Saturday, April 24, 2010
Photo of the day, April 24
Inspecting clothing for vermin. 04/24/1918. France. Inspecting clothing for vermin, Company E, 28th Infantry. Cooties. Reading shirts. 129-Y8-T.
Letter of the Day: April 24
This one comes from an accession file we recently had scanned.
A.M.M. 6753 and 6754 Sec. I and 855 Sec VI
Fort Larned Kansas
April 24 1877
Surgeon General
U.S. Army
Sir
I have the honor to enclose herewith a receipt, taken from the A.A.Q.M. of this post for one box addressed to Surgeon General, U.S.A.
The box contains the following articles which may possess enough value to go in the Army Medical Museum.
Dr. Woodward {1. Skeleton of Jack Rabbit (young) roughly dressed.
2. “ “ of Beaver “ “ “
3. “ “ Musk Rat “ “ “
4. Carcass of Pouched Gopher in alcohol
855 Sec IV{5. Rectum and Scent Sacs (in alcohol) of Skunk – with two vials of fluid taken from the same sacs by a dropping tube. Each vial holds the entire contents of one sac. No 5 in 2 paper boxes.
A.M.M. 6753 Sec I{6. Plaster cast of stump of B.F. Wyatt – the amputated portion of which was sent to A. Med Mus. In Jan. and was numbered 6735 Surg. Section. Red ink marks the outline (less rather than more) of the great sloughs which endangered Lisfranc’s operation (the one performed) and prohibited Syme’s. The cast shows the foot rather more oblique than it is when sitting or standing.
A.M.M. 6754{7. All the phalanges and half the metatarsus of the right foot and several of the phalanges of the left foot of Wm. H. Anderson, a citizen. Amputated Jan 31, 1877 for frostbite. Report of case enclosed herewith.
Very respectfully,
Your Obt. Servt
Francis H. Atkins
A.A. Surgeon
U.S. Army
Specimens received May 17 1877
A.M.M. 6753 and 6754 Sec. I and 855 Sec VI
Fort Larned Kansas
April 24 1877
Surgeon General
U.S. Army
Sir
I have the honor to enclose herewith a receipt, taken from the A.A.Q.M. of this post for one box addressed to Surgeon General, U.S.A.
The box contains the following articles which may possess enough value to go in the Army Medical Museum.
Dr. Woodward {1. Skeleton of Jack Rabbit (young) roughly dressed.
2. “ “ of Beaver “ “ “
3. “ “ Musk Rat “ “ “
4. Carcass of Pouched Gopher in alcohol
855 Sec IV{5. Rectum and Scent Sacs (in alcohol) of Skunk – with two vials of fluid taken from the same sacs by a dropping tube. Each vial holds the entire contents of one sac. No 5 in 2 paper boxes.
A.M.M. 6753 Sec I{6. Plaster cast of stump of B.F. Wyatt – the amputated portion of which was sent to A. Med Mus. In Jan. and was numbered 6735 Surg. Section. Red ink marks the outline (less rather than more) of the great sloughs which endangered Lisfranc’s operation (the one performed) and prohibited Syme’s. The cast shows the foot rather more oblique than it is when sitting or standing.
A.M.M. 6754{7. All the phalanges and half the metatarsus of the right foot and several of the phalanges of the left foot of Wm. H. Anderson, a citizen. Amputated Jan 31, 1877 for frostbite. Report of case enclosed herewith.
Very respectfully,
Your Obt. Servt
Francis H. Atkins
A.A. Surgeon
U.S. Army
Specimens received May 17 1877
Friday, April 23, 2010
Letter of the day, April 23 (2) and April 25 and April 27 and April 29 and April 30
A series of letters, well worth the time it takes to read them. Believe me, the punctuation is not mine.
G-5-A.F.R.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad Company.
West Jersey & Seashore Railroad Company.
Littlestown, Pa Station,
April 23rd 1901
Supt, Army and Medical Museum.
Washington, D.C.
I secured today, and am holding for advice from you, an embryo specimen, that in my opinion is worthy of a place in your collection.
The story of the specimen is as follows. On my way home to supper this P.M. I met Mr Isaiah Palmer, a man who cleans locomotives for us at this station, and as we met he unrolled a piece of paper he had in in [sic] his hand, saying, “where do you think I got this,[“] at the same time exhibiting an animal embryo, I told him I had no idea, he continued, “What do you think of a chicken dropping a thing like this” I was examining it and found it was a perfectly formed embryo animal, complete in every detail. He then related its history.
He had noticed that for a day or two there was some tissue projecting from one of his hens, and he supposed that she had ruptured her egg bag, as it is commonly termed, he remarked to his wife that they might as well kill her, as she would probably die at any rate, but did not do so. This P.M. when feeding his chickens, he noticed that there was something unusual projecting from this hen, hanging by a slender cord, he caught the hen, puuled [sic] the projection away, and found it to be the embryo above referred to. As this was so unusual, he brought it with him to his work, and when I suggested preserving it and sending it to where it would be effectually appreciated, agreed with me. As a consequence I now have the specimen, preserved in alcohol, and will send it to you without any charge whatever, if you think the circumstances of the case justify its being added to your collection. Of course I can understand a collection of specimens, such as yours must be undoubtedly authentic, and the specimen I offer is so unusual that unless you can verify its history it will be of no value, coming as it does from persons who are not known to you, and who have no reputation in scientific matters, therefore if you are enough interested in the matter to subject it to thorough investigation, I will be glad to aid you in any possible manner.
You will understand the specimen is offered to your collection entirely free of expense, if you so desire I will prepay the express charges thereon to Washington, D.C. My only requirement is, that you will make an acknowledgement that specimen was sent you free of charge and that I did not ask, or receive any compensation therefore. This I want to show such parties that might be inclined to think, that I secured the specimen from Mr Palmer and sold it to museum, or collection.
Dr E.K. Foreman, a respectable physician of this place, assisted me in preparing the specimen, and is also of the opinion that it is worthy of a place in your collection, as he is the family physician of Mr Palmer, the man who furnished the specimen, has examined it, and firmly believes its history, as given by Mr Palmer. Of course some of the persons to whom I spoke on this subject, pronounced it as impossible, but a recollection of what I seen in your museum, when on a visit to Washington, a short time ago, leads me to think, there is almost nothing impossible, in the was [?] of unusual freaks of nature. and while I did not see this specimen taken from the hen, I firmly believe the man is telling the truth in the matter, as I cannot imagine what reason he would have for doing otherwise, and he is not the kind of man that would tell a story of this kind as a hoax.
Respectfully
Geo W Fox
Agent P.R.R.
----------
[296]
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington, April 25, 1901.
Mr. Geo. W. Fox,
Agent P. R.R.
Littlestown, Pa.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of the 23rd inst. in reference to a chicken embryo has been received. Please send the specimen in a box marked “Army Medical Museum, 7th & B streets, S.W., Washington, D.C.,” by express, charges to be paid at this Museum.
The specimen will be examined and you will be informed of the result of the examination with acknowledgement as desired by you.
Respectfully,
Calvin DeWitt
Lt. Col., Deputy Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
5174
-------
G-5-A.F.R.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad Company.
West Jersey & Seashore Railroad Company.
Littlestown, Pa Station,
April 27th 1901
Calvin DeWitt Esq
Dear Sir:
Noting yours April 25th, I send you by express this A.M. the embryo referred to therein. I am preparing a statement of details, which will be sworn to, by Isaiah Palmer and probably his wife also, who claim they positively saw this embryo, and accompanying matter, come from within the body of the chicken, claim there was connected to the umbillical [sic] cord (part of which remains connected to the embryo) at one end, a globe about the size of a huuled [sic] walnut, which on breaking the film, he found to contain matter resembling the white of an egg, next in order on the cord, was a mass of matter, which he describes as resembling fish eggs, then the animal, wholly, or partially enveloped in a sac, which when broken, also contained matter resembling the white of an egg, moved by curiosity, when he saw this unusual mass coming from the chicken, he proceeded to investigate, destroying, in his effort, what would probably have been invaluable in determining, what nourished this fo-etus, under apparently extraordinary conditions. [ed: whew!]
Mr Palmer has been closely questioned as to the possibility of his being mistaken on the matter, claims it is not a case wherein, this matter having been deposited by an animal as some place where the hen could set down on it while it was wet, and it having adhered to her feathers or body, afterward became loosed in his presence, and dropped from her, giving him the impression that it had emerged from her body. and as he is a plain unassuming man, with about as much education, as enables him to read and write, and whose reputation for veracity is good, and whose imagination is scarcely fertile enough to originate the above details.
Respectfully,
G.W. Fox Agent
---------
[Note in the file:]
April 29 1901.
This specimen is a mammal, apparently a new born kitten, and could not of course have come from a chicken.
D.S. Lamb
------
[Numbered correspondence 313]
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington, April 30, 1901.
Mr. Geo. W. Fox,
Littlestown, Pa.
Dear Sir:
The specimen sent by you has been received, and found to be a mammal, apparently a new-born kitten which, of course, could not have come from a chicken.
Thanking you for your courtesy in submitting the specimen, I remain
Very respectfully,
Calvin DeWitt
Lt. Col., Deputy Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
G-5-A.F.R.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad Company.
West Jersey & Seashore Railroad Company.
Littlestown, Pa Station,
April 23rd 1901
Supt, Army and Medical Museum.
Washington, D.C.
I secured today, and am holding for advice from you, an embryo specimen, that in my opinion is worthy of a place in your collection.
The story of the specimen is as follows. On my way home to supper this P.M. I met Mr Isaiah Palmer, a man who cleans locomotives for us at this station, and as we met he unrolled a piece of paper he had in in [sic] his hand, saying, “where do you think I got this,[“] at the same time exhibiting an animal embryo, I told him I had no idea, he continued, “What do you think of a chicken dropping a thing like this” I was examining it and found it was a perfectly formed embryo animal, complete in every detail. He then related its history.
He had noticed that for a day or two there was some tissue projecting from one of his hens, and he supposed that she had ruptured her egg bag, as it is commonly termed, he remarked to his wife that they might as well kill her, as she would probably die at any rate, but did not do so. This P.M. when feeding his chickens, he noticed that there was something unusual projecting from this hen, hanging by a slender cord, he caught the hen, puuled [sic] the projection away, and found it to be the embryo above referred to. As this was so unusual, he brought it with him to his work, and when I suggested preserving it and sending it to where it would be effectually appreciated, agreed with me. As a consequence I now have the specimen, preserved in alcohol, and will send it to you without any charge whatever, if you think the circumstances of the case justify its being added to your collection. Of course I can understand a collection of specimens, such as yours must be undoubtedly authentic, and the specimen I offer is so unusual that unless you can verify its history it will be of no value, coming as it does from persons who are not known to you, and who have no reputation in scientific matters, therefore if you are enough interested in the matter to subject it to thorough investigation, I will be glad to aid you in any possible manner.
You will understand the specimen is offered to your collection entirely free of expense, if you so desire I will prepay the express charges thereon to Washington, D.C. My only requirement is, that you will make an acknowledgement that specimen was sent you free of charge and that I did not ask, or receive any compensation therefore. This I want to show such parties that might be inclined to think, that I secured the specimen from Mr Palmer and sold it to museum, or collection.
Dr E.K. Foreman, a respectable physician of this place, assisted me in preparing the specimen, and is also of the opinion that it is worthy of a place in your collection, as he is the family physician of Mr Palmer, the man who furnished the specimen, has examined it, and firmly believes its history, as given by Mr Palmer. Of course some of the persons to whom I spoke on this subject, pronounced it as impossible, but a recollection of what I seen in your museum, when on a visit to Washington, a short time ago, leads me to think, there is almost nothing impossible, in the was [?] of unusual freaks of nature. and while I did not see this specimen taken from the hen, I firmly believe the man is telling the truth in the matter, as I cannot imagine what reason he would have for doing otherwise, and he is not the kind of man that would tell a story of this kind as a hoax.
Respectfully
Geo W Fox
Agent P.R.R.
----------
[296]
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington, April 25, 1901.
Mr. Geo. W. Fox,
Agent P. R.R.
Littlestown, Pa.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of the 23rd inst. in reference to a chicken embryo has been received. Please send the specimen in a box marked “Army Medical Museum, 7th & B streets, S.W., Washington, D.C.,” by express, charges to be paid at this Museum.
The specimen will be examined and you will be informed of the result of the examination with acknowledgement as desired by you.
Respectfully,
Calvin DeWitt
Lt. Col., Deputy Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
5174
-------
G-5-A.F.R.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad Company.
West Jersey & Seashore Railroad Company.
Littlestown, Pa Station,
April 27th 1901
Calvin DeWitt Esq
Dear Sir:
Noting yours April 25th, I send you by express this A.M. the embryo referred to therein. I am preparing a statement of details, which will be sworn to, by Isaiah Palmer and probably his wife also, who claim they positively saw this embryo, and accompanying matter, come from within the body of the chicken, claim there was connected to the umbillical [sic] cord (part of which remains connected to the embryo) at one end, a globe about the size of a huuled [sic] walnut, which on breaking the film, he found to contain matter resembling the white of an egg, next in order on the cord, was a mass of matter, which he describes as resembling fish eggs, then the animal, wholly, or partially enveloped in a sac, which when broken, also contained matter resembling the white of an egg, moved by curiosity, when he saw this unusual mass coming from the chicken, he proceeded to investigate, destroying, in his effort, what would probably have been invaluable in determining, what nourished this fo-etus, under apparently extraordinary conditions. [ed: whew!]
Mr Palmer has been closely questioned as to the possibility of his being mistaken on the matter, claims it is not a case wherein, this matter having been deposited by an animal as some place where the hen could set down on it while it was wet, and it having adhered to her feathers or body, afterward became loosed in his presence, and dropped from her, giving him the impression that it had emerged from her body. and as he is a plain unassuming man, with about as much education, as enables him to read and write, and whose reputation for veracity is good, and whose imagination is scarcely fertile enough to originate the above details.
Respectfully,
G.W. Fox Agent
---------
[Note in the file:]
April 29 1901.
This specimen is a mammal, apparently a new born kitten, and could not of course have come from a chicken.
D.S. Lamb
------
[Numbered correspondence 313]
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington, April 30, 1901.
Mr. Geo. W. Fox,
Littlestown, Pa.
Dear Sir:
The specimen sent by you has been received, and found to be a mammal, apparently a new-born kitten which, of course, could not have come from a chicken.
Thanking you for your courtesy in submitting the specimen, I remain
Very respectfully,
Calvin DeWitt
Lt. Col., Deputy Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
Letter of the day, April 23
This refers to a “cast of precocious development of the genitals of a boy aged 4 years” and I can't imagine any 4-year-old boy sitting still for that.
Dr. Ashford,
Office 1330 New York Avenue,
Residence 507 E St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
April 23 1872
My Dear Dr
Please accept my sincere thanks!
I send with the Bandage &c. a plaster cast taken by Dr. Thos. Miller and Dr R.K. Stone of the genital organs in a child 4 years old.
Yours truly,
FA Ashford
Dr Otis-
Army Med. Mus.
1056 Sec IV [Anatomical Section]
Dr. Ashford,
Office 1330 New York Avenue,
Residence 507 E St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
April 23 1872
My Dear Dr
Please accept my sincere thanks!
I send with the Bandage &c. a plaster cast taken by Dr. Thos. Miller and Dr R.K. Stone of the genital organs in a child 4 years old.
Yours truly,
FA Ashford
Dr Otis-
Army Med. Mus.
1056 Sec IV [Anatomical Section]
Plum Island, NY animal germ research facility, up for redevelopment
New Life for a Destination That Hannibal Lecter Once Chewed Over, By PETER APPLEBOME, New York Times April 21, 2010
Interesting article on informed consent and medical research
Tribe Wins Fight to Limit Research of Its DNA, By AMY HARMON, New York Times April 21, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
NMHM staff at American Association of the History for the Medicine meeting
Several of us will be attending the AAHM Annual Meeting this year:
James Curley, museum technician, historical collections - Vice-president of the Medical Museums Association
Alan Hawk, collections manager, historical collections
Michael Rhode, archivist - responder at MEMA Thurs afternoon session (I think) and speaking on "Cancer in Comics: No Laughing Matter" on May 1, Saturday, 2:15
Emily Wilson, museum technician, Human Developmental Anatomy collectiion - "The Monkey Colony at the Carnegie Institution of Washington’s Department of Embryology" on May 1, Saturday, at 10:45.
Any readers of the blog planning on being there?
James Curley, museum technician, historical collections - Vice-president of the Medical Museums Association
Alan Hawk, collections manager, historical collections
Michael Rhode, archivist - responder at MEMA Thurs afternoon session (I think) and speaking on "Cancer in Comics: No Laughing Matter" on May 1, Saturday, 2:15
Emily Wilson, museum technician, Human Developmental Anatomy collectiion - "The Monkey Colony at the Carnegie Institution of Washington’s Department of Embryology" on May 1, Saturday, at 10:45.
Any readers of the blog planning on being there?
Letter of the Day: April 22 - buying the Gibson collection
Medical Director’s office
First Military District, State of Virginia,
Richmond, Va., April 22nd 1868
Dear Doctor
I bought the Gibson Collection this morn for $1015. I gave the 15 additional over the sum authorized by the S.G. because I did not want to lose the collection for such a small sum + rather than it should be lost to the Army Museum would give the extra amt. myself. When there was added a collection of 25 or 30 calculi not on the catalogue and which I knew you wanted very much – some being very valuable + rare.
Gross was prepared to go to 750 himself + 250 for another party if it had been sold by lot or specimens. I will make a formal report to the Surgeon General tomorrow.
I have not received the list promised by the S.G. of such specimens most wanted + the price annexed.
Will write you again in a few days.
Yours truly,
John H. Janeway
Medical illustration exhibit in Rosslyn, VA
This article, and the accompanying exhibit of course, features longtime friend of the museum, medical illustrator Marie Dauenheimer.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042002256.html
In gross anatomy, Howard U.'s Ashraf Aziz sees nothing but grace
By David Montgomery
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 21, 2010; C01
Marie noted of the show – “The show features the work of about 10 different artists, and the work was created from or inspired by my cadaver dissections at Howard University-the works are by myself, AiW faculty and students, John Yanson, Will Dickinson and Robert Liberace.”
The exhibit information is:
ANATOMICAL ART: DISSECTION TO ILLUSTRATION
WHERE Art Institute of Washington Gallery (“Gallery 1820”)
1820 N. Fort Myer Drive, Street Level
Arlington, VA 22209
METRO Rosslyn (across street from rear entrance)
PARKING at meters: Free after 6:00pm.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Letter of the Day: April 21 - one half-barrel
U.S.A. General Hospital,
Beverly, N.J.,
April 21st 1865
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit herewith Express Co.’s receipt for one half-barrel containing Anatomical Specimens. Reports of both cases (amputation at the hip joint) were forwarded several days ago with the Quarterly Report of Surgical Operations, in which the cases from whom the specimens were obtained are represented by Hospital Numbers 665 & 1955.
Very respectfully
Your Obdt Servt
C. Wagner,
Asst Surgeon USA
Comdg Hospital
To
Curator of the Army Med Museum
Surgeon General’s Office
Washington DC
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Accession of the day, April 20
A.M.M. No. 10368
Pathological Section
Gawler, Albert
Washington, D.C.
April 20, 1892.
Head, neck and about ten feet of links of tapeworm, taenia mediocanellata. Passed by contributor after twice fasting 24 hours and after each fasting taking a medicine, the composition of which was not known to him. The head was passed after the second fasting.
Pathological Section
Gawler, Albert
Washington, D.C.
April 20, 1892.
Head, neck and about ten feet of links of tapeworm, taenia mediocanellata. Passed by contributor after twice fasting 24 hours and after each fasting taking a medicine, the composition of which was not known to him. The head was passed after the second fasting.
Letter of the day, April 20
Fort Yellowstone, Wyoming
April 20, 1908.
The Curator,
Army Medical Museum
Washington, D.C.
Sir:-
I have the honor to report forwarding under separate cover, this date, a well preserved specimen of a common species of caterpillar passed in the stool of a healthy 13 months male child at this station on October 6, 1907.
Interest attaches chiefly to the fact that the worm was so little affected by the processes of digestion in transit, being only slightly decolorized and divested of its coat of hairs. It was flattened and slightly macerated when it appeared in the commode but at once was restored to its normal symmetry upon placing it in the alcohol preservative.
This is the second worm passed by the child, the first having been passed on October 5 but thrown away by the mother after exciting momentary curiosity. Upon passing the second the mother brought it to me for examination and advice.
The only noticeable effect upon the health of the child was a slight diarrhea and sufficient digestive disturbance to cause disinclination for food during the time the larvae were in the digestive tract, there being a speedy and permanent return to normal conditions following expulsion of worms.
Very respectfully,
J.M. Wheate
Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army
April 20, 1908.
The Curator,
Army Medical Museum
Washington, D.C.
Sir:-
I have the honor to report forwarding under separate cover, this date, a well preserved specimen of a common species of caterpillar passed in the stool of a healthy 13 months male child at this station on October 6, 1907.
Interest attaches chiefly to the fact that the worm was so little affected by the processes of digestion in transit, being only slightly decolorized and divested of its coat of hairs. It was flattened and slightly macerated when it appeared in the commode but at once was restored to its normal symmetry upon placing it in the alcohol preservative.
This is the second worm passed by the child, the first having been passed on October 5 but thrown away by the mother after exciting momentary curiosity. Upon passing the second the mother brought it to me for examination and advice.
The only noticeable effect upon the health of the child was a slight diarrhea and sufficient digestive disturbance to cause disinclination for food during the time the larvae were in the digestive tract, there being a speedy and permanent return to normal conditions following expulsion of worms.
Very respectfully,
J.M. Wheate
Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army
Monday, April 19, 2010
Letter of the Day: April 19 - photographer job?
Office Sergeant-at-Arms,
House of Representatives U.S.,
Washington, D.C., April 19, 1888
Dr. Billings –
Dear Sir –
Mr. E.J. Taylor, a photographer, is anxious to obtain the position Assistant Photographer in the Museum.
Mr. Taylor is recommended to me, by personal friends, as an expert in his profession, and if you can possibly help him I wish you would do so – I should be glad [to] hear from you as to the prospect of his success.
Respectfully,
W.H.F. Lee
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Letter of the Day: April 18 - Birds?
Mearns House,
Highland Falls, N.Y.
Office of Edgar A. Mearns, M.D.
Wednesday, April 18th, 1883
Sir:
I am desirous of learning something of the character of Army Medical Museum, at Washington, D.C.
I am about to enter the service as Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army; and, as I have several thousands of bird-skins, birds’ eggs, reptiles, batrachians, fishes, mammals, a botanical collection, etc. in my collection, which I have gotten together with great expense and labor, I think some of making a donation to the Museum, but would like, first, to learn something of the Museum, its objects, the kind of objects which it desires, and the disposal made of them.
I have, also, a small series of Botanical specimens representing the plants useful in medicine and which have toxic effects, belonging to the Flora of this region.
Please inform me, and greatly oblige.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
Edgar A. Mearns
To the Curator of the Army Medical Museum,
Washington, D.C.
Highland Falls, N.Y.
Office of Edgar A. Mearns, M.D.
Wednesday, April 18th, 1883
Sir:
I am desirous of learning something of the character of Army Medical Museum, at Washington, D.C.
I am about to enter the service as Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army; and, as I have several thousands of bird-skins, birds’ eggs, reptiles, batrachians, fishes, mammals, a botanical collection, etc. in my collection, which I have gotten together with great expense and labor, I think some of making a donation to the Museum, but would like, first, to learn something of the Museum, its objects, the kind of objects which it desires, and the disposal made of them.
I have, also, a small series of Botanical specimens representing the plants useful in medicine and which have toxic effects, belonging to the Flora of this region.
Please inform me, and greatly oblige.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
Edgar A. Mearns
To the Curator of the Army Medical Museum,
Washington, D.C.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Letter of the Day: April 17 - North Pole expedition
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1418
1st Endorsement.
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office
April 17, 1896.
Respectfully referred to Lieut. Col. D. L. Huntington, Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army, in charge of Museum and Library Division, for his action, in connection with previous papers in the case.
Geo. M. Sternberg
Surgeon General, U.S. Army
--
To the Minister of the United States of America
Mr. Thomas S. Ferguson
Dear Sir!
In answer to your request for the particulars of the medical equipment of the “Andrees Polarexpedition 1896” I respectfully beg to communicate to you the following:
In furnishing this medical outfit I had to consider two circumstances.
First, -the extent of the whole must be as limited as possible. Secondly, - the packing must [be] strong enough to stand jolting and water. For this purpose, I suppose it would have been most practical to have india-rubber vessels, but such articles are not manufactured in Sweden, and it would be very difficult to order them from abroad.
It was also requested that no object of metal should be used, Mr. Andree desiring to avoid metals wherever possible.
On this account no comparison can be made with the very nice medicine cases, (of American and English manufacture) provided for instance by Mssrs Burroughs Welcome & Co, London which are so highly approved by Stanley and Dr. Parker.
All the pharmaceutical preparations are with two or three exceptions in a dry form such as gelatin and tabloids.
For drawing up the schedule care has been taken to provide for the diseases occurring in earlier Swedish expeditions to Polar regions.
The medicines which are in small doses, are made up in gelatine, a form of medicinal preparations, invented many years ago by General direktor Almen, and is of a very practical nature, as a cover the size of a common envelope, can hold many hundreds doses. They are used in Sweden for such preparations as laudanum, morphia, and quinine, they are usually kept in their coatings, in this case, they have been put into glass tubes.
The rest of the medicines are in tabloids previously mentioned and which are also manufactures in Sweden.
Tabloids containing poisonous drugs are in addition enveloped in very thin paper to prevent them getting broken, it being impossible to use such tabloids unless they are in a perfectly whole collection.
The method for preserving and packing the medicine is as follows.
The gelatives and tabloids are put into tubes of thick glass, with corks especially cutted and prepared to resist damp and water. The labels are also prepared in a similar manner.
Each label is also supplied with a number – which is also given in the little book containing a list of the medicines, - and also the name of the expedition, the name of preparation and the dose to be taken, and finally the names of the diseases for which it is used, which are also given in the book above mentioned, in alphabetical order together with short advice given by the physician as to their treatment and the medicine to be employed.
Each of the glass tubes is fitted into a wooden case (turned?) lined inside with india rubber and cotton wool, a band of india rubber being fixed outside and finally the outside of the case is marked with the same numbers as the glass tube, and is burnt into the wood.
By this arrangement the most important medicines can be carried without further trouble as regards packing, in the event of a journey by sleigh, when everything in the way of baggage must be reduced to a minimum.
The whole collection is then packed in an air and water tight box of wood and india rubber, stamped on the outside with the name “Polarexpedition Andrees 1896,” the word “medicine” and the weight.
Respecting the above mentioned catalogue I herewith beg to enclose a leaf as a typical example of the whole.*
I am Sir yours very respectfully
C.F. Lundberg
Examined Apothecary
Hopapotcket Lejonet
Stockholm 31 Mar 1896
*Filed in a separate envelope
1st Endorsement.
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office
April 17, 1896.
Respectfully referred to Lieut. Col. D. L. Huntington, Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army, in charge of Museum and Library Division, for his action, in connection with previous papers in the case.
Geo. M. Sternberg
Surgeon General, U.S. Army
--
To the Minister of the United States of America
Mr. Thomas S. Ferguson
Dear Sir!
In answer to your request for the particulars of the medical equipment of the “Andrees Polarexpedition 1896” I respectfully beg to communicate to you the following:
In furnishing this medical outfit I had to consider two circumstances.
First, -the extent of the whole must be as limited as possible. Secondly, - the packing must [be] strong enough to stand jolting and water. For this purpose, I suppose it would have been most practical to have india-rubber vessels, but such articles are not manufactured in Sweden, and it would be very difficult to order them from abroad.
It was also requested that no object of metal should be used, Mr. Andree desiring to avoid metals wherever possible.
On this account no comparison can be made with the very nice medicine cases, (of American and English manufacture) provided for instance by Mssrs Burroughs Welcome & Co, London which are so highly approved by Stanley and Dr. Parker.
All the pharmaceutical preparations are with two or three exceptions in a dry form such as gelatin and tabloids.
For drawing up the schedule care has been taken to provide for the diseases occurring in earlier Swedish expeditions to Polar regions.
The medicines which are in small doses, are made up in gelatine, a form of medicinal preparations, invented many years ago by General direktor Almen, and is of a very practical nature, as a cover the size of a common envelope, can hold many hundreds doses. They are used in Sweden for such preparations as laudanum, morphia, and quinine, they are usually kept in their coatings, in this case, they have been put into glass tubes.
The rest of the medicines are in tabloids previously mentioned and which are also manufactures in Sweden.
Tabloids containing poisonous drugs are in addition enveloped in very thin paper to prevent them getting broken, it being impossible to use such tabloids unless they are in a perfectly whole collection.
The method for preserving and packing the medicine is as follows.
The gelatives and tabloids are put into tubes of thick glass, with corks especially cutted and prepared to resist damp and water. The labels are also prepared in a similar manner.
Each label is also supplied with a number – which is also given in the little book containing a list of the medicines, - and also the name of the expedition, the name of preparation and the dose to be taken, and finally the names of the diseases for which it is used, which are also given in the book above mentioned, in alphabetical order together with short advice given by the physician as to their treatment and the medicine to be employed.
Each of the glass tubes is fitted into a wooden case (turned?) lined inside with india rubber and cotton wool, a band of india rubber being fixed outside and finally the outside of the case is marked with the same numbers as the glass tube, and is burnt into the wood.
By this arrangement the most important medicines can be carried without further trouble as regards packing, in the event of a journey by sleigh, when everything in the way of baggage must be reduced to a minimum.
The whole collection is then packed in an air and water tight box of wood and india rubber, stamped on the outside with the name “Polarexpedition Andrees 1896,” the word “medicine” and the weight.
Respecting the above mentioned catalogue I herewith beg to enclose a leaf as a typical example of the whole.*
I am Sir yours very respectfully
C.F. Lundberg
Examined Apothecary
Hopapotcket Lejonet
Stockholm 31 Mar 1896
*Filed in a separate envelope
Friday, April 16, 2010
Letter of the Day: April 16
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D.C., April 16, 1885
Dear Sir:
We are in receipt every few days from various menageries and zoological gardens, of animals that have died of some disease; some of them sent with the understanding that a report will be made of the causes of death. Learning from you that you propose to make a collection of soft parts of animals for the purposes of comparative anatomical study, I beg to say that it will give me much pleasure to transfer the carcasses, as they come to hand, to the Army Medical Museum, if you will cause to be furnished on each occasion a report of the post mortem, for transmission to the donors. I understand that the Museum is making preparations for permanent presentations of specimens to illustrate the comparative anatomy of various organs, and in this event the National Museum will abandon its previous intention of making such collection; and will turn over a large amount of material already in store, as it is not desirable to have a duplicate.
Respectfully,
Spencer Baird
Dr. J. S. Billings,
Army Medical Museum,
Washington
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Unexploded Ordinance In the Head
This happens often enough
see the full
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/15/unexploded.shell.head.afghanistan/index.html?hpt=T2
"The projectile was part of the bomb that went off," explained Maj. John Bini, who oversees all trauma care at Bagram. "People will pack just about anything in to these things: rocks, nails, screws, explosives."
Bini and his team immediately summoned an explosive ordnance disposal team to assess how risky it would be to conduct the surgery. The doctors needed to minimize the risk of setting off the ordinance.
They were told not to drop the explosive, prick it with a scalpel or let it be exposed to any electricity.
"We knew that any electrical current possibly could cause detonation."
Almost a dime a dozen
I just came across this record in our accession files:
Harper's Ferry and Whitney 54 caliber rifle, circa 1851. Heavy steel barrel; Muzzle loader; Fine barrel; Brass hands and mountings; Brass butt plate; Patch box or place cut in butt stock to hold cleaning rag or caps; Brass cover with spring; Percussion lock. Bannerman Purchase. Sent to Smithsonian Institution 09/06/1950.
It was bought in 1912 for $2.50.
Harper's Ferry and Whitney 54 caliber rifle, circa 1851. Heavy steel barrel; Muzzle loader; Fine barrel; Brass hands and mountings; Brass butt plate; Patch box or place cut in butt stock to hold cleaning rag or caps; Brass cover with spring; Percussion lock. Bannerman Purchase. Sent to Smithsonian Institution 09/06/1950.
It was bought in 1912 for $2.50.
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