Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 00269
October 29, 1894
Mr. William Snowden,
1107 Walnut St.,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Dear Sir:
If you have an illustration or description of the Reeve's flexible stretcher, will you have the kindness to send me a copy.
This Museum has a number of stretchers of different patterns, and should you desire to donate a sample of the Reeve's stretcher I shall be pleased to place it on exhibition in this collection, giving you due credit as donor.
Very respectfully,
J.S. Billings
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Letter of the Day: October 28
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 00985
October 28, 1895
Dr. Charles G. Stone
Brightwood, D.C.
Dear Doctor:
About three weeks ago I sent a messenger, as requested by you, to procure water from Mrs. Page's well at Takoma Park. The water was received in two sterilized flasks, and brought at once to the Laboratory, where it was not only promptly plated, but ten different specimens of the water were subjected to Parietti's test for the typhoid organism. Since that time we have carefully followed out the identification of all colonies appearing; and I am compelled to report to you that this examination not only does not show the presence of any typhoid bacilli, but we have not perceived any colonies of colon bacilli.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator.
October 28, 1895
Dr. Charles G. Stone
Brightwood, D.C.
Dear Doctor:
About three weeks ago I sent a messenger, as requested by you, to procure water from Mrs. Page's well at Takoma Park. The water was received in two sterilized flasks, and brought at once to the Laboratory, where it was not only promptly plated, but ten different specimens of the water were subjected to Parietti's test for the typhoid organism. Since that time we have carefully followed out the identification of all colonies appearing; and I am compelled to report to you that this examination not only does not show the presence of any typhoid bacilli, but we have not perceived any colonies of colon bacilli.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Letter of the Day: October 27
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1766
October 27, 1896
Captain W. C. Gorgas
Assistant Surgeon, U. S. Army,
Fort Barrancas, Florida
Dear Doctor:
The sputa of the two patients, Mr. and Mrs. Diffin, forwarded by you on October 21st, has been received and examined, and tubercle bacilli found in both specimens.
Slides have been forwarded to you as requested, by mail, under separate cover.
Very sincerely yours,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator
October 27, 1896
Captain W. C. Gorgas
Assistant Surgeon, U. S. Army,
Fort Barrancas, Florida
Dear Doctor:
The sputa of the two patients, Mr. and Mrs. Diffin, forwarded by you on October 21st, has been received and examined, and tubercle bacilli found in both specimens.
Slides have been forwarded to you as requested, by mail, under separate cover.
Very sincerely yours,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Letter of the Day: October 26
Department of the Interior
Census Office
Washington, D.C.
October 26, 1891
Dear Sir:
In response to your verbal request, I beg leave to say that the figures given below, representing the total number of veterans returned to this office for the country at large, and for the states of Ohio and Massachusetts, are somewhat better than an approximation. For all practical purposes they are accurate, the actual number probably being slightly in the excess.
Veterans of Civil War returned for United States, 1,076,162
" " " " " " Ohio, 106,328
'' " " " " " Massachusetts, 39, 996
With reference to your inquiry as to what would be shown in regard to families and dwellings, I omitted to say that in addition to showing them in detail by wards of the one hundred and twenty-four (124) principal cities, --or down to the limit of twenty-five thousand (25,000),--and countries, they will be shown for the totals of cities of eight thousand (8,000) or more inhabitants. This is now the intention and the plan will not be altered materially.
For those cities which we are furnishing you population data by sanitary districts, do you wish the totals of families and dwellings for wards, or do you want them in the detail of size and number developed in the count?
Very respectfully,
Howard Sutherland
Chief of Fourth Division.
Dr. John S. Billings, U.S.A.,
Army and Medical Museum
Washington, D.C.
Census Office
Washington, D.C.
October 26, 1891
Dear Sir:
In response to your verbal request, I beg leave to say that the figures given below, representing the total number of veterans returned to this office for the country at large, and for the states of Ohio and Massachusetts, are somewhat better than an approximation. For all practical purposes they are accurate, the actual number probably being slightly in the excess.
Veterans of Civil War returned for United States, 1,076,162
" " " " " " Ohio, 106,328
'' " " " " " Massachusetts, 39, 996
With reference to your inquiry as to what would be shown in regard to families and dwellings, I omitted to say that in addition to showing them in detail by wards of the one hundred and twenty-four (124) principal cities, --or down to the limit of twenty-five thousand (25,000),--and countries, they will be shown for the totals of cities of eight thousand (8,000) or more inhabitants. This is now the intention and the plan will not be altered materially.
For those cities which we are furnishing you population data by sanitary districts, do you wish the totals of families and dwellings for wards, or do you want them in the detail of size and number developed in the count?
Very respectfully,
Howard Sutherland
Chief of Fourth Division.
Dr. John S. Billings, U.S.A.,
Army and Medical Museum
Washington, D.C.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Letter of the Day: October 25
Office of F.W. Langdon,
No. 65 West Seventh St.
Cincinnati, Oct. 25th 1883
Dear Doctor:
In compliance with your request of the 20th inst, I mail you herewith a full set of the reprints of the publications of the Literary Society of Madisonville, in reference to the prehistoric cemetery near that place. These papers are reprints, the originals of which appeared in the "Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History" as indicated below.--
Part I. --appeared in Vol. III - April 188- pp. 40-68
Part II.-- '' '' " - July 1880 pp. 128-139
Part III.-- '' '' " - Oct. 1880 pp. 203-220
Part IV.-- '' '' IV - Oct. 1881 pp. 237-257
I shall be very glad to receive any photos of specimens that you may be pleased to send, especially those of an ethnological or archaeological character.
If I can be of any further service to the Museum, please consider my time at your disposal.
I have the honor to be
Very respectfully
Your obedt [obedient] servant
F.W. Langdon, M.D.
To
Dr. D. L. Huntington, U.S.A.
Curator Army Med. Museum
Washington D.C.
No. 65 West Seventh St.
Cincinnati, Oct. 25th 1883
Dear Doctor:
In compliance with your request of the 20th inst, I mail you herewith a full set of the reprints of the publications of the Literary Society of Madisonville, in reference to the prehistoric cemetery near that place. These papers are reprints, the originals of which appeared in the "Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History" as indicated below.--
Part I. --appeared in Vol. III - April 188- pp. 40-68
Part II.-- '' '' " - July 1880 pp. 128-139
Part III.-- '' '' " - Oct. 1880 pp. 203-220
Part IV.-- '' '' IV - Oct. 1881 pp. 237-257
I shall be very glad to receive any photos of specimens that you may be pleased to send, especially those of an ethnological or archaeological character.
If I can be of any further service to the Museum, please consider my time at your disposal.
I have the honor to be
Very respectfully
Your obedt [obedient] servant
F.W. Langdon, M.D.
To
Dr. D. L. Huntington, U.S.A.
Curator Army Med. Museum
Washington D.C.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
NMHM takes part of Scifest at the National Mall Washington DC
Heres some pics of the event a good time was had by most!
enjoy, navjeet
Letter of the Day: October 24
Lima Peru Oct 24th 1888
Dr. J.S. Billings
Washington D.C.
Dear Sir-
Confirming my letter to you of the 10th inst. I am since in receipt of your communication, dated Sept 11th ult. I think you will find in my * last shipment what you desire. I took the precaution to carefully wrap up two skulls with the Hyoid bone adhering; also a skull cut in two with one joint of the hyoid bone still in its place. I would not have recognised (sic) the bone by the drawing you sent me as they do not occur in that shape with the Peruvians but as a general thing they are shorter than the specimens I have sent you. I have always taken an interest when examining skulls and digging up mummies to look for this bone but it is surprising how often they fail to exist. It seems that in some cadavers they must have decayed in the first process of decomposition. I shall however give myself more pains in any future expeditions to look more carefull (sic) into the matter and gather the different sizes of both you and old to make a proper comparison.
Truly Yours
Geo Kiefer
*Received Nov. 10, 1888.
A.M.M. Nos. 2977-2995 Anat. Sect.
Dr. J.S. Billings
Washington D.C.
Dear Sir-
Confirming my letter to you of the 10th inst. I am since in receipt of your communication, dated Sept 11th ult. I think you will find in my * last shipment what you desire. I took the precaution to carefully wrap up two skulls with the Hyoid bone adhering; also a skull cut in two with one joint of the hyoid bone still in its place. I would not have recognised (sic) the bone by the drawing you sent me as they do not occur in that shape with the Peruvians but as a general thing they are shorter than the specimens I have sent you. I have always taken an interest when examining skulls and digging up mummies to look for this bone but it is surprising how often they fail to exist. It seems that in some cadavers they must have decayed in the first process of decomposition. I shall however give myself more pains in any future expeditions to look more carefull (sic) into the matter and gather the different sizes of both you and old to make a proper comparison.
Truly Yours
Geo Kiefer
*Received Nov. 10, 1888.
A.M.M. Nos. 2977-2995 Anat. Sect.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Ad for Collections manager for museum move?
A few weeks ago, this project manager position appeared to refer to our museum's move. Now there's an announcement for a collections manager that sounds like it's for us, posted by History Associates. It's the first job here. We don't actually know who's handling the move yet.
Letter of the Day: October 23 - numismatics
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 976
October 23, 1895
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Dr. Storer:
Your very kind letter of the 20th inst. has been in received and in return I wish to say that it will give me great pleasure to assist you in making your articles on the interesting subject of medical numismatics as complete as possible, asking only that you will give due credit as to the source of information.
The description of the Vercelli medal of which I spoke in my previous letter is as follows:
Obverse: Bust to left, in high relief. Under shoulder: G. Galeazzi F. – Perigraph: AL CARD. GVALA BICCHIERI PATR. VERCELL. FONDATORE. Beneath bust: MCCXX.
Reverse: Inscription in seven lines: LA |CONGREGAZIONE | DELLO SPEDALE MAGG. | DI VERCELLI | REGNANDO CARLO ALBERTO | PADRE DEI POVERI | MDCCCXLI.
Bronze, size 28.
I attempted to take an impress of the medal, but did not succeed on account of the high relief.
The errors pointed out by you at the time the Lee collection was purchased for the Museum have all been corrected long ago, and this office endeavored to carefully compare the descriptions of medals given by you in your various publications with the medals in this collection, and to ascertain what medals of the Museum collection have not been referred to by you. To complete this comparison I am anxious to obtain the following publications which are not on file in this office, viz.:
American Journal of Numismatics,
1887, October.
1888, January, July, October.
1889, April, July, October.
1890, January, April, July, October.
1891, “, “, “, “
1892, “, “, “, “
1893, January, April.
1895, October.
and I should be very thankful if you will point out a way of obtaining them. All other publications noted on the printed circular which you kindly forwarded are in the Library.
In making the above comparisons some deviations from your publications have been noted on our cards, and I shall gladly point them out to you. As you well know the work will have to be carefully done and will require considerable time and labor; but I will endeavor to give you from time to time such information as may be of use to you.
In regard to duplicates that you may have received through the Fisher and other collections, if you will send me a list of them, with prices, I will select such as are not in our collection to be submitted for purchase.
There was lately submitted to me a medal of Fortunius Licetus, 1577-1657- (see C.A. Rudolphi, 1829, No. 395, and Duisburg, 1862, No. XLVI, ) silver, claimed to be very rare, if not unique; but I hesistated to purchase on account of the price, $37.50. Is the medal as rare as represented?
Returning Dr. Frazer’s letter, I remain,
Very sincerely yours,
D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
In charge of Army Medical Museum and Library.
October 23, 1895
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Dr. Storer:
Your very kind letter of the 20th inst. has been in received and in return I wish to say that it will give me great pleasure to assist you in making your articles on the interesting subject of medical numismatics as complete as possible, asking only that you will give due credit as to the source of information.
The description of the Vercelli medal of which I spoke in my previous letter is as follows:
Obverse: Bust to left, in high relief. Under shoulder: G. Galeazzi F. – Perigraph: AL CARD. GVALA BICCHIERI PATR. VERCELL. FONDATORE. Beneath bust: MCCXX.
Reverse: Inscription in seven lines: LA |CONGREGAZIONE | DELLO SPEDALE MAGG. | DI VERCELLI | REGNANDO CARLO ALBERTO | PADRE DEI POVERI | MDCCCXLI.
Bronze, size 28.
I attempted to take an impress of the medal, but did not succeed on account of the high relief.
The errors pointed out by you at the time the Lee collection was purchased for the Museum have all been corrected long ago, and this office endeavored to carefully compare the descriptions of medals given by you in your various publications with the medals in this collection, and to ascertain what medals of the Museum collection have not been referred to by you. To complete this comparison I am anxious to obtain the following publications which are not on file in this office, viz.:
American Journal of Numismatics,
1887, October.
1888, January, July, October.
1889, April, July, October.
1890, January, April, July, October.
1891, “, “, “, “
1892, “, “, “, “
1893, January, April.
1895, October.
and I should be very thankful if you will point out a way of obtaining them. All other publications noted on the printed circular which you kindly forwarded are in the Library.
In making the above comparisons some deviations from your publications have been noted on our cards, and I shall gladly point them out to you. As you well know the work will have to be carefully done and will require considerable time and labor; but I will endeavor to give you from time to time such information as may be of use to you.
In regard to duplicates that you may have received through the Fisher and other collections, if you will send me a list of them, with prices, I will select such as are not in our collection to be submitted for purchase.
There was lately submitted to me a medal of Fortunius Licetus, 1577-1657- (see C.A. Rudolphi, 1829, No. 395, and Duisburg, 1862, No. XLVI, ) silver, claimed to be very rare, if not unique; but I hesistated to purchase on account of the price, $37.50. Is the medal as rare as represented?
Returning Dr. Frazer’s letter, I remain,
Very sincerely yours,
D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
In charge of Army Medical Museum and Library.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Images from the weekly drawing class at NMHM, held Thursdays 12-1pm.Letter of the Day: October 22
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 971
October 22, 1895
Mr. R.P. Iddings
Lawrence, Mass.
Dear Sir:
In answer to your letter of the 16th inst., I would state that there is at this Museum among the slides of the late J.J. Woodward, U.S. Army, one which contains the Lord's prayer, written with a diamond, 227 letters, in a space of 1/294 x 1/441 of an inch, or the 1/129654 of a square inch. The legend on the slide says that this is at the rate of 29,431,458 letters to an inch, which is more than there are contained in eight bibles, each bible containing 3,566,480 letters.
Very respectfully,
Dr. L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army
In charge of Army Medical Museum and Library
October 22, 1895
Mr. R.P. Iddings
Lawrence, Mass.
Dear Sir:
In answer to your letter of the 16th inst., I would state that there is at this Museum among the slides of the late J.J. Woodward, U.S. Army, one which contains the Lord's prayer, written with a diamond, 227 letters, in a space of 1/294 x 1/441 of an inch, or the 1/129654 of a square inch. The legend on the slide says that this is at the rate of 29,431,458 letters to an inch, which is more than there are contained in eight bibles, each bible containing 3,566,480 letters.
Very respectfully,
Dr. L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army
In charge of Army Medical Museum and Library
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Letter of the Day: October 21
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1766
Fort Barrancas, Fla.
October 21st, 1896
Major Walter Reed
Dear Doctor,
Yours of October 16th with slide received. Am much obliged.
I send by todays [sic] mail sputa of two other patients, Mrs. U. Diffin + Mr. Diffin, will you have them examined + if bacilli are found send me slides.
With kindest regards I remain,
Very truly yours,
W.C Gorgas
Fort Barrancas, Fla.
October 21st, 1896
Major Walter Reed
Dear Doctor,
Yours of October 16th with slide received. Am much obliged.
I send by todays [sic] mail sputa of two other patients, Mrs. U. Diffin + Mr. Diffin, will you have them examined + if bacilli are found send me slides.
With kindest regards I remain,
Very truly yours,
W.C Gorgas
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
TODAY! "Resolution for the Missing: Bringing our Fallen Soldiers Home" features AFDIL, 10/20, 12pm, in the Museum!
| TODAY: SPECIAL SCIFEST PROGRAM! |
| |
| When: Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. What: Have advances in DNA analysis made it so that our honored war dead will never again be labeled "unknown"? Come listen as a senior DNA analyst from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) shares her experiences working with scientists from Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in positively identifying U.S. service members missing from past military conflicts. Suni Edson, assistant technical leader of the Mitochondrial DNA Section at AFDIL, will offer a rare look into the role DNA analysis plays in the process of scientific identification, and how advances in technology have increased the number of persons identified each year. Learn more about the USA Science and Engineering Festival at http://www.usasciencefestival.org/. Where: Russell Auditorium, Bldg 54, Walter Reed Army Medical Center Cost: Free! Bring your lunch! Questions? Call (202) 782-2673 or email nmhminfo@afip.osd.mil or visit the Museum on the web: http://www.nmhm.washingtondc.museum | ||
Letter of the Day: October 20
Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D.C., Oct. 20 1870
Dear Sir:
In behalf of the Smithsonian Institution we acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of your favor or October 18th in regard to “a tin globe which formerly ornamented a flag staff + was struck by lightning” – the specimen itself has, also, been received and will be placed with other matter of a similar character for future reference.
Yours respectfully,
Joseph Henry,
Secretary Smithsonian Institution.
Dr. Geo. A Otis
Army Med Musm
DC
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Washington Post on modern military medicine
Military medics combine ultramodern and time-honored methods to save lives on the battlefield
By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 17, 2010; 1:14 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/16/AR2010101602974.html
Letter of the Day: October 19
Fort Sisseton, D. T. [Dakota Territory]
October 19, 1880
Sir:
I have the honor to inform you that I have this day turned over to the Post Quartermaster for transportation to the Army Medical Museum a box containing the pelvic bone of a mound builder (male) from a tumulus near this fort. These bones were found near the centre of the mound and about six feet three inches from its surface. No other human remains have I been able to discover. A few flint chips and a very peculiar heart shaped stone pierced with numerous small holes and a broken flint arrow head I found just beneath the surface of the mound. I have forwarded these articles to Professor Putnam of the Peabody Museum of American A & E [Archaeology and Ethnology] at Cambridge Mass.
over
The Port Quartermaster's receipt will be forwarded as soon as I can obtain it.
I am Sir
very respectfully
Your obdt [obedient] servant.
August Gecks
Hospital Steward, U. S. A. [United States Army]
October 19, 1880
Sir:
I have the honor to inform you that I have this day turned over to the Post Quartermaster for transportation to the Army Medical Museum a box containing the pelvic bone of a mound builder (male) from a tumulus near this fort. These bones were found near the centre of the mound and about six feet three inches from its surface. No other human remains have I been able to discover. A few flint chips and a very peculiar heart shaped stone pierced with numerous small holes and a broken flint arrow head I found just beneath the surface of the mound. I have forwarded these articles to Professor Putnam of the Peabody Museum of American A & E [Archaeology and Ethnology] at Cambridge Mass.
over
The Port Quartermaster's receipt will be forwarded as soon as I can obtain it.
I am Sir
very respectfully
Your obdt [obedient] servant.
August Gecks
Hospital Steward, U. S. A. [United States Army]
Monday, October 18, 2010
Quay Brothers visit the Mutter Museum
Animators Amok in a Curiosity Cabinet
By FRANZ LIDZ
New York Times October 17, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/movies/17quay.html
Letter of the Day: October 18
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 239
October 18, 1894
Colonel Charles H. Alden,
Assistant Surgeon General, U. S. Army.
Surgeon General's Office,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Colonel Alden:
Referring to your favor of October 18th, I will try to have everything in readiness for the Board on Wednesday morning.
As regards the memorandum of what I think will be the proper work, in my line, for the class at the Hospital Corps School, let me say that it will be necessarily very brief. I do not see what more I can do than try to impart to them some idea of the general principles of disinfection. I might also go into the subject of sterilization by heat, giving them practical demonstrations, that would certainly devote the greater part of my time to the matter of disinfection of the hands. It seems to me that this latter would be a most important thing for those who are expected to assist in antiseptic surgical work. They would then appreciate why it was necessary to have their hands thoroughly disinfected. This would, of course, necessitate the taking of cultures from the hands of the members of the class before and after disinfection, so that that could, by ocular demonstration, see very clearly what was obtained by careful washing and disinfection of the hands. I would also expect to tell them something about the disinfection of the steels.
I think I could cover this ground in four (4) lessons, in six (6) at the outside - each lesson to be of one hour's duration. Any time would suit me, provided the hour did not go after 3 p.m.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Major and Surgeon, U. S. Army.
October 18, 1894
Colonel Charles H. Alden,
Assistant Surgeon General, U. S. Army.
Surgeon General's Office,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Colonel Alden:
Referring to your favor of October 18th, I will try to have everything in readiness for the Board on Wednesday morning.
As regards the memorandum of what I think will be the proper work, in my line, for the class at the Hospital Corps School, let me say that it will be necessarily very brief. I do not see what more I can do than try to impart to them some idea of the general principles of disinfection. I might also go into the subject of sterilization by heat, giving them practical demonstrations, that would certainly devote the greater part of my time to the matter of disinfection of the hands. It seems to me that this latter would be a most important thing for those who are expected to assist in antiseptic surgical work. They would then appreciate why it was necessary to have their hands thoroughly disinfected. This would, of course, necessitate the taking of cultures from the hands of the members of the class before and after disinfection, so that that could, by ocular demonstration, see very clearly what was obtained by careful washing and disinfection of the hands. I would also expect to tell them something about the disinfection of the steels.
I think I could cover this ground in four (4) lessons, in six (6) at the outside - each lesson to be of one hour's duration. Any time would suit me, provided the hour did not go after 3 p.m.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Major and Surgeon, U. S. Army.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Letter of the Day: October 17
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 236
Subject: Emergency purchase:
War Department
Surgeon General's Office,
U. S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets S. W.
Washington, D. C. October 17, 1894
To the Surgeon General, U. S. Army, Washington D. C.
General:
I have the honor to request authority to purchase, for deposit in the Army Medical Museum, a collection of models of hygienic apparatus illustrating ventilation, heating, etc., at an estimated cost of $75.00, to be paid for from the Museum appropriation as an emergency purchase.
Very respectfully,
J. S. Billings
Deputy Surgeon General, U. S. Army
Subject: Emergency purchase:
War Department
Surgeon General's Office,
U. S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner 7th and B Streets S. W.
Washington, D. C. October 17, 1894
To the Surgeon General, U. S. Army, Washington D. C.
General:
I have the honor to request authority to purchase, for deposit in the Army Medical Museum, a collection of models of hygienic apparatus illustrating ventilation, heating, etc., at an estimated cost of $75.00, to be paid for from the Museum appropriation as an emergency purchase.
Very respectfully,
J. S. Billings
Deputy Surgeon General, U. S. Army
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