A traditional practice, most notably in traditional medicine, which involves placing cups on the skin to create suction believed to help increase blood flow and promote healing associated with chronic neck and low back pain in the short term (From National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, https://nccih.nih.gov/news/cupping (Accessed 11/5/2018)).
    

concept

A woman surgeon and her assistant cupping a patient. Oil painting after Cornelis Dusart.

Peasant Spa of Krapinske Toplice, Yugoslavia. Patient with several cupping horns applied to body.

An African medicine man or shaman applying the technique of cupping to a patient (using animal horns), which involves drawing blood to the surface of the body. Watercolour.

A woman surgeon and her assistant cupping a patient. Etching by C. Dusart, 1695.

A surgeon applying the method of cupping to Ragotin, who believes his body has swelled in his sleep. Engraving by G. Huquier the elder after J.B. Oudry.

A few practical observations on the art of cupping / by Joseph Staples.

A surgeon applying the method of cupping to a man's back: they are surrounded by anxious family and friends. Etching by A. Fantuzzi, ca. 1542, after G. Romano.

Cupping

Images

Catalogue

A few practical observations on the art of cupping / by Joseph Staples.

A surgeon applying the method of cupping to a man's back: they are surrounded by anxious family and friends. Etching by A. Fantuzzi, ca. 1542, after G. Romano.

The Sudan: treatment of pneumonia by cupping with a horn. Photograph by R.G. Archibald, 1911.

De cvcvrbitula libellus.

M0006840: Woman using a suction cup on a patient's arm