Photographing medicine.

This article addresses the issue of conventions in medical photography since it was developed 150 years ago. It points out, that precisely those photographs that seem to break with conventions, might become very useful to the historian of medicine. Especially photographs of medical interventions intended for a larger, non-professional audience often do not portray those medical activities, that take up most time and energy in modern medicine, i.e. the management of chronic diseases. Photographs can help to document the tension between health policy and everyday medical practice.