Letter of the Day: November 21

Post Hospital
Fort Sill, Ind. Ty.
Nov. 21st 1875

To The Surgeon General U.S. Army
Washington D.C.

Sir:

I would respectfully state that a citizen, Thomas Dougherty, died in hospital on the 13th inst. of Remittent Fever – the deceased was however of intemperate habits. This patient was found to have an ununited fracture of the right forearm of a number of years standing – both bones were fracture. No attempt at bony union has resulted, and free motion remains between the upper and lower fragments. As the specimen appears to be somewhat interesting, the forearm which has been preserved, will if desired be suitably packed and turned over to the Post Quartermaster for shipment to the Army Medical Museum.

Very respectfully
Your obt. servant
F.L. Town
Surgeon U.S. Army
Post Surgeon

Letter of the Day: November 20

Smithsonian Institution.
U.S. National Museum,
Washington City, Nov. 20, 1878

Sir:

In accordance with the arrangement between the Smithsonian Institution and the Army Medical Museum, I have the honor to transmit the collections mentioned below, the receipt of which please acknowledge.

Very respectfully, yours,

Spencer F Baird
Secretary S.I.

Ball of hair taken from stomach of cow. Received from E. P. Armistead, Newton, Newton Co., Mississippi

Letter of the Day: November 19

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 317

 

November 19, 1894

 

Dr. Judson Daland

319 S. 18^th St.

Philadelphia, Pa.

 

My Dear Doctor:

 

Can you give me any information concerning a centrifugal machine which is considered superior to the Litten centrifugal? Dr. Gray has just informed me that you are using a superior machine for urinary and blood analysis, and hence I write to ask you that you will be kind enough to enlighten me on this subject, especially as Surgeon General Sternberg is considering the matter of supplying certain of the larger military posts with the latest and most improved centrifugal apparatus.

 

Very sincerely yours,

 

Walter Reed

Major and Surgeon, U.S. Army,

Curator Army Medical Museum.

Letter of the Day: November 18 (2 of 2)

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 7132

 

November 18, 1903.

 

Mr. Henry Reens,

409 Fourth Ave.,

New York, N.Y.

 

Dear Sir:

 

In accordance with your request of the 17^th inst. 6 copies of printed circular of Museum photograph 177, recovery after fracture of the right ilium by a musket ball (from your own case), are herewith forwarded.

 

Very respectfully,

 

C.L. Heizmann

Col. Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.

In charge of Museum & Library Division

- note that he just asked for a copy of the label - not the photograph, which originally showed him nude. This version had a figleaf added for the 1876 Centennial fair. 1903 seems like a long time after the Civil War, but Reens was just 60 when he wrote in.

Letter of the Day: November 18 (1 of 2)

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 01806

November 18, 1896

Dr. H. R. Storer,
Newport, R.I.

Dear Doctor:

We have lately added to our collection a few medals, some of which may be new to you:

Amsterdam Bot. Gardens: “Adest maximus.” etc, 57 mm. On rim: Hieronymus de Boach, H. F. H. N. natus Amstel. D. XXIII Mart. MDCCXL.

Galilei. Duisburg, p. 17, No. 44-5 – years in Roman.

Cholera 1854. “Au Dur Lepine.”

Haerten. Sanit. 1889, Vol. 22, p. 329, No. 992. On reverse “J.J. Putman,” not “J.G. Putman.”

Puhlmann. Sanit., 1893, Vol. 30, p. 250. No. 2071.

Pilet. Med. Major, 6 B de Ch. a P (Crimea, 1854.)

Boyer. Sanit., 1888, Vol. 21, p. 429, No. 707. – “1756” is not on reverse.

Belleteste. Duisburg, Suppl., 1863, p. 6, No. 250-4.

Thieullier, Sanit., 1889, Vol. 23, p. 445, No. 1166.

Acad. Roy. De Med., Paris, Louis Philippe I.

“ “ “ “ “ Louis XVIII de France.

Gassendi, Duisberg, p. 18, No. 55-1.

Buffon, “ “ 24, “ 144-1.

In Sanit., 1888, Vol. 21, p. 155, Nos. 626-628, you refer to Newmann, Beschreibung der bekanntesten Kupfermunzen Nos. 25635-6-7. Will you please send me a brief description of these three medals, as I have no copy of Newmann to refer to.

Very sincerely yours,

D. L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
In charge of Museum and Library Division.

cp3006

Contributed Photograph #   3006

Name   MATTHEWS, WASHINGTON

Title or Subject   ASCERTAINING CAPACITY OF CRANIAL CAVITY BY MEANS OF WATER. USING INSUFFLATOR CHARGED WITH DRY POWDER TO DEFINE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. IN THIS AND THE OTHER PICTURES ARE SEEN VARIOUS APPLICANCES, SCALES, WEIGHTS, RESERVOIR, TUBE, STOPCOCK...

 

cp3008

Contributed Photograph #   3008

Title or Subject   TAKING COMPOSITE NEGATIVES OF SKULLS. PHOTOGRAPH NO. 4 - SHOWING EVERYTHING READY TO MAKE THE EXPOSURE. THE ANTERIOR AND MIDDLE FRAMES ARE LOWERED AND THE VELVET SCREEN HAS BEEN DROPPED.

 

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

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 7132

 

N.Y. Nov. 17. 03.

Geo. A. Otis. Esq.

Asst. Surgeon +c.

 

Dear Sir.

 

Will you be kind enough to forward to me at your earliest convenience 6 copies of Circular Photograph 177, Recovery after fracture of the right Ilium by a musket ball, +c. and oblige.

 

Very Respectfully,

Henry Reens.

Late Private Co. I.

30^th Regt. Mass. Vols.

 

409 4^th Avenue

N.Y. City. c/o. Wilson

Letter of the Day: November 17 (2 of 3)

10/17 [1863]

 

Doctor

 

A box containing a stone jar redolent of alcohol was left by the Express, at my house yesterday.

 

It evidently is intended for the Cabinet and not the Cuisine, please send for it.

 

JKB [Joseph K Barnes, the Surgeon General of the Army]

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

Scovill Manufacturing Company

423 Broome Street.

Direct All Communications On Business To The Company.

New York Nov. 17^th 1885

 

Copy.

 

Prof. A. Graham Bell

Washington D.C.

 

Dear Sir:-

 

Having seen in the N.Y. Tribune, a notice of a paper by Dr. Billings which was read by you at the meeting of the National Academy of Sciences at Albany, on the 10^th inst. on the Craniaphore used for taking composite photographs of skulls, +c we take the liberty to request that you will favor us with a copy of said paper for publication in The Photographic Times.

 

If you can thus oblige us, You will very much please

Yours Truly

R.S. Lewis.

Pr. E.R.

Letter of the Day: November 17

Post Hospital
Fort Duncan, Tex.
November 17th, 1875

Surgeon General
U.S. Army
Washington, D.C.

General:
I have the honor to transmit herewith the receipt of one box, containing Pathological Specimens for the Army Medical Museum, turned over to Lieut. G. Valois, 9th law[?], A. A. of M. for transportation. The Specimens are one snake, one lizard, a few tarantulas, centipedes, etc.

Very respectfully
Your obd’t Servant

Donald Jackson
Asst. Surg. U.S.A.
Post Surgeon


Specimens received, acknowledged and turned over to sph. Surgeon J.J. Woodward, U.S.A. in charge of the section of Comparative Anatomy, Feb. 21, 1876

Exhibit Design Rendering By Navjeet Singh

Its a draft, I am working on populating the space now.
will post it soon.

Ciao

Deinstall of AAOS in Baltimore

Went up to Baltimore
with our exhibits manager (Pic right)and registrar(pic left) to deinstall the AAOS wounded in action
exhibit.  This is the lower gallery where we packed and cataloged the artwork. Here we are struggling
with a poorly packaged -- not crated -- artwork, the tatters that you see here was how it was sent to us, in a cardboard box, ...nonetheless I really enjoyed

designing this exhibit for this space, and hope to 

have shows there in the future. Thanks AAOS UMB.

Letter of the Day: November 16

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 1801

 

November 16, 1890

 

Major A.A. DeLoffre,

Surgeon, U.S. Army,

Fort Logan, Colorado.

 

Dear Doctor:

 

In reply to your favor of November 12^th, I send by today’s mail a slide of the malarial parasite, tertian variety. I am afraid that this will not assist Dr. Johnson in diagnosing your cases of fever. It so happens that we have not at present any slides of the aestivo-autumnal organism, as I have been unable to procure any material of this kind during the present fall.

 

Regretting that I cannot send you slides of all the varieties of parasites, I am,

 

Very truly yours,

 

Walter Reed

Surgeon, U.S. Army,

Curator.

Letter of the Day: November 15

McPherson Barracks,

Atlanta, GA Nov. 15/78

 

Asst Surg Geo. A. Otis. U.S.A.

Washington D.C.

 

Sir:

 

I have a female human foetus of four months with placenta and all in good condition, carefully presented in proof-spirit born two days ago. All packed ready to send to the A.M.M. if desirable. Do you want it. If so will send it at once with history.

 

Very respectfully

Your Obedt servt.

W.H. Forwood

Surgeon U.S.A.

Letter of the Day: November 14

Museum of the College of Physicians
Philadelphia Nov. 14 1868

Dear Sir

It would be a great convenience if you could now send on the specimen promised to the College in March last.

There is at present no work on hand and I am desirous of keeping my man employed in mounting preparations.

Very Truly
Th. Hewson Bache
Curator

Geo. A Otis MD
Asst Surgeon USA

Letter of the day, November 13

Not one letter but a series starting on today's date, negotiating the transfer of the bodies of her quintuplets to the Museum.


Kevil, Ky. Nov 13- 1915

President Woodrow Wilson
Dear sir
In the year of Our Lord 1896 I gave Birth to five Boy Babies on April the 29th but had the missfortune of loosing them all and was afraid to bury them for fear the grave would be robbed of there Boddies as there was such excitement over them[.] I had them embalmed and they are now In a mummyfied condition. and I wish to know if they would be any benefit to the Goverment for Educational Purposes I have any amount of afidavits which I can furnish with them to the face I don’t want to sell them but Will let them out on a limited time for a reasonable sum. My Husband and I Both are getting old and have lost all of our family but four and we both are In very Bad Health and will ask you If you can do any thing for us Please answer soon as possiable.

I am living at Kevil Ky R#4.
Mrs. O.D. Lyon.

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

No. 577.

November 19, 1915

Mrs. O.D. Lyon
Kevil, Ky.

Dear Madam:

Your letter addressed to the President, relative to the five boy babies to which you gave birth April 29, 1896, has been referred to this office.

The Army Medical Museum would like to have these specimens to add to its collection, provided they are in condition and would be desirable for exhibit; but they cannot be accepted as a loan.

Should you wish to donate them the Museum would be pleased to receive them and will give you credit for them; otherwise their purchase would be considered if you will inform us of the amount at which you would be willing to dispose of them.

But before further action in the matter, the Museum would like to obtain a statement from some reliable physician as to their condition and desirability, and it is suggested that some physician in Kevil be asked to examine and report to this office the condition and desirability of the specimens for exhibit in the collection of this Museum. Such a report from Dr. D.E. Burrows or Dr. Thos. E. Scott would be acceptable.

Very respectfully,
C.C. McCulloch, Jr.
Lt. Col. Medical Corps, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum.

----------
The statement from the physician:

Hospital College of Medicine
Louisville, Ky.
1898
Thomas E. Moss
Physician and Surgeon
Specialty: Diseases of Infancy and Childhood
Cumberland Phone, 12 ring 2
Home phone, No. 73, Kevil Exchange

Kevil, Ky. December, 5- 1915

1st Indorsement.
Respectfully returned to C.C. McCulloch Jr. Lt. Col. Medical Corps, U.S.A. Curator, Army Medical Museum with the information, as requested, that the five boy babies of Mrs. O.D. Lyon born April, 29th. 1896. are in a fair state of mummification and will, I believe, be a valuable addition to any museum. Any other information desired will be forwarded upon request.

[signed] Thomas E. Moss, M.D.

----------
Kevil Ky. Dec 6th 1915
C.C. McCulloch Jr
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir
If you think the Babies are desirable from the statement of the Dr and want to purchase them I will sell them for the consiteration of $1500. Fifteen hundred Dollars and If further Information be wanted I will be glad to furnish all I can-
Yours Truely
Mrs O.D. Lyon

----------
December 9, 1915
No. 584

Mrs. O.D. Lyon
Kevil, Ky.

Dear Madam:

Yours of 6th inst. enclosing statement of Dr. Moss, which is quite satisfactory, concerning the five babies to which you gave birth April 29, 1896, has been received. In reply you are informed that your proposition to dispose of them for $1500.00 is hereby declined.

Very respectfully,
C.C. McCulloch Jr.
Lt. Col. Medical Corps, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum.

----------
A note in the file:
Mrs Lyon might be told that the statement of Dr. Moss is quite satisfactory. However we think that her price is too low; that $15000.00 (ahem!) would be more appropriate[e.] All the same the museum cannot afford such prices and therefore is unable to further consider the purchase.

[signed] Lamb

---------------

Kevil Ky 12/13-1915

Mr C.C. McCulloch Jr
Dear Sir:
I am in receipt of yours of the 9th declining my proposition of $1500.00 for the disposal of the five babies. I thought my proposition a reasonable one for such a rare collection[.]
But I am willing to be reasonable and now ask you to make me a proposal.

Very respectfully yours
Mrs OD Lyon
Kevil Ky
Route #4

-------------

Kevil Ky Dec 29-1915

Mr C.C. McCulloch
Washington D.C.

Dear sir
In regard to your letter of the 15th I wish to ask If the appropriation Is so limited That you could not give me any thing what Ever for the Quintuptels. I had rather for them to be In the hands of the Goverment than any where else.for I know that they would be taken care of There. and would like to make a deal with you If possible.

I remain yours
Mrs O.D. Lyon.
R#4 Kevil Ky

-----------

Kevil Ky. 1/8-1915 [sic 1916 ERW 21 June 1979]

Mr. CC McCulloch Jr

Dear sir
In reply to yours of the 3rd I will say that I had much rather have the Credit of donating the Quintuplets than to sell them but I am not able to do so. I have had several offers to sell them for much more than your Price but never thought of selling them untill now and I had much rather for the Goverment to have them than any one else. For I might stand a chance to see them sometime then otherwise I would not. and I am unwilling to dispose of them to the Govenment for $200.00 which I think is little enough and If you except my proposition you can send me directions for preparing and shipping them to the Museum.
Yours very Truely
Mrs O.D. Lyon.

----------

Kevil Ky. Feb 12th 1916.

Mr C.C. McCulloch Jr

Dear sir
Replying to your of Jan 3rd I will say that I have decided to except your offer of $100.00 for the Quintuplets and you can send me directions for preparing and shipping them to the Museum
I remain yours Truly

Mrs. O.D. Lyon
R#4 Kevil Ky.

----------

Kevil Ky. Feb 28-1916
Curator. Army. Medical Museum
Washington D.C.

Dear sirs
In reply to yours of the 25th I will say that Each Infant was In a seperate sack with one afterbirth. There was no twins In my family or my Husbands. There was an Embalmer at Paducah Ky. that
Embalmed the Children but did not five satisfaction and I carried them to Nashville Tenn where they was Embalmed In a dry stage as they are now[.] I herewith Inclose Picture of afterbirth the only one I have[.]
Yours very Truely
Mrs O.D. Lyon

----------

Kevil Ky 11-16-1916

Mr CC McCulloch
Will you be so Kind as to let me here from the Lyon Quintuplets as I Study a bout them so much[.] My health is give down and that causes me to Study more than I would if I was well[.] Do they create much Interest among people and do you Know whether the President has seen them or not[.]
I have a curiosity to know

Very Respectfully
Mrs. OD Lyon

Basket weaving pictures on Flickr?

A lot of pictures of occupational and physical therapy via basket weaving in World War 1 are going up on our Flickr site right now because we had a comment asking for more photos from someone who had an ancestor who taught this at Walter Reed hospital.