Depicting the complex networks of the human body in schematic form makes a lot of sense, and designers have been doing it for a while – as the first diagram above shows. Originally created by German medical illustrator Eduard Weber c. 1960, it’s one of a series of six schematic diagrams that depict the neurovascular systems of the human body. These diagrams are widely regarded as a iconic piece of medical design, and even newer editions of the six-sheet book can command high prices (249 euro for a used copy on German Amazon!).

The transit map metaphor is made explicit in the second diagram, “Underskin” by Dutch designer Sam Lohman. Drawing heavily on the iconography of the London Underground, if not necessarily H.C. Beck’s rigid 45-degree angle topology, the diagram ambitiously attempts to represent eight separate body sytems. I do note that newer versions of this diagram have abandoned the use of the “Tube roundel” logo… I wonder if TfL had a say in that?

Finally, we have Occipital Design’s “Arterial Schematic” from 2012, which concentrates solely on one half of the cardiovascular system, the arterial system (Arteries carry blood that is pumped away from the heart, while veins return blood to the heart). “Zones” divide the schematic up into separate body regions. The designer, Luke Farmery, makes Beck’s influence on his diagram clear on his project page. For mine, this piece is actually an effective use of the transit map metaphor, which does get abused horribly a lot of the time. It’s designed as a simplified learning aid for medical students – just as Eduard Weber’s diagram was some 50-odd years previously – and in that respect, I think it works well.