An unofficial blog about the National Museum of Health and Medicine (nee the Army Medical Museum) in Silver Spring, MD. Visit for news about the museum, new projects, musing on the history of medicine and neat pictures.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 10
Surgeon General's Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets
Washington, June 10, 1903.
To the Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
Sir:
In accordance with letter dated Surgeon General's Office June 5, 1903 addressed to the Officer in Charge of the Medical Supply Depot, Washington, D.C. and accompanied by standard samples of bandages, etc., I have the honor to submit the following report of the result of an examination of the samples of sterility:
1. Sublimated gauze.
Portions placed in six bouillon tubes: all sterile.
2. Absorbent cotton.
Portions in sic bouillon tubes: 4 sterile; 2 contaminated.
3. Plain gauze.
Portions in six bouillon tubes: all contaminated.
4. Gauze bandages.
Portions from three bandages in thirteen bouillon tubes: 9 sterile; 4 contaminated.
Very respectfully,
Jams Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Asst. Curator.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Articial kidney machine in Museum duplicated by students
Engineering students look to the past to learn about the future |
Preston Moretz June 8, 2011 http://www.temple.edu/newsroom/2010_2011/06/stories/Temple_students_kidney_dialysis_machine.htm |
Letter of the Day: June 9
Surgeon General's Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets
Washington, June 9, 1903.
To the Surgeon General,
U.S. Army.
(Through the President of the Faculty, Army Medical School).
Sir:
In order to obtain the necessary material for class purposes at the Army Medical School I have the honor to ask the the Surgeons at Fort Myer, Va., Washington Barracks, D.C., and the U.S. Soldiers' Home, Washington, D.C., be requested to notify me by telephone whenever a case of malaria presents in which the parasites are found in teh blood. Upon receipt of such notification a man will be sent at once to prepare cover-glass smears for preparation.
Very respectfully,
James Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Asst. Curator.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
New issue of "Grog View" about Navy history of medicine
now -
Got Grog? http://issuu.com/thegrogration/docs/the_grog_spring_2011
It includes an article about the Naval Hospital in Yokohama, Japan, that
was damaged in an earthquake in 1923 and a good article on Presidential
health and Navy physicians.
Letter of the Day: June 8
Hoagland Laboratory,
Department of Bacteriology
E.H. Wilson, M.D., Director.
R.B. Fitz-Randolph, A.C., Associate Director
Dear doctor Reed:
We have bred our guinea pigs in our animal room so long that i cannot quote prices to you, but if you will communicate with Jas. T. Dougherty, #409 West 59th. Street, N.Y., he will give you all the information you desire and furnish you with the animals.
I have telephoned him about the matter, and he will expect to hear from you. I wish I could go to Cuba with you, but it is too hot.
Regards to Dr. Carroll.
Sincerely yours,
E.H. Wilson
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 7
Surgeon General's Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets
Washington, June 7, 1904.
Captain Carl. R. Darnall,
Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
In charge of Field Medical Supply Depot.
Sir:
I have the honor to invite your attention to the unsatisfactory work of the Forbes Sterilizing apparatus which was operated to-day in order to exhibit its workings of Dr. Childs of England.
Two burners were used, one of them entirely new, and both appeared to be defective; with constant pumping one hour elapsed before any water was delivered. After running forty minutes the quantity of water delivered was only about two and one half gallons.
Very respectfully,
James Carroll
1st. Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army medical Museum
Monday, June 6, 2011
New World War I finding aid online
Museum intern Sara Gonzales wrote a finding aid for OHA 97 Angier and Hitchcock Collection about World War Reconstruction Aides which is at the NMHM website here: http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/collections/archives/asearch/afinding_aids/hitchcock/angier_hitchcock.html
Many other finding aids are online here: http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/collections/archives/asearch/afinding_aids/afinding_aids.html
Letter of the Day: June 6
War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army medical Museum and Library,
Washington.
June 6, 1905.
Dr. Arthur A. Snyder
1207 Connecticut Avenue
Washington, DC
Dear Dr. Snyder:
I write to ask if you will not kindly favor me with a copy of your report of the case of Hodgkin's disease that died at Garfield Hospital about ten years ago. I am sure I have heard you say that you published it but I cannot find any reference to a case published under your name in our catalogue. If you cannot give me the paper will you not give me the reference so that I can get it in the original.
I am also very anxious to have a photograph of the case for reproduction because I find it is one of very great interest in view of our present knowledge upon this subject.
Trusting you will not find it inconvenient to grant my request, believe me,
Yours very sincerely,
James Carroll
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 5
War Department
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army Medical Museum and Library,
Washington
June 5, 1905.
Dr. W. M. L. Coplin,
Jefferson medical College,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Dear Sir:
I am directed by the Surgeon General to express his thanks for the specimen of pancreas, showing hemorrhagic and fat necrosis, received by you on the 1st inst. It will be added to the collection with a properly inscribed card.
Will you have the further kindness to furnish the Museum with its history?
Very respectfully,
C. L. Heizmann
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A
In charge of Museum and Library Division
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 4
Surgeon General's Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets
Washington, June 4, 1904.
Major W. F. Lippett
Surgeon, U.S. Army, Military Hospital
San Juan, P.R.
Sir:
Referring to the tumor from the inguinal region forwarded with your letter of May 24th, I have the honor to report that a microscopical examination shows the conditioned present to be one of chronic suppurative inflammation. The glands consist almost entirely of typical granulation tissue, very rich in fibroblasts and showing numerous newly formed bloodvessels [sic]. The inflammatory element is shown by the presence of numerous polymorphonuclear leukocytes and several small healing foci of suppuration. In one place the leukocytes can be seen to be emigrating freely through the wall of a blood vessel. There is no evidence of tuberculosis.
Very respectfully,
James Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army medical Museum
Friday, June 3, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 3
Rejection of Candidate
June 3, 1898
To the Surgeon General
U.S. Army
Sir:
I have the honor to inform you that Dr. George E. Plummer, of Key West, Fla., was rejected by the Board yesterday for physical disqualifications. This applicant was examined by Asst. Surgeon, P. Clendenin, May 30, and accepted; the only note upon physical record being "slender but wiry". In addition to deficient physique which the Board noted upon examining the record, and as to which it made a reservation at the time, there was a marked vericosity of the veins of both legs, extending above the knees, a most unpromising condition as to future usefulness. had they been recorded originally, that candidate would have been spared the expense of the journey and attendance.
The Board suggests that Medical Examiners be cautioned to note all defects, so that the Board may have all possible data for careful judgment. It is plain from this example that the preliminary physical examination can be advisory only, and not binding upon the board.
Very respectfully,
Dallas Bache
Col. & Asst. Surgeon, U.S. Army
President of the Board
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 2
June 2, 1897
Capt. D.F. Boughton
Troop B, 3rd Cavalry
Jefferson Barracks, Mo.
Dear Sir:
I beg to acknowledge the receipt through Major J. B. Girard, Surgeon, U.S. Army, of a Krag-Joergensen rifle bullet, which was fired through the tibia of private H. McShane, of your troop, and which you had the kindness to present to this Museum. The specimen is of interest, especially in connection with the perforated section of bone forwarded by Major Girard, and the Surgeon General desires me to thank you for this contribution to the Museum Collection.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army
Curator.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
25 best blogs on biomedicine
Letter of the Day: June 1
[this is a 3 ½” x 4 ½” handwritten order, and is a result of the Spanish-American War]
W.D. [War Department]
S.G.O [Surgeon General’s Office]
June 1. 1898
Orders:
Dr. William M. Gray, Microscopist Surgeon General’s Office will proceed without delay to New York City and report in person to Major George H. Torney, Surgeon USA for duty in the US Hospital ship “Relief.”
(signed) Geo M. Sternberg
Surg. Genl USA
To Dr. Wm Gray
Microscopist
Through Col. Dallas Bache
Asst. Surg. Genl USA
In charge of M+L Div.
S.G.O.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Letter of the Day: May 31
War Department,
Surgeon General's Office,
Washington, May 31, 1895.
My Dear Doctor:-
Your letter of May 22d related to two supposed cases of leprosy has been received. I am so very much occupied with my official duties that I have no time for making personal investigations in a matter of this kind. I will, however, refer your communication to Major Walter Reed, Surgeon, U.S. Army, Curator of the Army Medical Museum, who will I have no doubt be glad to examine the specimens and who is entirely competent to give you an opinion on the matter.
Very sincerely yours,
(Signed) Geo. M. Sternberg.
Dr. C. O. Probst,
Sec. State Board of Health,
Columbus, Ohio.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Letter of the Day: May 29
May 29, 1897
Mr. F. A. Brockhaus,
Leipzig, Germany.
Dear Sir:
Please purchase for this Museum the prothetic [sic] apparatus invented and described by Dr. W. Liermann, of Frankfurt a.M., in the Deutsche Militaraztliche Zeitschrift, Jahrgang XXVI, 1897, Heft I, p. 13 etc. The apparatus is made by L. Droll, Frankfurt a.M., Friedenstruasse, 6.
Have it carefully packed and forwarded to this Museum in the usual manner and send the bill to me.
Very respectfully,
D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S.Army
In charge of Museum and Library Division
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Letter of the Day: May 28
May 28, 1895
Major C.E. Munn,
Surgeon, U. S. Army,
Post Surgeon, Benicia Barracks,
California.
Dear Doctor:
I have sent you a second set of cultures of pathogenic organisms. I am sorry that you have had so much trouble in obtaining them, which was, as you well know, the fault of no one here.
Owing to the continual demand which has been made upon the Museum for slides of malarial parasite, I am unable at present to send you a slide; but I have placed your name first on the list, and just as soon as the fever begins at Washington Barracks, will send you a carefully stained slide.
Very truly yours,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator
Friday, May 27, 2011
Letter of the Day: May 27
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner of 7th and B Streets, NW
Washington, May 27, 1903.
1st Lieut. E.L. Ruffner
Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Base Hospital, Iloilo,
Panay, P.I.
(Through the Surgeon General, U.S. Army)
Sir:
I have the honor to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of thirty (30) dried cover-slip films of Aestivo-autumnal malarial blood for the use of the Army Medical School.
I would be very glad to have more of such specimens as about 50 will probably be needed to go around the class.
Very respectfully,
James Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Asst. Curator.
Canadian War Museum exhibit borrowed from Medical Museum
CBC News May 26, 2011
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/05/26/ott-war-museum-medicine633.html
-the exhibit is from Britain, but the Canadians jazzed it up with material from North America.