Thursday, February 17, 2011
Today's Flickr photos have a common piece to them.
Besides being part of the New Contributed Photograph collection, there’s something in common with most of the pictures being sent up to our Flickr site today. Can you spot it?
Letter of the Day: February 17
Fort Shaw, M.T.
February 17th 1868.
Sir;
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication dated M.D.A. Dep’t of Dakota January 22d, 1868 stating it is the wish of the Surgeon General to secure for preservation in the army medical museum specimens of Indian Crania and Indian weapons and utensils as far as they can be procured of the different Indian Tribes; and giving directions ho these specimens are to be collected and forwarded +c.
In reference to which I would respectfully state that I shall willing lend my aid as far as possible in collecting specimens from the different Indian Tribes in this Territory.
There are no Indians residing within a radius of forty or fifty miles of this Post, the Sun River country being looked upon as neutral ground. Occasional parties of Bloods, Piegans, Pend D’Oreilles, Black Feet and other Tribes on hunting or horse stealing expeditions transverse this section of country but make no delay en route and seldom visit this Post. Nevertheless I shall not fail to avail myself of any means of communication with these Tribes with a view to secure specimens.
Actg. Asst. Surgeon Hitz has been furnished with an official copy of your communication and expresses his willingness to cooperate in securing these specimens.
Very Respectfully
Your ob’t. Servant
F.L. Town
Bre’t Lieut. Col. + Surgeon, U.S.A.
Surgeon Jno. E. Summers U.S.A.
Medical Director, Dept. of Dakota
St. Paul, Minn.
Yellow Fever and Walter Reed
This is the text for an exhibit at the Pentagon I did about two decades ago...
Yellow Fever and Walter Reed
Yellow fever is caused by a virus transmitted by a mosquito. This disease has menaced communities since before the founding of the United States. Yellow fever was first described by Joam Ferreyra Da Rosa in 1694. The origin of the term "yellow fever", however, is obscure. Some feel the name reflects the symptoms since the virus destroys liver cells and causes jaundice which is a yellowing of the skin and eyes. Others feel that the name refers to the yellow quarantine flag flown by ships carrying the disease, especially since the fever apparently travelled from Africa on slave ships which were notorious carriers of the fever.
Yellow fever has a wide variety of symptoms including headaches, backaches, nausea and fever. The most disturbing symptom is bloody vomiting which gave the disease the vivid name of "the black vomit". The disease has a fatality rate between 10 and 15% but is less virulent in children. Currently, the disease is incurable and attentive nursing and rest are the only treatments.
Walter Reed was born in Virginia in 1851. In 1869, Reed graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in medicine and studied at Bellevue Medical Hospital in New York. He joined the Army Medical Corps in 1875 and spent most of the next two decades at frontier posts. In 1893, Reed began serving as curator of the Army Medical Museum and professor of bacteriology and clinical microscopy at the Army Medical School. As part of the Surgeon General's Office staff in Washington, Reed was assigned to investigate typhoid fever in 1898 and then yellow fever a year later.
Reed was the first man to prove the mechanics of infection of yellow fever. Prior to his work, several novel ideas had been considered.
For instance, Benjamin Rush, the noted Philadelphia physician, believed the disease was caused by rotten coffee. Others held that "miasmas" or bad airs were the cause. However, throughout the century, glimpses of the true means of transmission had been noted. In 188 Dr. Josiah C. Nott of Alabama suggested that mosquitoes might be the vector or carrier of the disease. Carlos Juan Finlay of Cuba strongly advanced this idea although current theory held that "fomites" or household articles were somehow infected with the disease.
In 1899 during the wake of the Spanish-American War, Reed headed a team investigating the cause of yellow fever. The team, composed of Dr. James Carroll (also of the Army Medical Museum), Dr. Aristides Agramonte and Dr. Jesse Lazear, convened at Columbia Barracks near Havana, Cuba. Their first accomplishment was to quickly rule out a recently-proposed bacterial theory. Then, using volunteers, the team tested the fomite theory with articles fouled with the effusions from yellow fever victims. This theory, too, was proven wrong. After a prison outbreak when one prisoner was infected and died but the eight other prisoners were not infected, researchers could not suggest a method of transmission other than mosquitoes. Finlay had provided mosquitoes for testing and Dr. Lazear began experiments with them. By having a mosquito bite them, Lazear successfully infected Dr. Carroll and a volunteer soldier named Dean in August. Lazear may have been testing his theory on himself for he was infected and died on September 25, 1900. Lazear's notebooks enabled Reed to study the data Lazear compiled. Reed realized that the Aedes aegypti mosquito carried yellow fever but only under certain conditions. The mosquito must bite a yellow fever victim during the first three days of an attack, incubate the virus in its body for at least twelve days and then bite another person to pass on the disease. This discovery enabled the United States to essentially eradicate yellow fever within its borders after one last epidemic in New Orleans in 1905. The disease proved easy to conquer because the Aedes aegypti mosquito is an urban mosquito and breeds only in small pools of stagnant water such as fish ponds or even flower jars. Yellow fever is still prevalent in tropical climes due to both a different mosquito vector, the Haemagogus spegazzinii and the fact that jungle yellow fever, as it is occasionally known, can live in monkeys as well as human hosts.
Object List:
Two Reed medals (M-900 00682, ASTM medal; M-900 00683, Congressional medal) Text: Medals awarded to Walter Reed for his work on yellow fever by Congress and the American Society of Tropical Medicine. M-900 00683; M-900 00682.
Photo of Reed at 25 (NCP 876 Text: Reed at age 25. NCP #876
Sontag volunteers photo. Text: Soldiers who volunteered for yellow fever experiments. Sontag Collection.
Reed microscope (M-030 00420) Text: Microscope used by Reed. M-030 00420.
Mosquito drawing
Yellow Fever and Walter Reed
Yellow fever is caused by a virus transmitted by a mosquito. This disease has menaced communities since before the founding of the United States. Yellow fever was first described by Joam Ferreyra Da Rosa in 1694. The origin of the term "yellow fever", however, is obscure. Some feel the name reflects the symptoms since the virus destroys liver cells and causes jaundice which is a yellowing of the skin and eyes. Others feel that the name refers to the yellow quarantine flag flown by ships carrying the disease, especially since the fever apparently travelled from Africa on slave ships which were notorious carriers of the fever.
Yellow fever has a wide variety of symptoms including headaches, backaches, nausea and fever. The most disturbing symptom is bloody vomiting which gave the disease the vivid name of "the black vomit". The disease has a fatality rate between 10 and 15% but is less virulent in children. Currently, the disease is incurable and attentive nursing and rest are the only treatments.
Walter Reed was born in Virginia in 1851. In 1869, Reed graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in medicine and studied at Bellevue Medical Hospital in New York. He joined the Army Medical Corps in 1875 and spent most of the next two decades at frontier posts. In 1893, Reed began serving as curator of the Army Medical Museum and professor of bacteriology and clinical microscopy at the Army Medical School. As part of the Surgeon General's Office staff in Washington, Reed was assigned to investigate typhoid fever in 1898 and then yellow fever a year later.
Reed was the first man to prove the mechanics of infection of yellow fever. Prior to his work, several novel ideas had been considered.
For instance, Benjamin Rush, the noted Philadelphia physician, believed the disease was caused by rotten coffee. Others held that "miasmas" or bad airs were the cause. However, throughout the century, glimpses of the true means of transmission had been noted. In 188 Dr. Josiah C. Nott of Alabama suggested that mosquitoes might be the vector or carrier of the disease. Carlos Juan Finlay of Cuba strongly advanced this idea although current theory held that "fomites" or household articles were somehow infected with the disease.
In 1899 during the wake of the Spanish-American War, Reed headed a team investigating the cause of yellow fever. The team, composed of Dr. James Carroll (also of the Army Medical Museum), Dr. Aristides Agramonte and Dr. Jesse Lazear, convened at Columbia Barracks near Havana, Cuba. Their first accomplishment was to quickly rule out a recently-proposed bacterial theory. Then, using volunteers, the team tested the fomite theory with articles fouled with the effusions from yellow fever victims. This theory, too, was proven wrong. After a prison outbreak when one prisoner was infected and died but the eight other prisoners were not infected, researchers could not suggest a method of transmission other than mosquitoes. Finlay had provided mosquitoes for testing and Dr. Lazear began experiments with them. By having a mosquito bite them, Lazear successfully infected Dr. Carroll and a volunteer soldier named Dean in August. Lazear may have been testing his theory on himself for he was infected and died on September 25, 1900. Lazear's notebooks enabled Reed to study the data Lazear compiled. Reed realized that the Aedes aegypti mosquito carried yellow fever but only under certain conditions. The mosquito must bite a yellow fever victim during the first three days of an attack, incubate the virus in its body for at least twelve days and then bite another person to pass on the disease. This discovery enabled the United States to essentially eradicate yellow fever within its borders after one last epidemic in New Orleans in 1905. The disease proved easy to conquer because the Aedes aegypti mosquito is an urban mosquito and breeds only in small pools of stagnant water such as fish ponds or even flower jars. Yellow fever is still prevalent in tropical climes due to both a different mosquito vector, the Haemagogus spegazzinii and the fact that jungle yellow fever, as it is occasionally known, can live in monkeys as well as human hosts.
Object List:
Two Reed medals (M-900 00682, ASTM medal; M-900 00683, Congressional medal) Text: Medals awarded to Walter Reed for his work on yellow fever by Congress and the American Society of Tropical Medicine. M-900 00683; M-900 00682.
Photo of Reed at 25 (NCP 876 Text: Reed at age 25. NCP #876
Sontag volunteers photo. Text: Soldiers who volunteered for yellow fever experiments. Sontag Collection.
Reed microscope (M-030 00420) Text: Microscope used by Reed. M-030 00420.
Mosquito drawing
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Link Love from the Medical Heritage Library
NMHM, NCP 3280
For those of you who haven't heard, the Medical Heritage Library is a collaborative, digital curation project among some of the leading medical libraries, National Library of Medicine, The Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine (Harvard), The Cushing/Whitney Medical Library (Yale), The Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library (Columbia), and the New York Public Library. They "promote free and open access to quality historical resources in medicine."
A friend and colleague of mine works for the team at the MHL and we chat often about the unique world of medical archives. She gave us a shout-out today on their blog: Digital Connections: The Otis Historical Archives, highlighting some of her favorite images from the NMHM flickr site.
Letter of the Day: February 16
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 07315
War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army medical Museum and Library,
Washington
ARMY MEDICAL SCHOOL
February 16, 1904
To the Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
Sir:
I have the honor to request that two (2) hospital blankets be furnished for use in the X-ray room of the Army Medical School, to protect X-ray subjects against the cold atmosphere of the room.
Very respectfully,
C.L. Heizmann
Col. Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum and Library Division
War Department,
Office of the Surgeon General,
Army medical Museum and Library,
Washington
ARMY MEDICAL SCHOOL
February 16, 1904
To the Surgeon General,
U.S. Army
Sir:
I have the honor to request that two (2) hospital blankets be furnished for use in the X-ray room of the Army Medical School, to protect X-ray subjects against the cold atmosphere of the room.
Very respectfully,
C.L. Heizmann
Col. Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum and Library Division
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Letter of the Day: February 15
Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 05770
War Department
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington,
February 15, 1902
Messers Eimer & Amend,
205-211 Third Ave.,
New York, N.Y.
Gentlemen:
Please forward at your earliest convenience, with bill, a "Complete Haemocytometer Set" of Dr. Oliver, referred to on page 31 of you pamphlet, "The Tintometer".
I hope you have received the Oliver's Haemoglobinometer set ion case returned to you on the 7th inst. for examination and repair, and that you will be able to return it at an early date.
Very respectfully,
Water Reed
Major & Surgeon, U.S. Army
War Department
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW
Washington,
February 15, 1902
Messers Eimer & Amend,
205-211 Third Ave.,
New York, N.Y.
Gentlemen:
Please forward at your earliest convenience, with bill, a "Complete Haemocytometer Set" of Dr. Oliver, referred to on page 31 of you pamphlet, "The Tintometer".
I hope you have received the Oliver's Haemoglobinometer set ion case returned to you on the 7th inst. for examination and repair, and that you will be able to return it at an early date.
Very respectfully,
Water Reed
Major & Surgeon, U.S. Army
Monday, February 14, 2011
Michelle and Megan
Hi guys! A lot has happened since we last posted on this site. We have been at the warehouse, and labeled jars and packaged dental models in preparation of HDACs new location. We also completed our research on eye development and eye anomalies. This past weekend, NMHM hosted a Valentine's Day program, which included a scavenger hunt, a lot of arts and crafts, and a heart dissection. It was very fun and everyone who came seemed to have had a great time! Currently, we're learning how to use NetObjects in order to create web pages. It's very interesting. We are about to start 3D modeling, which we are extremely excited about.
Letter of the Day: February 14
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.
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.
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.
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