The First International Congress of Dermatology was held in Paris at the museum of the Hopital Saint Louis, and Barretta’s moulages were prominently on display.
Two hundred and fifty registrants were present including Louis Duhring and James Clarke White (of Darier-White disease, and first professor of dermatology at Harvard). This inspired many attendees to both purchase and begin to create moulages, thus establishing many international moulage collections for teaching purposes.
Sadly, there has been a tragic fate many of these original collections. Most have fallen into disrepair, been sold off in portions, or have been lost or destroyed since the time of their creation. The creation and establishment of most moulage collections coincided with the birth of dermatology in their respective locations, mostly between the 1890s and early 1900’s. As photography became more widely accessible and affordable, the creation of moulages rapidly declined.
1. Parish LC, Worden G, Witkowski JA, Scholz A, Paris DH. Wax models in dermatology. Transactions & Studies of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Series 5; 13(1). 1991: 29-74.