COLLECTIONS THE DOCTOR AS ARTIST

AT FIRST GLANCE ITS ALMOST EERIE. In the foyer of the George W. Truett Memorial Hospital, part of Baylor Un versity Medical Center, sit dozens of bronze hands.

The “artist” is Dr. Adrian E. Flatt, now a ret red chief of orthopedic surgery at Baylor who began making brome casts of hands as part of his work some 33 years ago. Over time he expanded the collection to include the hands of famous people. Hands on display include those of celebrated surgeons, U.S. presidents, musicians, actors and actresses, “Dallas” star Larry Hagman, Sir Winston Churchill, astronauts, and Wernher von Braun. Perhaps the most eye-catching hands are those of 7-foot-tall basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain, resting beside the tiny paws of jockey Willie Shoemaker, a Kentucky Derby winner at the age of 54. The display, which is free to the public, is located off Gaston Avenue and Hall Street, just east of downtown Dallas, and is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., 365 days a year.