Rejuvenation: From the Fictional Dr Heidegger (1837) to Pioneering Modern Plastic Surgeons (1901–1912)

Abstract

This study aims to identify criticisms of rejuvenation and cosmetic surgery through an analysis of “Dr Heidegger’s Experiment” (1837), written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Dr Heidegger an eccentric, aged scientist, invites 4 elderly friends to be his subjects of study. The guests drink the water from the “fountain of Youth.” As their youth is restored, they revert to the foolish behaviors of their younger days. The 3 men soon start vying for the affection of the now youthful and attractive widow. In the midst of their rivalry over the widow, the vase is shattered, and miraculous water spills out. The guests revert to their elderly states. To regain their lost youth, they journey in search of the fountain. Hawthorne viewed rejuvenation procedures as consumptive and physically destructive transformations. His novel captures the modern anxiety surrounding rejuvenation and cosmetic surgery through the lens of literary fantasy. Observing the transformation of the 4 guests, Dr Heidegger understands that youth is too meager a prize to trade for the wisdom that comes with old age. Advancements in medical science have alleviated modern individuals’ concerns regarding rejuvenation and cosmetic surgery. Eugen Holländer and Erich Lexer independently performed a facelift in Germany (1901). Charles Conrad Miller first described the blepharoplasty technique in the United States (1906). Suzanne Noël performed a rhytidectomy in France (1912). For the plastic surgeon, it is important to sculpt the face in a way that reflects the patient’s virtues, such as wisdom and dignity-qualities that Hawthorne highlighted through the character of Dr Heidegger.