Cincinnati, Ohio
Feby 14th 1864
Sir:
After the Battle of Chickamauga and Mission Ridge [sic, Missionary Ridge] I collected quite an interesting number of osseus specimens intending to for[war]d them to Washington as soon as my report was ready to accompany them, but my regiment having reenlisted I sent them to this place intending to label them and send my report with them as I would have ample time to do so while here.
This however I understand has been frustrated by, the maliciousness of one of the Sanitary Com- Gentlemen who telegraphed to Nashville to have the box stopped. Amongst the specimens was a case-knife which had been driven thro [sic] the trochanter of a friend of his by a canister shot, which he wished to obtain for himself, this I refused him, hence his actions. I expended a great deal of labor on these specimens and would like to have has the opportunity of giving the history of them.
I understand the box has been sent to the Museum and if so if you will send them to me by Express I will label them properly and return them. If the have not reached you I will endeavor to trace them out.
The box was labeled Rev. Wm Hally, Cin'ti, Ohio who was the agent of Sanitary [Ohio] and a friend of mine.
Very respectfully
You Obt Sevt
A. McMahon
Surgeon 64th O[hio].V[olunteer].I[nfantry]
Surg. Brinton, U.S.A.
Washington,
D.C.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Letter of the Day: February 13
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 07319
War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army medical Museum and Library,
Washington
February 13, 1904
Capt. Harry M. Hallock
Asst. Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Fort Porter, N.Y.
Sir:
I have read with great interest your report of the finding of Taenia nana in your command and beg to congratulate you upon your painstaking work. You are almost the first in this country, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is about to issue a bulletin upon the subject, reporting five cases at the Government Insane Asylum. Perhaps you have a paper prepared for publication in one of the journals; I hope so because I would like to see you gain precedence.
I write especially to ask if you will do me the favor to send me some materials containing the ova for demonstration at the Army Medical school? If you could send me a significant number of worms to give each member of the class a specimen they would be greatly appreciated. I trust you may be able to send me some ova at least. May I suggest that you try to obtain them by washing the stool several times in a large quantity of water, pouring off the supernatant portion and retaining the sediment? In this way most of the fecal matter will be poured off while the worms and ova will sink to the bottom. Then preserve them in equal parts glycerine [sic], alcohol, and water.
Yours very truly,
James Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum.
War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army medical Museum and Library,
Washington
February 13, 1904
Capt. Harry M. Hallock
Asst. Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Fort Porter, N.Y.
Sir:
I have read with great interest your report of the finding of Taenia nana in your command and beg to congratulate you upon your painstaking work. You are almost the first in this country, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is about to issue a bulletin upon the subject, reporting five cases at the Government Insane Asylum. Perhaps you have a paper prepared for publication in one of the journals; I hope so because I would like to see you gain precedence.
I write especially to ask if you will do me the favor to send me some materials containing the ova for demonstration at the Army Medical school? If you could send me a significant number of worms to give each member of the class a specimen they would be greatly appreciated. I trust you may be able to send me some ova at least. May I suggest that you try to obtain them by washing the stool several times in a large quantity of water, pouring off the supernatant portion and retaining the sediment? In this way most of the fecal matter will be poured off while the worms and ova will sink to the bottom. Then preserve them in equal parts glycerine [sic], alcohol, and water.
Yours very truly,
James Carroll
1st Lieut. Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Letter of the Day: February 12
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 02038
February 12, 1897
Dr. E.T. Duke,
Cumberland, Md.
Dear Sir:
Referring to your letter of February 11th, I beg to state that the work of this department is confined to the bacteriological and pathological study of the tissues of the body, and hence, regret to say that this office cannot furnish the therapeutic advice called for.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator
February 12, 1897
Dr. E.T. Duke,
Cumberland, Md.
Dear Sir:
Referring to your letter of February 11th, I beg to state that the work of this department is confined to the bacteriological and pathological study of the tissues of the body, and hence, regret to say that this office cannot furnish the therapeutic advice called for.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Curator
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Met's following in our footsteps
Ok, maybe not, but this is an interesting article about Museums and technology.
February 11, 2011
The Met’s Virtual Expansion Plans
By RANDY KENNEDY
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/arts/design/12campbell.html
Dart Scrapbook finding aid now online
Archives intern Sara Gonzales has written a finding aid for the recent donation of a scrapbook owned by AFIP director Raymond Dart.
Letter of the Day: February 11
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 02038
E.T. Duke, M.D.
Cumberland, Md.
Cumberland Md
Feb 11th 1897
Major Walter Reed U.S.A.
Washington, D.C.
My dear Doctor
Presuming on your kindness extended to me in Washington two years ago, I write to ask you about a case in my practice which I thought you could help me with. My patient sustained a gunshot wound of the right knee, at a very close range. The tissues were severely lacerated, and for a considerable space above the knee-joint the skin was burned with powder. The injury to the knee has done well after two months treatment, but the burned area refuses to heal. Thinking your experience in the Army might give me some light on the case I take the liberty of addressing you.
Respectfully yours,
E. T. Duke
E.T. Duke, M.D.
Cumberland, Md.
Cumberland Md
Feb 11th 1897
Major Walter Reed U.S.A.
Washington, D.C.
My dear Doctor
Presuming on your kindness extended to me in Washington two years ago, I write to ask you about a case in my practice which I thought you could help me with. My patient sustained a gunshot wound of the right knee, at a very close range. The tissues were severely lacerated, and for a considerable space above the knee-joint the skin was burned with powder. The injury to the knee has done well after two months treatment, but the burned area refuses to heal. Thinking your experience in the Army might give me some light on the case I take the liberty of addressing you.
Respectfully yours,
E. T. Duke
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Today's most popular photo on our Flickr page?
This picture which was put up almost 2 years ago has gotten about 700 hits today, or about 1/3 of its 'lifetime' views. What gives?
Letter of the Day: February 10
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 5759
War Department
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington, February 10, 1902
MR. CHARLES GAOLON & FILS,
39 Rue Madame
Paris, France
Dear Sir:
Please purchase for this Museum of A. Montaudon, 56 Rue de Vaugirard, Paris, the following anatomical preparations referred to in "Classic Anatomy of Dr. Auzoux, p.16.
No. 69. - brain of chimpanzee
No.77. - brain of horse.
Please see that they are properly packed and receive, pay for and forward them to this Museum with separate bill in the usual manner.
Very respectfully,
Calvin DeWitt
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum & Library Division.
War Department
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington, February 10, 1902
MR. CHARLES GAOLON & FILS,
39 Rue Madame
Paris, France
Dear Sir:
Please purchase for this Museum of A. Montaudon, 56 Rue de Vaugirard, Paris, the following anatomical preparations referred to in "Classic Anatomy of Dr. Auzoux, p.16.
No. 69. - brain of chimpanzee
No.77. - brain of horse.
Please see that they are properly packed and receive, pay for and forward them to this Museum with separate bill in the usual manner.
Very respectfully,
Calvin DeWitt
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum & Library Division.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
19th century medical photographs with mirrors
Øystein Horgmo has written an interesting blog post about pictures from the Museum at "Mirror of the Body": http://sterileeye.com/2011/02/08/mirror-of-the-body/
Until he asked about these types of photographs, my eye had glided over them.
Today's new collection
Material is flowing into the Museum as the AFIP and Walter Reed both prepare to close. Today we collected 54 boxes, or 184 bound volumes of Walter Reed General Hospital Autopsies (2011.0005, OHA 354.7) which date from 1917 through 1965. That presumably covers 4 wars – World War 1, World War 2, Korea and Vietnam.
Letter of the Day: February 9
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 03681
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington
February 9, 1899.
COL. CHAS. SMART,
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S.A.
Washington, D.C.
Sir:
I have the honor to inform you that the bacteriological examination of 2 cans of roast beef (Wilson & Co. & Armour & Co.), which were opened in your presences in this Laboratory on the afternoon of January 30, shows that the contents of both were sterile. No growth has occurred on any of the plates made therefrom.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed,
Major & Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator.
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington
February 9, 1899.
COL. CHAS. SMART,
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S.A.
Washington, D.C.
Sir:
I have the honor to inform you that the bacteriological examination of 2 cans of roast beef (Wilson & Co. & Armour & Co.), which were opened in your presences in this Laboratory on the afternoon of January 30, shows that the contents of both were sterile. No growth has occurred on any of the plates made therefrom.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed,
Major & Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Letter of the Day: February 8
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 09196
War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army Medical Museum and Library,
Washington
February 8, 1906
Prof. Wm Gary Calkins,
Department of Biology, Columbia University,
New York City
Dear Doctor Calkins:
I am sending you, by mail, to-day, a specimen of Taenia nana as I promised. These birds are so scarce that I cannot send you more than one, as I have only about a half dozen in all. I do not recall whether I promised you anything else or not; if I did kindly let me know and I will see that you get it.
With kind regards, I am,
Yours very truly,
James Carroll
1st Lieut., Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum
War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army Medical Museum and Library,
Washington
February 8, 1906
Prof. Wm Gary Calkins,
Department of Biology, Columbia University,
New York City
Dear Doctor Calkins:
I am sending you, by mail, to-day, a specimen of Taenia nana as I promised. These birds are so scarce that I cannot send you more than one, as I have only about a half dozen in all. I do not recall whether I promised you anything else or not; if I did kindly let me know and I will see that you get it.
With kind regards, I am,
Yours very truly,
James Carroll
1st Lieut., Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator, Army Medical Museum
Monday, February 7, 2011
U.S. Hospital Ship, the Ernestine Koranda
The Ernestine Koranda
Verso of the photograph, includes signatures of what we presume to be her crew.
Verso of the photograph, includes signatures of what we presume to be her crew.
Whenever we have a new donation, no matter how small or large it is, it is accessioned and catalogued into the Museum’s collection database. Today I’ve been working with a photograph of the World War, II hospital ship, the Ernestine Koranda. She was named for the real-life Ernestine Koranda, an Army nurse who was deployed to Papua, New Guinea during the war. Koranda died tragically en route to Australia when her plane crashed, not long before her wedding, planned for Christmas 1943. The Ernestine Koranda was named for Lieutenant Nurse Koranda before the end of the war, one of a small number of service personnel to be honored in this way.
Ernestine Koranda’s personal papers and photographs can be found online at the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS).
Ernestine Koranda, MHS
The NMHM has quite a few examples of hospital ships in our collections. Here are a few of my favorites:
US Hospital Ship, the "D.J. January," was used on Ohio and Mississippi Rivers from 1862 - 65. Photograph of model at Army Medical Museum constructed for Centennial Exposition 1876 at Philadelphia.
U. S. Army Hospital Ship, Marigold: "Men Sunning on the Deck." [The Marigold, aka Old North State, President Van Buren, President Fillmore, was first deployed during World War, II on 07/19/44, bound for Italy.]
"(SE4-Dec.17) Casualty Evacuated - Yanks load a wounded GI [?] aboard a landing barge at Hungnam for transport to a waiting hospital ship in the harbor of the northeastern Korean evacuation port. UN [United Nations?] defense forces were compressed into a tight perimeter around Hungnam today as Chinese Reds pressed toward the escape beachhead. (APWirephoto) [Associated Press?] (jdc11305stf-md) 1950.
"Number 43. Taking wounded on board U.S. Hospital Ship 'Relief' from hospital at Siboney - Siege of Santiago, Cuba." [This USS Relief, pictured here, was constructed in 1895-96, commissioned in 1908, decommissioned in 1910, and sold into merchant service in 1919. her fate is unknown.]
Ham the chimp featured on blog
Journalist Henry Nicholls has written in telling us that he’s written about Ham the space chimp:
Years after I came to see Ham the chimp, I did some stuff with the material I collected to mark the 50th anniversary of his flight.
I am on this week’s Guardian Science podcast - http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/audio/2011/feb/07/science-weekly-podcast-ham-astrochimp-cern-lhc-green-porno
I’ve also written up things in more detail on my blog -
http://thewayofthepanda.blogspot.com/2011/01/cameroons-gagarin-celebrating-life-of.html
http://thewayofthepanda.blogspot.com/2011/02/cameroons-gagarin-afterlife-of-ham.html
Letter of the Day: February 7
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 05756
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington
February 7, 1902
MESSRS EIMER & AMEND.
205-211 Third Ave.
New York, N.Y.
Gentlemen:
I herewith return to you, by express, an Oliver’s haemoglobinometer, purchased of you some years ago, but which has never been used. On opening it the capillary measuring pipette was found broken. Evidently on packing the case, it was found that the blood-cell E (see drawing of case on p.30 of “The Tintometer”) was too large for its assigned place, and was therefore stuck in with B, thus displacing the capillary pipette, which was packed over the candles with the needle and worsted, and broken on closing the case.
No measured blue cover glass for the blood-cell was in the case.
There were 3 riders in the case, all of 0.25. I think there should be one of 0.25 and one of 0.5.
A new rubber ball on the mixing pipette is also needed.
Please have the case and its contents carefully examined and properly and safely arranged and returned to this office as soon as possible.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Major & Surgeon, U.S.A.
War Department,
Surgeon General’s Office
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington
February 7, 1902
MESSRS EIMER & AMEND.
205-211 Third Ave.
New York, N.Y.
Gentlemen:
I herewith return to you, by express, an Oliver’s haemoglobinometer, purchased of you some years ago, but which has never been used. On opening it the capillary measuring pipette was found broken. Evidently on packing the case, it was found that the blood-cell E (see drawing of case on p.30 of “The Tintometer”) was too large for its assigned place, and was therefore stuck in with B, thus displacing the capillary pipette, which was packed over the candles with the needle and worsted, and broken on closing the case.
No measured blue cover glass for the blood-cell was in the case.
There were 3 riders in the case, all of 0.25. I think there should be one of 0.25 and one of 0.5.
A new rubber ball on the mixing pipette is also needed.
Please have the case and its contents carefully examined and properly and safely arranged and returned to this office as soon as possible.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Major & Surgeon, U.S.A.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Letter of the Day: February 6
[This letter was written in reply to a request that Carroll attend and present a paper to the Louisiana State Medical Society]
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 09190
To 1st Lieut. James Carroll,
Assistant Surgeon, U.S.A.,
Washington, D.C., for remark
S. G. O.
Feb. 5, 1906
2d Indorsement [sic],
Surgeon General’s Office,
Army medical Museum
February 6, 1906
Respectfully returned to the SURGEON GENERAL, U.S. ARMY.
This matter was broached to me on January 2d at New Orleans, and I then expressed my willingness to come, provided it would be agreeable to the Surgeon General.
I am quite willing to prepare an address for the occasion, because an opportunity will be afforded to present the facts and arguments in a forcible manner where they will do the greatest good. The future safety of the United States from yellow fever depends largely upon the readiness of the physicians of Louisiana to recognize and declare the disease upon its first appearance among them. The importance of the subject to the Army and to the country at large is my reason for consenting to participate.
James Carroll
1st Lieut., Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator.
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 09190
To 1st Lieut. James Carroll,
Assistant Surgeon, U.S.A.,
Washington, D.C., for remark
S. G. O.
Feb. 5, 1906
2d Indorsement [sic],
Surgeon General’s Office,
Army medical Museum
February 6, 1906
Respectfully returned to the SURGEON GENERAL, U.S. ARMY.
This matter was broached to me on January 2d at New Orleans, and I then expressed my willingness to come, provided it would be agreeable to the Surgeon General.
I am quite willing to prepare an address for the occasion, because an opportunity will be afforded to present the facts and arguments in a forcible manner where they will do the greatest good. The future safety of the United States from yellow fever depends largely upon the readiness of the physicians of Louisiana to recognize and declare the disease upon its first appearance among them. The importance of the subject to the Army and to the country at large is my reason for consenting to participate.
James Carroll
1st Lieut., Asst. Surgeon, U.S.A.
Curator.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Letter of the Day: February 5
Cox Le
Army Agents Chary xLondon
5.2.95
The Curator
Dear Sir
I desire to apply to you as I am engaged on a N. Zd [New Zealand] book for any printed information or plates regarding 2 dried N.Z Heads I learn you have.
My informant by a curator of a museum out there.
This information I seek [?] is noted as
Int Bureau Ethnology No 4. 1886 Smithsonian Lw.
Should I apply there
Besides New Zealand war[es?] I have had S. African[.] I would like to know if I gave a good exchange in Zulus Lc Y J might offer for 2nd N. Z of yours.
I must ask you to excuse me if I trouble you[?] I shd [should] be pleased with any notice of this
I am
Yrs Respectfully
H.G. Robley
Friday, February 4, 2011
Letter of the Day: February 4
U.S. National Museum Cafe
Washington D.C. Feb 4th 1887
Lieutenant Col. J.S. Billings, Surg. U.S. Army.
Army Medical Museum, Washington, D.C.
Sir,
I respectfully apply for the privilege of being Caterer to the new Army Medical Museum Building.
In support of this application I beg leave to refer to Prof. G.B. Goode, Asst. Director U.S. Nat. Museum
I have for the last five years successfully conducted a Cafe at the Nat. Museum, which, was established under the authority of the Hon. Prof. S.F. Baird, Director of the institution, and is located at the left of east entrance of the Museum Building.
Very respectfully,
John Linden
Washington D.C. Feb 4th 1887
Lieutenant Col. J.S. Billings, Surg. U.S. Army.
Army Medical Museum, Washington, D.C.
Sir,
I respectfully apply for the privilege of being Caterer to the new Army Medical Museum Building.
In support of this application I beg leave to refer to Prof. G.B. Goode, Asst. Director U.S. Nat. Museum
I have for the last five years successfully conducted a Cafe at the Nat. Museum, which, was established under the authority of the Hon. Prof. S.F. Baird, Director of the institution, and is located at the left of east entrance of the Museum Building.
Very respectfully,
John Linden
Thursday, February 3, 2011
PR: Exhibition of NY's Civil War Soldiers in rare photographs
Merchant’s House Museum
29 East Fourth Street, NYC 10003 212-777-1089 Fax 212-777-1104 merchantshouse.org
Exhibition: New York’s Civil War Soldiers –
Photographs of Dr. R. B. Bontecou, Words of Walt Whitman
Thursday, April 14, through Monday, July 31, 2011
NEW YORK – February 3, 2011 – In April 2011, 150 years after the start of the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Merchant’s House Museum, in partnership with The Burns Archive and the release of Shooting Soldiers: Civil War Medical Photography, by R.B. Bontecou, will present an exhibition of medical photographs of wounded New York soldiers by army surgeon and native New Yorker Dr. Reed B. Bontecou. The more-than 100 images of human ruination will be captioned with quotations from Walt Whitman’s 1882 memoir, Specimen Days, in which he recounts his own horrifying experience as a volunteer nurse. According to Whitman, “The real war will never get in the books.”
Bontecou’s graphic portraits of the wounded – on display for the first time since the 19th century, when they became national icons during the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia – make vivid the intensely human tragedy of the Civil War, a war fought on our own soil, citizen against citizen, and highlight sacrifices made by American soldiers and their families.
The exhibition will also feature historic photographs of New York regiments; New York provided more soldiers than any other state (nearly half a million) and sustained the greatest number of casualties, winning 382 Congressional Medals of Honor. An image of Dr. Mary Walker, the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor, will be on display. A Civil War surgical operating set, memorabilia of Dr. Bontecou, first-edition books on New York in the war, and rare newspapers will also be shown.
The Bontecou images are from the collection of Dr. Stanley B. Burns, The Burns Archive. Dr. Burns’s new book, Shooting Soldiers: Civil War Medical Photography, by R.B. Bontecou, showcases Bontecou’s stirring photographs – which go beyond the mere presentation of their intended subject, the patient’s wound, to rival the work of portrait photographers like Matthew Brady.
About the Merchant’s House Museum
Celebrating Our 75th Year as Museum (1936-2011)
The Merchant's House Museum is New York City's only family home preserved intact — inside and out — from the mid-19th century. Home to a prosperous merchant-class family and their staff of four (mostly Irish) servants for almost 100 years, it is complete with the family's original furnishings and personal possessions, offering a rare and intimate glimpse of domestic life from 1835-1865.
“Not so much a museum as a raw slice of history” AVENUE Magazine
On the web: www.merchantshouse.org
About the Burns Archive
In addition to being an internationally distinguished author, curator, historian, collector, publisher, and archivist, Dr. Stanley B. Burns, MD, FACS, is a New York City ophthalmologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center. In 1975 he began collecting historic photography. In 1977 he founded The Burns Archive to share his discoveries and began his writing and publishing career. Dr. Burns’ collection of vintage photographs (1840-1950) has been generally recognized as the most important private comprehensive collection of early photography. It has been showcased in numerous national media venues worldwide. Artists, researchers and historians can access the one million+ photographs. The images have been the source of numerous Hollywood feature films, documentaries and museum exhibitions. Dr. Burns has authored forty photo-historical texts and curated more than fifty photographic exhibitions. He has been a founding donor of photography collections, including the J.P. Getty Museum and The Bronx Museum of the Arts. He spends his time lecturing, creating exhibits, and writing books on underappreciated areas of history and photography.
On the web: www.theburnsarchive.blogspot.com
# # #
Eva Ulz
Education & Communications Manager
Merchant's House Museum
29 East Fourth Street, NYC 10003
tel: 212-777-1089 x303 fax: 212-777-1104
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