Letter of the day, February 27

War Department,
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner 7th and B Streets SW
Washington February 27, 1902

Dr. H.R. Storer,
230 Central Park South
New York, N.Y.

Dear Sir:

Your note of the 17th inst. has been received. We have had no accession to our collection since November last.

The plaster medaillon [sic] of Dr. A.P. Southwick in our collection, has on the back: "By T.S. Hitchcock, M.D.S. Sculptor, Oswego, New York, 1898". Your remark in reference to Alfred Porter, S. of Buffalo, N.Y., has been noted.

The only reference to the Hope medal in our Library is found in: An account of the Life, Writings and Character of the late Dr. John Pope, &c. by Andrew Duncan, M.D.F.R.S.&A.S. Ed., Edinburgh, 1789, p.20, as follows: "By bestowing entirely at his own expense, an annual gold medal, as a testimony of superior merit, he gave a spur to exertion, from which the toils of study were alleviated by love of fame".

In the Congressional Library are the "Memoirs and Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith, by Lady Smith, London, 1832. and on page 63 of the 1st volume, Sir James writes to his father under date Edinburgh, December 31, 1782: ["]I am to have Dr. Hope's medal, but 'tis not yet come from London".

No description of the medal is given in either reference.

Very truly,
Calvin DeWitt
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum & Library Division

Obituary for children's health advocate

Today's Post has the obituary of Dr. Frederick C. Green, who sounded the alarm about lead paint. The National Zoo cleaned its monkey cages several years before the District of Columbia would commit to removing the paint from schools and public housing. He was in the US Army Medical Corps in World War 2 and Korea.

Obituary for man who accidentally ended testing drugs on prisoners

Interesting article for its bioethics information.

Dr. Albert M. Kligman, Dermatologist, Dies at 93
By DENISE GELLENE
New York Times February 22, 2010

Dr. Kligman was hailed for inventing the widely used acne medication Retin-A, but was criticized for tests that used inmates.

Washington Humane Society

This article details a law proposed in 1896 to regulate vivisection in D.C. started by the Washington Humane Society. I haven't been able to see if the law passed, but it looks like not.

I sent this and few other articles to a friend at the Washington Humane Society and they will be used as a reference in making an official history of the organization.

http://www.washhumane.org/

Woodcuts on the Internet Archive

I uploaded several curatorial logbooks to the Internet Archive this morning, among them one of woodcuts of surgical specimens used in Medical Museum publications. It's like a scrapbook, with the individual cuts clipped from larger sheets and pasted into this book. I think it's one of the more interesting logbooks in the collection.

Letter of the day, February 26

This letter relates to the design of the new building for the Museum & Library at 7th St and Independence Ave, SW. The building was designed by Washington architect Adolph Cluss, and demolished in 1968 for the Hirschhorn Museum.

February 26, 1887

Gentlemen:
Will you have the kindness to return to me the drawings for the iron work of the bookstack for the new Army Medical Museum and Library building if you have no further use for them. I enclose an addressed frank.

Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
(Signed) John S. Billings
Surgeon U.S. Army

Copies of this letter were sent to:

Builder's Iron Foundry
Providence, R.I.

Manly & Cooper Manuf. Co.
Philadelphia, Pa.

Bartlett, Hayward & Co.,
Baltimore, Md.

Letter of the day, February 25

The “present mechanical perfection” mentioned in the letter is, of course, still evolving. Wouldn't he be delighted with what's available today?

War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets S.W.,
Washington, February 25, 1899

Sir:

I am anxious to secure for the Museum examples of artificial limbs-upper and lower extremity- which collectively will show the progress of this art, from its rude beginnings to its present mechanical perfection. It is desired especially to make this illustration historically complete, so that your assistance is requested, not only as to existing finished apparatus of your own device and manufacture, but as to the existence and supply of older devices which would naturally form part of an illustrative collection. Where information is contained in catalogues those will be sufficient; but reference is solicited to sources from which the older specimens may be obtained, with a brief description of the apparatus- and prices.

Very respectfully,
Dallas Bache
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum & Library Division

POSITION: INTERIM MUSEUM DIRECTOR / CONSULTANT at Mass General

As a public service announcement...

POSITION: INTERIM MUSEUM DIRECTOR / CONSULTANT


Projected start date: March 1, 2010
Apply here: http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/careers/viewall.aspx


Massachusetts General Hospital intends to build and establish a new
museum on its main campus in downtown Boston. The Mass General Museum is
to be located in a prominent location on Cambridge Street, a highly
visible and public edge of the main campus facing Beacon Hill to the
south.


By means of exciting and enriching exhibits and educational programs,
the intent of the Museum is to serve the hospital of which it is a part,
the medical profession and researchers, and a wider audience that
includes patients, visitors and the general public. The museum will also
be a "venue of distinction" for receptions, functions, and dinners.
Included is the Mass General archives, which is the repository of
documents and records closely associated with the history of the Mass
General. Safe and secure access to the full archives and providing
reading room accommodation for researchers on site is an important
function of the history program.


The position of Interim Museum Director/Consultant is of 9 to 12 months'
duration during which time architectural planning and exhibition design
will be in progress. In addition, policy and procedure development,
financial planning, fundraising, and personnel preparation (paid staff
and volunteers) for the museum and archives will proceed. It is the
intention of the Hospital to succeed this temporary appointment with a
full-time position, contingent upon sufficient funding.


GENERAL SUMMARY/ OVERVIEW STATEMENT


The museum director will be responsible for the development and
implementation of policies and procedures of the Mass General museum.
The director will work closely with the Mass General History Committee
and other subcommittees to ensure effective communication and is the
lead spokesperson and advocate for the museum within the internal and
external community.  With senior management, the museum director assumes
financial and operational authority for the museum within budgetary
guidelines.  The director oversees curatorial activities, art and
artifact collection, archives, database, website, and all educational
programming activities. The director supervises all museum staff and
volunteers.


During the course of design and construction, the museum director will
work closely with senior management, the project manager, architects and
engineers, exhibition design consultants, volunteers, the Mass General
History Committee, and other parties engaged in the development of the
museum.


PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES


MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP
* Works with the Mass General History Committee and senior leadership to
develop and adhere to the mission, goals, and objectives of the museum.
Directs and leads the implementation and articulation of these goals in
a collaborative and cooperative manner.
* Understands the unique nature of the museum within the context of the
hospital community (patients, families, staff, clinical providers, and
donors).
* Provides vision and dynamic personal leadership to internal museum
staff and external community regarding museum strategy, programming
initiatives, and mission. Serves as the key spokesperson for the museum.
* Develops policies and procedures that govern all areas of museum
operations including collection management, curatorial operations,
storage, exhibition design and evaluation, accessibility, education and
programming, registration and database, archives, research,
conservation, website, and communications. Adheres to and keeps current
with all privacy policies instituted within the hospital setting.
* Develops annual operating and capital budgets for the museum.
Monitors operating budget versus actual expenses and identifies
variances.
* Supervises professional staff, non-professional administrative staff,
and volunteers. Performs annual performance appraisals.
* Recommends capital budget proposals regarding equipment, space, and
renovations.
* Manages the recruitment, interviewing, hiring and training of museum
staff.  Initiates corrective action as necessary according to Mass
General policies and procedures.
* Insures compliance with the legal requirements that govern museums and
non-profit institutions.
* Works collaboratively with Public Affairs and Marketing to develop
appropriate communication and marketing materials.
* Works collaboratively with Mass General Development Office to assist
in the creation of philanthropic case statements, prospect contact,
cultivation, and stewardship of existing donors.
* Develops strong volunteer engagement, retention and recruitment
programs in coordination with the Ladies Visiting Committee and the Mass
General Volunteer Department.
* Develops docent training program for staff and volunteers.
* Facilitates and encourages continuing education for museum staff and
self.
* Maintains a clean, safe, and inviting physical environment within the
museum and archives.  Maintains proper conditions within museum and
storage areas for collection and archives.
* Develops disaster plan in accordance with Mass General policies and
communicates plan to staff.  Recognizes special requirements of Mass
General collection and archives.


EDUCATION COLLABORATION
* Works with internal museum staff, key hospital staff and committees,
as well as external stakeholders to develop content for unique
educational programs within the museum.
* Develops inspirational educational programming, seeking direction from
the museum's mission statement and Mass General community.
* Evaluates the effectiveness of exhibitions and educational programs
and makes improvements as necessary.
* Develops and implements educational programs adjunct to onsite
exhibits. May include workshops, special lectures and visiting experts.


GRANTS
* Submits funding proposals to appropriate agencies for special
projects.
* Monitors awarded grants for compliance, balanced budget, and funder
communication.
* Works with Mass General Research Management office to comply with
internal and external grant requirements.


QUALIFICATIONS


* Master's Degree required. Doctoral degree with strong research
background would be of interest.
* Museum experience required.
* Supervisory and management experience required.
* Strong communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability
to show flexibility within an increasingly diverse and complex
environment.
* Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.


CONTACT

Hubert Murray FAIA RIBA 
Senior Project Manager 
MGH Planning and Construction 
all correspondence to be addressed to: 
Partners HealthCare Inc. 
101 Merrimac Street, Suite 800 
Boston, MA 02114-4719 
T | 617.643.6414  F | 617.724.2740 
Email: HMURRAY2@PARTNERS.ORG

Letter of the Day, February 24

From the personal papers of Royal de Rohan Barondes (b.12/10/1896), of California. A veteran of the US Army Medical Department for both world wars, Barondes researched both surgical instruments and pharmaceuticals in his private practice.

February 24, 1938

The Superintendent,
California School for the Blind.
Berkeley, California.

Dear Sir:

Being more or less interested in medical research, I write you hoping you might be able to inform me regarding the following: I am curious to learn if those blind from birth ever dream of “seeing”, i.e., are they able in their own manner, to describe objects that appear in their dreams. They no doubt may dream they feel certain objects and describe them satisfactorily such as being heavy, cold, hot, sharp, etc., but this is not what I have reference to. It is said one my not dream or anything unless one has had a similar experience of waking life: we know this not to be an actual fact.

Not having the opportunity to interrogate those so unfortunately handicapped, I thought perhaps you might be able to give me the information as to the description of the dreams of the blind and the mute.

Thanking you kindly for any information you may send me, I am,

Very yours truly, R. De r. Barondes

Letter of the Day: February 23 (2 of 2)

U.S.A. Post Hospital

Jacksonville, Fla

February 23, 1869

 

Colonel

 

I have the honor to forward you the receipts signed, and desire to be informed if the alligator when received was in good condition, as the delay caused by Quartermasters has been considerable, about six or seven weeks from Jacksonville to Washington!

 

Very respectfully

Your Obedient Servt

Theodore Artrand

A.A.S. USA

 

Brevt Lt Colonel Otis U.S.A.

Curator Medical Museum

Washington, D.C.

Letter of the Day: February 23 (1 of2)

Col Rucker

 

Sir

 

The 86^th Regt N.Y. Vols. Being ordered to remove from Camp Griffin, Va. to Fort Good Hope, Md., you are requested to furnish transportation. 100 wagons will be required.

 

(Sgd.) Byron Spruce RQM

 

Endorsed by Col. Rucker as follows

 

100 Wagons & 20 four-horse ambulances furnished Feby 23.

(Sgd.) D.H.R.

 

The above will show the amount of transportation required to move a regiment 4 miles in  the month of February 1862.

Bottled, but not monsters

The American Museum of Natural History in New York passed on this set of fetuses: one elephant and one hippo. When offered, the Carnegie Department of Embryology did too. They did keep the picture and give it a number though, so here it is. Cute.

Letter of the Day: February 11 makeup

Another letter showing the Museum’s move towards being a Pathology Institute.

 

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1252

 

United States Indian Service,

Pine Ridge Agency, S.D. [South Dakota]

2/11/96 [1896]

 

To the Surgeon General, U.S.A.

Washington, D.C.

 

Dear Sir:

 

I send you by this mail a little box containing a pill box, in which is a tiny tumor which I removed from an Irish lady’s gum, at the margin and between the upper central incisors. The tumor has been removed, 3 times, but recurs. By soaking the specimen, its nature can be ascertained under the microscope ,and if not too much trouble may I ask you what is its pathology?

 

Very Truly & Sincerely,

 

Z.T. Daniel

 

Handwritten Note: Tumor received Feb. 15, 1896

 

The letter sent back reads:

 

March 5, 1896

 

Dr. Z.T. Daniel,

U.S. Indian Service,

Pine Ridge Agency,

So. Dakota

 

Dear Doctor:

 

I received, on February 15, 1896, through the Surgeon General, a pill box in which was contained a tiny fragment of a tumor, described as having been removed by you from an Irish lady’s gum. The appearance of the fragment of material contained in the box did not lead one to anticipate that a microscopical examination would give any result, inasmuch as you omitted to place it in any hardening fluid. No amount of soaking the specimen, as suggested by you, would be of any use, since, upon section, we found that there had been a complete destruction of all nuclei and cells contained in the tumor. For this reason it is impossible for us to ascertain anything concerning the microscopical character of this growth. If, however, you will remove another fragment of the tumor, and place it at once in 95% alcohol, and forward it to me, I will take pleasure in informing you as to the true character of the growth.

 

Very respectfully,

 

Walter Reed

Surgeon, U.S. Army

Curator

 

The issue of what an Indian Service doctor was doing treating an Irish lady remains unsolved as well.

Letter of the Day: February 10 makeup

 

Office Post Surgeon

Department of the Arkansas,

Headquarters, U.S. Forces,

Mouth of White River, Ark., Feby 10^th 1865

 

Brig Gen’l  J.K. Barnes,

Surgeon General U.S.A.

 

Sir:

 

I have the honor to present & express to you, the skeleton of a Rebel “Guerilla,” who was wounded in an attempt to capture this Post in June last.

 

I found his remains whilst out riding yesterday, about ½ mile in the rear of the Camp at this place, at which Place, I am informed he was carried by his comrades, & died from his wounds. I shall endeavor to get a history of his case, & forward to you, as it may no doubt be of interest to the profession.

 

I have the honor to be General,

 

Very respectfully

Your obdt. Servt.

H.S. Hammen

A.A. Surgeon U.S.A.

Post Surgeon

Letter of the day, February 9 follow-up

What a coincidence. When the February 9 LOTD hit my inbox, I saw that it was written by H.C. Yarrow, whose manuscript "List of Skeletons and Crania in the Section of Comparative Anatomy of the United States Army Medical Museum" was uploaded just this morning to the Internet Archive. As of right now, the upload hasn't been processed by the Archive, but it should be available in a few hours. In the meantime, here's the first page:

Letter of the Day: February 9 makeup

The Wheeler survey last for years and generated a lot of data, including lovely Timothy O’Sullivan photographs.  Yarrow  worked directly for the Museum soon after this letter was written.

 

United States Engineer Office,

Explorations and Surveys West of the 100^th Meridian,

Washington, D.C., Feb 9^th, 1874

 

Bvt Lt. Col. G. Otis, USA

 

Dear Sir

 

Some time since we forwarded to the Army Med. Museum some fragments of Indian Crania collected by Lt. Wheeler’s expedition in 1873. Will you kindly inform us if such specimens were rec’d.

 

Very Resp.

Your obt. Svt.

H.C. Yarrow

Surg & Nat[uralist] to Exped[ition]

Letter of the Day: February 22

18 Clinton St.
Brooklyn
Feb 22 1871

General –

One day last week I sent you, by Express, a Tumor weighing 41 ½ pounds. It was taken from the abdomen of a man, after death. I made the post mortem for Dr. Brown of this city who promised to send me a history of the case on the following day. The Dr. called at my office last evening and said that he had been so buys in his practice that he had found no time to write the history but promised to see to it and send it to me this morning.

I have not yet received it, but will without doubt receive it in a day or two, and will then forwarded it to you with post mortem appearances.

This morning Hiram B. Smith, late Private 9th Co. Ohio Sharper Shooters called on me. He was a patient of mine at Armory Squa5e hospital suffering from gunshot fracture of the middle third of left femur. He was wounded Aug 19, 1864on the Weldon Rail Road – admitted at Armory Square Hopt. Aug 28th 1864 – transferred to Detroit, Mich. April 20th, 1865 and discharged from service at that Hospital (Harper) Nov. 11th 1865.

I have had a photograph taken and will send you a copy with a brief history in a few days.

Very respectfully
Your Obedient Servant
Geo. K. Smith
Late AA Surg U.S.A.

To Surgeon Gen. U.S.A.
Washington D.C.

P.S. The address of Hiram B. Smith is Weston Wood Co., Ohio. GKS

Wash Post on Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum

Today's Washington Post has a photo feature on Alexandria's Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum.

Letter of the Day: February 21

This is what is more commonly known as a soap lady, like the one in the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. Perhaps it’s the same one?

This letter was written 2 days before Otis died on the job.

 

Smithsonian Institution,

Washington D.C., Feb. 21, 1881

 

Dear Doctor,

 

I enclose an offer of an adipocere woman. Do you want it for the Museum. It ought to be preserved somewhere; but would not be appropriate for the National Museum

 

Yours truly,

 

Spencer Baird

 

Dr. George A. Otis

Medical Museum,

Washington, D.C.

 

Note on bottom says, “Enclosure returned to Prof. Baird”

 

Vampires? Disease?

20 or so years ago, then-Anatomical Curator Paul Sledzik ended up doing some research on a burial that led him into looking into vampirism. Paul's a member of the blog, so I'll let him post on that if he wants, but it looks like some of his research is ending up in my friend Mark Jenkin's new book on vampires. Here's a short piece.