Accession of the day, March 22

Photograph Number 314. Indian arrow - heads removed from wounds.

The specimens numbered 5639 and 5640 of the Surgical Section were contributed to the Army Medical Museum by Assistant Surgeon B.A. Clements, U.S.A. The former is an iron arrow - head three inches in length and half an inch in its widest part. It had been imbedded one inch in the ilium.

The latter specimen was removed from the scapula of a Private of the 5th Infantry at Fort Fauntleroy, New Mexico, in 1861. The arrow entered just above the posterior fold of the axilla; the shaft separated with the slightest traction; probing to the extent of two and half inches failed to reveal the head. After waiting three months it was extracted through an exploratory T - shaped incision. The missile, two inches long and half an inch in width at the base, was greatly bent upon itself by the force of impact.

The specimen number 5641, Section I. [1] Army Medical Museum, was contributed by Assistant Surgeon A.H. Smith, U.S.A., by whom it was removed from the testis of a Mexican herder, some three months after the reception of the injury. This case is mentioned on page 156, Circular Number 3, Surgeon General's Office.

The next specimen (Number 5642) was taken from the left lung of Nat. Crabtree who was killed by Indians near Fort Cooke, Montana Territory, April 24, 1868. It was contributed by Hospital Steward C.T. Smith, U.S.A.

The remaining specimen (5654) was extracted from the brain of a Private of the 14th Infantry, who was wounded by Apache Indians near Maricopa Wells, Arizona Territory, on March 22, 1866. The patient is reported to have been nine days travelling to Maricopa Wells from the place where he was wounded. On April 19th, he was received into the hospital at Camp McDowell, Arizona, and the missile was removed next day by Assistant Surgeon Charles Smart, U.S.A. Under cautious treatment the patient improved, but May 7th, after a very imprudent meal, he was taken with violent symptoms and died on the 13th. A detailed account of this case is to be found in Circular Number 3, Surgeon General's Office, in the article on arrow - wounds.

Letter of the Day, March 22

U.S.A. Post Hospital
Fort Stanton New Mexico
March 22nd 1875

To the Surgeon General U.S.A.

Sir:

I have the honor to respectfully inform you that I have this forwarded to your address for the Army Medical Museum (or chemical laboratory) 2 lbs of genuine Paraguay tea or “Mate” (Ilex paraguayensis) imported from Chili (sic), where it is extensively used in lieu of ordinary tea. As it contains 1.2 percent of theine [i.e. caffeine] an alkaloid so universally craved by different nations, I thought a sample of the genuine article might be of interest, either for analysis or on account of its natural history as an article of diet.

Very Respectfully,
Your obt. Servt
Carlos Carvallo
Asst Surgeon U.S.A.
Post Surgeon

Medical Education in 1920s China

There are many reprints in the Carnegie Embryological Collection about medical education in the early 20th century, mainly in the U.S. and Canada. This one, by E. V. Cowdry, is one of a number of similar articles that he wrote after a long trip to China and Japan in the 1920s. In this article he writes about how the schools melded traditional (like the Golden Mirror text here) and western medical practices. In other articles he shows a clear preference for the Japanese style of education for its greater inclusion of western methods. Cowdry started the Anatomy Department at the Peking Union Medical College (Beijing) which incorporated embryological research as well.

Photo of the day, March 22

First aid being administered in a trench to a Marine prior to being sent to hospital in rear of trenches. 03/22/1918. Toul Sector, France. [First aid. War, Relief of sick and wounded. United States. Army. Signal Corps.] World War 1, 688-Y8-0. 12151

Letter of the Day, March 21

Ahhh, large world’s fairs – those were the days…

Major Clifton Comly, U.S.A.
Representative of War Department

World’s Columbian Exposition,
War Department Exhibit

Indianapolis
21 March 1891

My dear Dr.

Will you kindly notify Dr. Billings that a meeting of the War Dept Board in connection with the World Columbian Exposition, has been called for Tuesday the 24th inst at 11 a.m. at the room of the Board of Management 1429 New York Ave., Washington (Safe Deposit Building, Cor. 15th St.)

You will remember that it was agreed that the Dr was to represent Dr. LaGarde for this meeting and I trust nothing may interfere with his attendance.

Very truly yours
Clifton Comly,
Major, USA

Dr. C.R. Greenleaf,
Med Dept.

Note reads: Dear Dr. – I pass this along to you CRG

Letter of the Day, March 20

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 3754

War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets S.W.,
Washington, March 20, 1899

Mr. A Gault,
Gault Artificial Limb Co.
Medford, Minn.

Sir:

Your reply of the 18th inst. Is received. My object is to illustrate the progress in the manufacture of artificial limbs in a section of this Museum. For this purpose I wish to collect old devices and such modern perfected limbs as may best suit my purpose. No attempt is made to show the corrections for all amputations, and reasonable prices will be paid for all devices or limbs, on agreement.

Very respectfully,

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

The initial letter turns out to be a quintessentially American one…
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 3754

A. Gault, Inventor.
A.A. Winkley, Manager.

Office of The Gault Artifical Limb Company
Medford, Minn., March 18th 1899

Dallas Bache Esq.
Col. & Asst. Surgeon Gen. U.S.A.
In charge of the Museum & Library Div., Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:-

Your favor of the 25th ult., to the Gault Artificial Limb Company, Chicago, was duly received here. I consider your plan a good one as it would place the inferior and superior limbs before the public in a very forcible manner.

My make of limbs is an entirely new departure from any artificial limbs made in this country, and I would be glad to place them in the museum along side of other makes. I am not financially able to advertise them as they should be, and this deprives many unfortunate ones of the opportunity to investigate them for themselves. If samples could be placed there it would give my make of limbs an equal show with the rest, and once seen can be easily understood by those who wear limbs.

But if I understand your communication correctly you want samples of the different kinds of amputations. In my make of legs this would take 4 or 5 samples, as per cut enclosed.* Do you require full sized legs, and when would they be expected to be in Washington? It would seem to me that this would require a good deal of space for such Exhibit, that is, if all Art Limb Companies send full sets of samples. Kindly let me hear from you again regarding this matter, and oblige,

Respectfully yours,
The Gault Artificial Limb Company,
A. Gault Proprietor

*not received for file. Answered March 20.

Letter of the Day, March 19

As we can see from this letter, the Museum did a lot of examinations for bacteria.

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 7395

War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army Medical Museum and Library,
Washington

March 19, 1904

1st Lieut. Clyde S. Ford,
Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Fort H. G. Wright,
New York

Dear Doctor:

Your letter of the 16th inst. With slides and cultures were received this morning. I have examined both cultures and find the streptococcus quite numerous in the culture from Olsen, while only a few chains are found in the one from Beecher. No diptheria bacilli could be found in either and I think you are right in regarding the cases as those of streptococcus infection. We will incubate the tubes and make another examination on Monday; if we find the diptheria bacillus I will let you know; if you do not hear from me you will know the result is negative.

Yours very truly,
James Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum

Another example of bacterial examination was done two days previously…

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 7392

War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army Medical Museum and Library,
Washington

March 17, 1904

To the Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
(Through the Officer in charge of Museum & Library Division)

Sir:

I have the honor to submit the following report of the result of a bacteriological examination of three (3() samples of water from the White House, and which were numbered 1, 2 and 3 respectively:

No. 1, from tap in basement of White House. No gas appeared in any of the ten fermentation tubes charged each with 1 c.c. of the water an dincubated for four days. Numerical count: 783 bacteria per cubic centimeter.

No. 2, water passed through one cylinder of the filter. Two of the ten fermentation tubes contain 10% and 12% of gas respectively on the fourth day. The quantity of the gas was too small and its formation too slow to be indicative of the presence fo the colon bacillus. Numerical count: 646 bacteria per cubic centimeter.

No. 3, from tap in basement of office of White House. Of ten fermentation tubes charged with this water, two cotnained gas in the proportion of 45 and 60 per cent respectively on the fourth day. No gas was present after 24 hours and the quantity ultimately formed was too large for the colon bacillus. Numerical count: 663 bacteria per cubic centimeter.

Summary. The number of bacteria present in all the samples is excessive, the permissible maximum number being 100 per c.c. The excess may be due to multiplication of bacteria in the filter iteslf as a result of imperfect cleansing or lack of proper means for sterilizing it; to multiplication of bacteria in the water in storage after filtration or to imperfection in the filter itself. No. 2 was perfectly clear when received; No. 3 was slightly clouded and No. 1 was yellowish in color and has since thrown down a rather dense precipitate. The defect might be remedied to some extent by more frequent and more prolonged washings of the filtering material or by changing its composition which is boneblack, sand and polarite in varying proportions according to the character of the water to be filtered.

Very respectfully,

James Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum

Museum is featured in today's Express

A little blurb, “We Do the Weird Stuff” on Atlas Obscura  an “online database [that] collects information on bizarre landmarks. On world-wide Obscura Day, D.C. devotees can join in a visit to the National Museum of Health and Medicine (and see the bullet that killed Lincoln.) Sat.

 

Letter of the day, March 15 (special 2nd reprise)

This one got stuck in edit mode and didn't post.

March 15, 1909.

Prof. Henry T. Marshall,
University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, Va.

Dear Doctor:--

Major Percy Ashburn, of our Corps, informed me the other day that you had evolved a laboratory desk which was so arranged that it would seat four men at one window. We are rather crowded here and very much in need of something which will make our windows go further. I would appreciate the favor if you can send me a sketch of your table.

Thanking you in advance for the trouble, I am,
Very respectfully,

Major, Medical Corps, U.S. Army,
Curator, Army Medical Museum

Letter of the Day: March 18

Boston

89 Charles St

March 18 ‘72

My Dear Dr.

I sent to you some months ago, by Express, a box containing a cast of the face of Charles XII, a cast of a large stone that was cut out from the peritoneal cavity & two or three small ones. As I have not heard of their arrival, I am afraid that some accident may have happened to them & will be ruined. Obliged to you if you will let me know if they have been received.

I send, enclosed, a photographer of a Hottentot Venus, that I think will be interesting in your ethnographical Section, which you probably have. It is possible that I have sent you one before, tho I think not.

A few days ago, rec’d for our College Museum the photograph of a little girl 5 yrs old, who has been menstruating regularly since she was 15 months old. Her breasts, which are shown, are larger than those of other women. I do not wish any [illegible] of persons or places to be referred to, but, if you would like to have a copy, I think that you might get one by addressing Dr. Wm. Dickinson, 520 Locust St, St. Louis (Missouri I presume).

Yours very truly

J.B.S. Jackson

George A. Otis, Surgeon

U.S.A.

Photo of the day, March 18

The record doesn't have a day on it, so I'm claiming it for today.

Obertheil einer agyptischen Katzenmumie aus dem stadtischen historischen Museum zu Frankfurt a. M. [?] From: Glasser, O. [Otto?] Wilhelm C. Roentgen. London, 1933. Figure: 82. p. 347. Roentgen picture of a cat mummy, March 1896. Made by W. Konig March 1896.

Letter of the Day: March 17 (3 of 3)

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1342

126 East Garden St.

Rome, March 17^th/96

Oneida Co., N.Y.

Dear Sir,

Will you be so kind as to inform me if you accept of petrified bodies, and if so what value would be placed upon the body of a little girl 2 years of age, that is wholly turned to stone with long flaxen hair. She died in 1864 and in digging a grave to bury a man they dug so close as to cut off the side of the childs coffin and in this way it was discovered. Please write and let me know before the 30^th of this month, and oblige.

Wm. L. Yarwood

And the reply, rather than wait for two days to post it:

March 19, 1896

Mr. Wm. L. Yarwood,

Rome, N.Y.

Dear Sir:

Your letter of the 17^th inst., in regard to the “petrified child with long flaxen hair” has been received, and in reply I would state that this Museum does not desire to purchase the specimen, which has no commercial value except possibly to a dime museum.

Very respectfully,

D.L. Huntington

Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army,

In charge of Museum and Library Division

Letter of the Day: March 17 (2 of 3, formalin reply)

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1334

March 17, 1896

Mssrs Schering & Glatz,

55 Maiden Lane,

Gentlemen:

Your letter of the 16^th instant has been received. We have been using formalin in this Museum, and in the shape referred to in your letter, for more than two years, as a preservative and as a hardening agent for tissues, and have obtained admirable results from the same, and expect to continue its use. Upon inquiry I find that we have a sufficient quantity on hand to last for several months. When next we desire a supply you will receive an invitation to bid.

The Commissioner of Education, Interior Department, this city, can most probably furnish you with a list of Museums and educational institutions in the United States from which you could select such as you consider desirable.

Very respectfully,

Walter Reed

Surgeon, U.S. Army,

Curator

Letter of the Day: March 17 (1 of 3)

Vicksburg, Miss

March 17^th 1869

Dear Col:

I shall forward to you tomorrow a box of specimens from a mound near Jackson Miss and a few articles from the great Seltsentown [spelling?] mound. As soon as I hear from you I will also forward in the manner you shall direct the specimens of skulls with their retained earth in the condition of the two I have already sent to you, or I will clean and varnish them.

The matter will soon be sufficiently settled for me to renew explorations and to this end I desire again to call your attention to the rich fields unexplored in this and the adjoining states all around me. Prof. I. Jones has recently given me some very valuable information in regard to mounds in Tennessee and near Hickman, KY which contain skeletons implements etc. entombed in a kind of rude sarcophagi constructed of large flat stones. These, or but few of them have been ever disturbed. Should some one else be interested with this duty I will cheerfully furnish you all the information afforded me by Dr. Jones. I fully concur with him in the urgent necessity for these explorations. As the specimens are protected by stones the work of exhuming will be easy as well as rapid.

Some specimens of value await me at Shieldsborough and at a point above, or north, of Yazoo city.

Respectfully yours etc

Ebn Swift

Surg etc U.S.A.

To Bvt. Lt. Col. Otis

Curator Army Med. Museum

Washington D.C.

Accession of the day, March 17

Accompanied by an article from Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly, April 1886 entitled Inca Eyes, from which this illustration was extracted:


A.M.M. 247 Sect. VI.

(Inca Eyes)

Crystalline lens of eyes of Cuttle fish, probably a species of octopus, used by the ancient Peruvians as artificial eyes for the Embalmed dead.

Recd. Mch 17, 1886.

Presented by Asst. Surg.
Washington Matthews, U.S.A.

Photo of the day, March 16

Don't ask me why we have this. I have no idea.

Diplomas, citations, commissions. General Raymond Bliss, 1946. "Our Brother Raymond Whitcomb Bliss to whom we have granted these letters was admitted to the Third Degree of Masonry in Star of Bethlehem Lodge on 03/16/[?]."

Letter of the Day: March 16

Over 110 years later, we’re still using formalin to preserve our specimens.

C. Gottlob Kolb.

Carl F. Steifel

Schering & Glatz

Importers of Drugs and Chemicals

No. 55 Maiden Lane

New York,

March 16, 1896

Major Walter Reed, Surgeon U.S. Army

Curator Army Medical Museum, Washington, D.C.

Dear Doctor:-

We desire to call your attention to FORMALIN, i.e. a saturated 40% solution of chemically pure Formaldehyde, which we have introduced to the medical profession during the last three years.

Presuming that you can use the fluid as a preservative of anatomical and botanical specimens as well as a hardening medium, we take pleasure in sending under separate cover our pamphlet on Schering’s Chemicals and would particularly refer you to an abstract of Prof. Dr. F. Hermann’s article on Page 42, from the “Anatomischer Anzeiger” Dec. 11/93 in which the author stated, that solutions of Formalin preserved the normal translucency of the living tissues and that tissues hardened in Formalin retained their natural colors. We also beg to enclose a copy of our latest circular on Formalin and would refer you to the abstract of the report of Prof. F. Cohn of Breslau, who speaks of the advantages of Formalin as compared with Alcohol, etc.

We quote Formalin in 1 lb. bottles at $.75 per lb. incl. less 10%

In 5 lb. bottles at $.70 per lb. incl. less 10%

In lots of 25 lbs or more, we will allow you a discount of 10% and 5%. If quantities of several hundred pounds are desired, we can make a further reduction.

We should be pleased to hear from you, and remain,

Yours very truly

Schering & Glatz

[Note:] Circular referred to not received for Doc. File – P.