What I Did On My Summer Vacation

I was off last week and to be constructive, I had a sort of working vacation. I spoke at the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Annual Scientific Seminar, held this year in Philadelphia. My topics were: “The Top Running Injuries You Meet When You Get To The Office”, Construction, Design, and Prescription of Running Shoes” and “Current Topics & Trends in Sports Medicine”. I moderated the morning sports medicine section and gave a very brief, 5 minute impromptu lecture on Thomas Eakins, American Realist, and sports and art in Philadelphia.

Eakins was a fascinating individual and artist. He has been called a scientist-artist by at least one author. He studied medicine for about one year before going off to Paris to study art and make it his career. He brought the study of live models to new levels in Philadelphia. He also studied and taught anatomical dissection. He portrayed many scientists and physicians in his art and also portrayed athletic endeavors. His paintings which portrayed sports included boxing, baseball, and rowing. He may be best know for his paintings: “The Gross Clinic” and “The Agnew Clinic”. If time permits, I may get a short article on line. My vacation did include a visit to the Philadelphia Art Museum to view some of the vast array of Eakin’s holdings there. One of the museum guards was helpful in pointing out some of the fine points in a few of Eakin’s paintings and was an Eakin’s fan herself.

While in Philadelphia, I also visited the King Tut exhibit. But as others have noted, I missed the famous and impressive mask. The miniatures and the most ancient trumpet ever found (played like a bugle – no valves) did not make up for this glaring absence.

The conference itself was well run and well attended. I enjoyed the other lectures which included Dave Barry to open and my friend from Australia, Simon Bartold. Dave Barry is always entertaining and Simon is always thought provoking. Representing athletic shoe manufacturers at the conference were Asics, Brooks, New Balance, and Saucony. Notably absent as always were Nike and Mizuno.