Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Internets are amazing
When we post a letter of the day, we create a catalog record and link the author and recipient to the record. That gives us a fighting chance of finding that letter again. Just now, as I was creating the record for today's letter, I had a choice of several Reynolds and didn't know which one I should choose (one record had just the last name and another had just C. Reynolds). So I googled. Incredibly, when I googled C.R. Reynolds, the post I'd made 17 minutes before was the third hit on the first page. I love technology.
Letter of the day, May 4
We have several exchanges between Mrs. Lyon and the Museum scheduled for November, so check back for them.
This is the same J.E. Ash who made the comment about "bottled monsters," where we got our blog's name.
Noble J. Gregory
Member of Congress
First Kentucky District
Home Address:
Mayfield, Kentucky
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
May 4, 1939
Colonel James E. Ash,
Curator, Army Medical Museum,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Colonel Ash:
On display in your museum you have the bodies of five babies, and the placard by these bodies merely gives the date of their birth.
For your information, these babies were born in my home town of Mayfield, Kentucky, on April 29, 1896, to Mrs. Elizabeth Lyon, who is now a resident of Kevil, Kentucky, and who is eighty-two years of age. These boys were named Matthew, Mark, Luke, James and John. It strikes me that proper recognition should be given in this instance, and it is my suggestion that a placard be placed with these bodies giving the facts which I have above outlined.
I am sending you herewith two newspaper clippings recently appearing in the Mayfield, Kentucky, Messenger giving additional facts pertinent to this case.
I will appreciate your reaction to my suggestion, and if you desire further or more complete information before giving recognition as is due, I will be glad to secure the information for you.
Sincerely yours,
N.J. Gregory
NJC-cl
And the reply:
War Department
Office of the Surgeon General
Washington
May 8, 1939
Honorable Noble J. Gregory
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Gregory:
My assistant, Lt. Col. J.E. Ash, Curator of the Army Medical Museum, has furnished me with the enclosed photostat copy of the caption that is at present in the case with the “Mayfield Quintuplets” and a photostat copy of a letter from the then Curator of the Museum to Mrs. Lyon, in which you will note it was promised the specimen would simply be numbered. It is contrary to the policy to use names on specimens at the Museum, particularly when they are from persons still alive. The effort is made to maintain as high a scientific atmosphere as possible at the Museum and to keep the exhibits as impersonal as practicable.
I appreciate your interest in this particular “specimen” and thank you for the recent clippings. We are particularly glad to learn that Mrs. Lyon is still living. You might be interested to know that she visited the Museum during her trip to Canada in 1934 to see the Dionne Quintuplets.
In response to your suggestions, Colonel Ash has prepared a new caption, a copy of which is also enclosed, in which you will note that the name of the town has been added and also the interesting point about the babies’ names. According to our file, the fifth name was Paul instead of James. We still feel it would be well to adhere to our policy of omitting Mrs. Lyon’s name.
Sincerely,
C.R. Reynolds,
Major General, U.S. Army,
The Surgeon General.
Encls:
1. Present caption.
2. Ltr 2/25/16 from A.M.M. to Mrs. Lyon.
3. New caption.
This is the same J.E. Ash who made the comment about "bottled monsters," where we got our blog's name.
Noble J. Gregory
Member of Congress
First Kentucky District
Home Address:
Mayfield, Kentucky
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
May 4, 1939
Colonel James E. Ash,
Curator, Army Medical Museum,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Colonel Ash:
On display in your museum you have the bodies of five babies, and the placard by these bodies merely gives the date of their birth.
For your information, these babies were born in my home town of Mayfield, Kentucky, on April 29, 1896, to Mrs. Elizabeth Lyon, who is now a resident of Kevil, Kentucky, and who is eighty-two years of age. These boys were named Matthew, Mark, Luke, James and John. It strikes me that proper recognition should be given in this instance, and it is my suggestion that a placard be placed with these bodies giving the facts which I have above outlined.
I am sending you herewith two newspaper clippings recently appearing in the Mayfield, Kentucky, Messenger giving additional facts pertinent to this case.
I will appreciate your reaction to my suggestion, and if you desire further or more complete information before giving recognition as is due, I will be glad to secure the information for you.
Sincerely yours,
N.J. Gregory
NJC-cl
And the reply:
War Department
Office of the Surgeon General
Washington
May 8, 1939
Honorable Noble J. Gregory
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Gregory:
My assistant, Lt. Col. J.E. Ash, Curator of the Army Medical Museum, has furnished me with the enclosed photostat copy of the caption that is at present in the case with the “Mayfield Quintuplets” and a photostat copy of a letter from the then Curator of the Museum to Mrs. Lyon, in which you will note it was promised the specimen would simply be numbered. It is contrary to the policy to use names on specimens at the Museum, particularly when they are from persons still alive. The effort is made to maintain as high a scientific atmosphere as possible at the Museum and to keep the exhibits as impersonal as practicable.
I appreciate your interest in this particular “specimen” and thank you for the recent clippings. We are particularly glad to learn that Mrs. Lyon is still living. You might be interested to know that she visited the Museum during her trip to Canada in 1934 to see the Dionne Quintuplets.
In response to your suggestions, Colonel Ash has prepared a new caption, a copy of which is also enclosed, in which you will note that the name of the town has been added and also the interesting point about the babies’ names. According to our file, the fifth name was Paul instead of James. We still feel it would be well to adhere to our policy of omitting Mrs. Lyon’s name.
Sincerely,
C.R. Reynolds,
Major General, U.S. Army,
The Surgeon General.
Encls:
1. Present caption.
2. Ltr 2/25/16 from A.M.M. to Mrs. Lyon.
3. New caption.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Letter of the Day: May 3 - CSI Medical Museum
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1457
Headquarters of the Metropolitan Police,
District of Columbia,
Washington, May 3rd. 1896
Dr. Walter Reed,
Surgeon, U.S.A.
Army Medical Museum
Dear Sir:-
This department has under arrest a colored man named Noah Warner on suspicion of being concerned in the murder of John W. Hall April 7th last. On one of the shoes take off Warner are stains which are thought to be blood. Learning that you are an eminent expert in analyzing blood, I would ask, if I am not trespassing on your time and generosity, that you will kindly make an analysis of the stains on this shoe and advise me of the result. As early a reply as is compatible with your other duties will be greatly appreciated by
Yours very respectfully,
W.G. Moore
Major & Sup’t. Met. Police
Headquarters of the Metropolitan Police,
District of Columbia,
Washington, May 3rd. 1896
Dr. Walter Reed,
Surgeon, U.S.A.
Army Medical Museum
Dear Sir:-
This department has under arrest a colored man named Noah Warner on suspicion of being concerned in the murder of John W. Hall April 7th last. On one of the shoes take off Warner are stains which are thought to be blood. Learning that you are an eminent expert in analyzing blood, I would ask, if I am not trespassing on your time and generosity, that you will kindly make an analysis of the stains on this shoe and advise me of the result. As early a reply as is compatible with your other duties will be greatly appreciated by
Yours very respectfully,
W.G. Moore
Major & Sup’t. Met. Police
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Ceremony for Wounded in Action Exhibit at the Russell Senate Bldg Washington D.C.
was very successful thanks to all involved.
Letter of the Day: May 2 - Smithsonian crania collection
Smithsonian Institution
Washington May 2, 1868
Dear Sir:
In compliance with the desire expressed by you to acquire some of the duplicate crania of the Smithsonian collection for the Army Medical Museum, I take much pleasure in transmitting the specimens mentioned in the accompanying invoice, and hope they will be found to constitute an important addition to the collection under your charge.
Very respectfully
Your obt servt
Joseph Henry
Secy, S.I.
Dr. Otis
Army Med. Mus.
Washn.
Washington May 2, 1868
Dear Sir:
In compliance with the desire expressed by you to acquire some of the duplicate crania of the Smithsonian collection for the Army Medical Museum, I take much pleasure in transmitting the specimens mentioned in the accompanying invoice, and hope they will be found to constitute an important addition to the collection under your charge.
Very respectfully
Your obt servt
Joseph Henry
Secy, S.I.
Dr. Otis
Army Med. Mus.
Washn.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Letter of the day, May 1
Sometimes these letters are surreal; we don't know the context or they seem like stream-of-consciousness ramblings. I had to read this one several times to realize he was talking about different topics when I thought he referred to the same topic all the way through, because he didn't believe in paragraphs.
This letter and the one posted on April 22 refer to the Gibson Collection in our Anatomical Collections: 229 pathological skeletal specimens. A collection of pathological skeletal specimens from the cabinet of Philadelphia physician William Gibson (1788-1868) purchased by the Army Medical Museum in 1868 from the widow of his son, Dr. Charles Bell Gibson of Richmond, VA. Documentation is poor. Contains a cranium with a gunshot wound collected from the Battle of Waterloo.
Richmond Va
May 1st 1868
Dear Doctor
Enclosed please find Packers List of 5 boxes – being the last of the Gibson Cabinet. I am glad that it is done. I superintended the whole packing & did a good deal of packing myself. I think that when the bill goes in you will be surprised at the small amt. it cost here to do it. I got a young M.D. very poor to help me & would like to know about how much I should give him[,] he working faithfully 3 1/2 days. The wax was packed by an adept[?] – so called. I am fearful that the number called for on the catalogue will not hold out. 1 leather preparation is also missing the bones moreover & so [illegible] pictures. I will send you tomorrow a box containing a splendid specimen of Encephaloid of the lower jaw – I thought that it would be best to send the entire head & part of the neck as it would show better in that way the size &c & if you think well of it, have it mounted entire in a large jar – Dr Brower kindly let me have it – he is in charge of the Ft. Hospital & will furnish me with a history of the case tomorrow. In regard to those calculi I don’t think that I can get any history of them – if I recollect aright that one with a needle is described in Gibsons Surgery[.] MaGuire [sic] received his calculi &c all safe this morning – I went out with him yesterday to Howard Grove Hospital where he ligated the abdominal aorta. Upon cutting down he found that the aneurism embraced the whole of the [illegible] Illiac & impinged upon the aorta whilst trying to find out the whole extent it suddenly burst & cooly compressing the aorta above he succeeded in throwing a ligature around it about 1 [1/2?] inches above the bifurcation. The man lived nearly 11 hours. This morning we went out & made a P.M. [post-mortem] The sack was very large & the aorta much diseased where tied & above also. I wanted to get the specimen & send it on at once but DeLamater the chief of the Ft[?] bureau here gave Dr Brower positive orders this morning that no specimen should be sent to Washington unless it went through his office. For which I thank him very much as I have watched the case for three weeks in order to get it. I know exactly what will be the result he will probably send 2 or 3 things on & then that will be the end of it.
Get me a positive order to get these pathological specimens & I can [allude?] to them.
I am afraid that you will get very tired of my numerous notes
Yours truly
[John] Janeway
Dr Simmons wished me to say that business of a private nature prevented his returning to Washington, but that he will call on you when he goes there again
This letter and the one posted on April 22 refer to the Gibson Collection in our Anatomical Collections: 229 pathological skeletal specimens. A collection of pathological skeletal specimens from the cabinet of Philadelphia physician William Gibson (1788-1868) purchased by the Army Medical Museum in 1868 from the widow of his son, Dr. Charles Bell Gibson of Richmond, VA. Documentation is poor. Contains a cranium with a gunshot wound collected from the Battle of Waterloo.
Richmond Va
May 1st 1868
Dear Doctor
Enclosed please find Packers List of 5 boxes – being the last of the Gibson Cabinet. I am glad that it is done. I superintended the whole packing & did a good deal of packing myself. I think that when the bill goes in you will be surprised at the small amt. it cost here to do it. I got a young M.D. very poor to help me & would like to know about how much I should give him[,] he working faithfully 3 1/2 days. The wax was packed by an adept[?] – so called. I am fearful that the number called for on the catalogue will not hold out. 1 leather preparation is also missing the bones moreover & so [illegible] pictures. I will send you tomorrow a box containing a splendid specimen of Encephaloid of the lower jaw – I thought that it would be best to send the entire head & part of the neck as it would show better in that way the size &c & if you think well of it, have it mounted entire in a large jar – Dr Brower kindly let me have it – he is in charge of the Ft. Hospital & will furnish me with a history of the case tomorrow. In regard to those calculi I don’t think that I can get any history of them – if I recollect aright that one with a needle is described in Gibsons Surgery[.] MaGuire [sic] received his calculi &c all safe this morning – I went out with him yesterday to Howard Grove Hospital where he ligated the abdominal aorta. Upon cutting down he found that the aneurism embraced the whole of the [illegible] Illiac & impinged upon the aorta whilst trying to find out the whole extent it suddenly burst & cooly compressing the aorta above he succeeded in throwing a ligature around it about 1 [1/2?] inches above the bifurcation. The man lived nearly 11 hours. This morning we went out & made a P.M. [post-mortem] The sack was very large & the aorta much diseased where tied & above also. I wanted to get the specimen & send it on at once but DeLamater the chief of the Ft[?] bureau here gave Dr Brower positive orders this morning that no specimen should be sent to Washington unless it went through his office. For which I thank him very much as I have watched the case for three weeks in order to get it. I know exactly what will be the result he will probably send 2 or 3 things on & then that will be the end of it.
Get me a positive order to get these pathological specimens & I can [allude?] to them.
I am afraid that you will get very tired of my numerous notes
Yours truly
[John] Janeway
Dr Simmons wished me to say that business of a private nature prevented his returning to Washington, but that he will call on you when he goes there again
Friday, April 30, 2010
At Observatory in Brooklyn
If you're in the neighborhood, Joanna Ebenstein of Morbid Anatomy is hosting Three Unique Medical Museums in Northern Italy tomorrow night. $5 for great entertainment in New York? What a bargain. Go.
The beauty of medical illustration
We have a respectable amount of medical illustrations in various collections and when you see a good one, not only are you given a special behind-the-scenes tour of anatomy, you're witnessing fine art.
One of our posts on Civil War photography was recently featured on the blog The Sterile Eye, and I came across this post that features the incredible work of Jan van Rymsdyk, an 18th century illustrator. Take a look. They're breathtakingly beautiful.
One of our posts on Civil War photography was recently featured on the blog The Sterile Eye, and I came across this post that features the incredible work of Jan van Rymsdyk, an 18th century illustrator. Take a look. They're breathtakingly beautiful.
Letter of the day, April 30
Filling out his time card:
[Numbered Correspondence 5185]
Subject: Station & Duty.
War Department,
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington April 30, 1901.
TO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL,
U.S. Army.
General:
I have the honor to report that during the month of April 1901, I have been on duty in the Surgeon General's Office as Curator of the Army Medical Museum in accordance with Par. 2 S.O. No.153, Hdqrs. of the Army, A.G.O., Washington, July 7, 1893.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed,
Major & Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator Army Med. Museum.
[Numbered Correspondence 5185]
Subject: Station & Duty.
War Department,
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington April 30, 1901.
TO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL,
U.S. Army.
General:
I have the honor to report that during the month of April 1901, I have been on duty in the Surgeon General's Office as Curator of the Army Medical Museum in accordance with Par. 2 S.O. No.153, Hdqrs. of the Army, A.G.O., Washington, July 7, 1893.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed,
Major & Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator Army Med. Museum.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
AAHM Special, Continued
More photos from our collection. These guys got some medals!
The Bronze Medal of the Interstate Postgraduate Medical Association Of North America presented to William J. Mayo. NCP 1086:
The Bronze Medal of the Interstate Postgraduate Medical Association Of North America presented to William J. Mayo. NCP 1086:
Henry Jacob Bigelow Medal presented to Dr. William J. Mayo. NCP 1085:
The Finlay Congressional Distinguished Service Medal of the Republic of Cuba awarded to Dr. W.J. Mayo in January 1929. NCP 1088:
Cross of Knight Commander of the Royal Order of the Crown of Italy presented to the Mayo brothers. NCP 1089:
Medal of the American Medical Association presented to William James Mayo. NCP 1090:
Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Col. William J. Mayo. NCP 1091:
Medal Presented to Brigadier General W.J. Mayo, Inactive Section, O.R.C., U.S. Army, October 14, 1938, by the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States in Recognition of His Loyal Support of the National Defense Program. [One also awarded to Charles Mayo, NCP 1099.] NCP 1092:
Gold Medal of the National Institute of Social Sciences presented to Dr. William J. Mayo. NCP 1093:
Medal of the Minnesota State Medical Association awarded to William James Mayo. NCP 1094:
Medal of the Minnesota State Medical Association awarded to Charles Horace Mayo. NCP 1095:
Bronze medal of the Interstate Postgraduate Medical Association of North America presented to Dr. Charles Horace Mayo. NCP 1096:
Insignia of Corresponding Foreign Membership in the Mexican Academy Of Surgery, Dr. Charles H. Mayo, June 1936. Insignia of Honorary Membership in the Mexican National Academy Of Medicine, Dr. Charles H. Mayo, January 1932. NCP 1097:
Insignia of Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor Of France, awarded to Dr. Charles H. Mayo by the President of the Republic of France October 28, 1925. NCP 1098:
Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Colonel Charles H. Mayo. NCP 1100:
Medal of the American Medical Association awarded to Charles Horace Mayo. NCP 1101:
Medal of Instituto Medico Valenciano presented to Dr. Charles Mayo. NCP 1102:
Unidentified Medal presumably awarded to the Mayo Brothers. NCP 1103:
AAHM special - Mayo pictures
Some of us are at the Mayo Clinic presenting papers for this year's American Associations for the History of Medicine meetings. In honor of our hosts, here's the start of some pictures we have related to the Mayo Brothers.
Major William Mayo, Medical Corps. World War 1. (Reeve 972-2)
The Finlay Congressional Distinguished Service Medal of the Republic of
Cuba awarded to Dr. W.J. Mayo in January 1929. (NCP 1088)
Major William Mayo, Medical Corps. World War 1. (Reeve 972-2)The Finlay Congressional Distinguished Service Medal of the Republic of
Cuba awarded to Dr. W.J. Mayo in January 1929. (NCP 1088)
Letter of the Day: April 29 - Census
Eleventh Census of the United States
Department of the Interior,
Census Office,
Washington, D.C., April 29, 1889
Sir:
By direction of the Superintendent of Census, Miss Sara E. Nolan, of the District of Columbia, a computer in this office, will report to you for duty on Wednesday morning, May 1.
Please report Miss Nolan's time to the Superintendent monthly.
Very respectfully,
J.H. Wardle,
Acting Chief Clerk
Dr. John S. Billings
In Charge
Mortality and Vital Statitics, Eleventh Census
City
Department of the Interior,
Census Office,
Washington, D.C., April 29, 1889
Sir:
By direction of the Superintendent of Census, Miss Sara E. Nolan, of the District of Columbia, a computer in this office, will report to you for duty on Wednesday morning, May 1.
Please report Miss Nolan's time to the Superintendent monthly.
Very respectfully,
J.H. Wardle,
Acting Chief Clerk
Dr. John S. Billings
In Charge
Mortality and Vital Statitics, Eleventh Census
City
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
More "letterhead" from the collection
I'm captivated by the different fonts down the page. Isn't that beautiful?
Higher resolution and a larger size available over on flickr.
Letter of the Day: April 28 - parasitic worms
Philadelphia
1302 Fillnut St.
April 28, 1886
Dear Dr. Billings,
About a year ago you wrote to me proposing to send to me for identification some specimens of entozoa in the Army Medical Museum. If you will now at your convenience have the collection sent to the following address, at my leisure, I will examine the speciments and in due time report therein.
Sincerely yours,
Joseph Leidy
Address
Prof. Joseph Leidy
Biological Dept University of Pennsylvania
West Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pa
1302 Fillnut St.
April 28, 1886
Dear Dr. Billings,
About a year ago you wrote to me proposing to send to me for identification some specimens of entozoa in the Army Medical Museum. If you will now at your convenience have the collection sent to the following address, at my leisure, I will examine the speciments and in due time report therein.
Sincerely yours,
Joseph Leidy
Address
Prof. Joseph Leidy
Biological Dept University of Pennsylvania
West Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pa
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