled: "I obtained these medical illustrations sometime in the course of military assignments and extensive travel. I had them on display in my music room in San Diego for many years. Upon moving back to Colorado, I stored them in my garage. My wife wanted me to throw them out. I assured her they had some value. I hope they inspire students to appreciate the beauty and elegance of the human body."
The original anatomical charts were created in 1910 by German anatomist Franz Frohse at the University of Berlin. Following the outbreak of World War I, the charts could no longer be imported from Germany. Max Brödel, a German-born medical illustrator and anatomist at Johns Hopkins University, adapted and edited the Frohse charts for publication in the United States. They were published by the A. J. Nystrom Company of Chicago, and the library's set bears a 1918 copyright. The charts remained in production until 1948.
The complete American Frohse Anatomical Charts set consisted of ten full-size instructional plates. The Strauss Health Sciences Library's collection includes nine charts; Plate Five, The Ear and Eye, is missing.