An unofficial blog about the National Museum of Health and Medicine (nee the Army Medical Museum) in Silver Spring, MD. Visit for news about the museum, new projects, musing on the history of medicine and neat pictures.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
City Paper on Walter Reed's closing
Fast Times at Walter Reed
by Lydia DePillis on Aug. 4, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2011/08/04/fast-times-at-walter-reed/
Monday, August 1, 2011
Former Museum Assistant Director of Collections wins award
Friday, July 22, 2011
Creative use of Museum's Civil War photos at Flickr
- his one soldier is Frederick Bentley.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Medical Museum Science Café, featuring author Matthew Algeo
Where: Silver Spring Civic Center, Fenton Room
One Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910
http://www.silverspringdowntown.com
What: In "The President Is a Sick Man," author and journalist Matthew Algeo offers the first full account of a monumental political scandal that shook the Gilded Age. In July 1893, President Grover Cleveland boarded a yacht somewhere off Long Island Sound and seemingly vanished for five days. What the American public did not know was that a dream team of surgeons had been assembled on the boat to remove a cancerous growth from Cleveland’s jaw (the Museum has histological slides with samples of the tumor). When a reporter attempted to expose the truth behind the president’s disappearance, he was immediately discredited by White House staff who had decided Americans could not know the truth.
Join this discussion about public perception and presidential health. Copies of the book will be available for purchase; a book signing will follow.
Presented by the National Museum of Health and Medicine
Cost: Free
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
July 13: NLM History of Medicine Seminar - Cassedy Memorial Lecture
History of Medicine Division Seminar
Fourth Annual James H. Cassedy Memorial Lecture
Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Lister Hill Auditorium
NLM Building 38A
Bethesda, MD
"The Image of Modern Medicine: Aesthetic Belonging and the American Doctor, 1880-1950."
John Harley Warner, Yale University
Distinguished scholar John Harley Warner, Avalon Professor and Chair, History of Medicine, and Professor of History, Yale University, has long studied the cultural and social history of medicine in 19th and 20th century America. This presentation will examine clinical practice, orthodox and alternative healing, the multiple meanings of scientific medicine, and the interactions among identity, narrative, and aesthetic in the grounding of modern medicine.
All are welcome.
www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/happening/seminars/index.html
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Where are we?
Blog posts are getting fewer and further between because the packing of the museum for its move to Forest Glen, MD is well under way. Historical Collections is largely packed up, as is the Human Developmental Anatomy Center. Anatomical Collection’s specimens in formalin are about half packed, and the Archives is due to be packed mid-month. We’re moving to a new command so our email and Internet addresses all are changing too. So our access to everything is lessened for a few months, but please bear with us.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 28
War Department,
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library,
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington,June 28, 1900.
Capt. Edgar A. Mearns
Asst. Surgeon, U.S. Army,
(Through Chief Surgeon Dept. of the East)
Sir:
The Surgeon General directs me to acknowledge receiveing a specimen of aneurism of the aorta, case of Sgt. John F. Walsh, Batty. "I" 7th Arty., and the history of the case dated 25th inst., in making contributions to the Museum of such illustrations of pathology is always much appreciated.
Respectfully,
[Lieut. Col. A.A. Woodhull]
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
New Civil War pictures added to Flickr
We’re finally away from the images of shattered bones, and you can see living men surviving their wounds at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/medicalmuseum/
Monday, June 27, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 27
War Department,
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library.
Corner of 7th and B Streets S.W.
Washington, June 27, 1901.
To the Post Surgeon
Columbia Barracks,
Quemados, Cuba.
Sir:
At the time of my departure from your station I left on hand in Pathological Laboratory one incubator, under the impression that it was not part of the property for which I was responsible. I now find, however, that this incubator is borne on my annual return and I, therefore, enclose herewith the proper invoices and request that you will be kind enough to receipt me for the same.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
major & Surgeon, U.S.A.
(3 Enclosures)
Friday, June 24, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 24
War Department,
Surgeon General's Office,
U.S. Army Medical Museum and Library.
Corner of 7th and B Streets SW.,
Washington, June 24, 1901.
Dr. M.P. Overholser,
Harrisonville, MO.
My Dear Doctor:
In compliance with your request of recent date, I have mailed to your address a copy of the paper which was read at the Pan-American Congress in February last. A previous paper on the same subject appears in the last Vol. of Transactions of the American Public Health Association; a later paper was read at the meeting of the Association of American Physicians, held in this city May 2-5, 1901, and will shortly appear, I hope, in American Medicine (Dr. Gould's new journal).
I regret to say that I know of no recent literature on the transmission of malaria by the mosquito in either the French or English language, nor anything relating to the propagation of yellow fever, except what I have mentioned above.
Very truly yours,
Walter Reed
Major & Surgeon, U.S. Army.
[hand notation]
Letter of Dr. O. not received for file. P.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 23
June 23, 1897
Mr. Albert Worsham
National home, D.V.S.
Hampton, Va.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of the 20th inst. has been received and in reply I would say that the eight-legged kitten referred to is not desired for this Museum. It has no commercial value.
Very respectfully,
D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
In charge of Museum & Library Division.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 22
June 22, 1897
Major Sam Q. Robinson,
Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Fort Reno, O.T.
Dear Sir:
In answer to your inquiry of the 17th inst. I would state that the 7 inch centipede, mounted dry, is not desired for the Museum collection. Thanking you for your kind offer, I remain,
Very respectfully,
D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum & Library Division.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 21
June 21, 1899
1st Lieut. C. B. Millhoff,
Asst. Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Comdg. U.S. Genl. Hospital,
Camp Meade, Pa.
Sir:
The sample of blood sent by you on the 20th inst. in the case of Private Frank Gallay, Co. I, 2nd U.S. Vol. Infty., has been examined and gives a positive reaction. The case appears to be one of typhoid fever. Box returned herewith.
Very respectfully,
Walter Reed
Major & Surgeon,
U.S. Army
Monday, June 20, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 20
20 June 1960
Mr. Isidore B. Meyer
Coordinator of Exhibit
Civil War Centennial
Jewish Historical Commission
1109 Fifth Avenue
New York 28, New York
Dear Mr. Meyer:
Reference is made to your letter of 10 June relative to the loan of operating instruments for incorporation in your Centennial Exhibit.
These insturments, presently on loan to the B'nai B'rith Museum in Washington, will be made available to you on or about the 15th of October 1960.
As these items are not insured, it would be appreciated if you could have them insured for five hundred dolares ($500.00).
If we can be of any further assistance to you, please feel free to write.
Sincerely yours,
Albert E Minns Jr
Colonel MSC
Curator, Medical Museum
Letter of the Day: June 20
Army Medical Museum,
June 20, 1903.
Circular Order.
Hereafter no employs of the Surgeon General's Office, except commissioned Officers connected therewith, Dr. Fletcher, Dr. Hodge, Dr. Garrison, the Principal Clerks of the Divisions, Mr. Stone, Mr. Myers, Mr. Clark and Mr. Hardy of the Library, will be admitted to this building on Sundays. Also Dr. Lamb [handwritten note]
The night watchman must remain on duty until 8 A.M. The Superintendent of the building will instruct the watchman and see that these orders are strictly complied with.
Calvin DeWitt
Col. Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum & Library Division.
June 27, 1903.
Besides the persons above mentioned, Dr. D.S. Lamb and Mr. B Israeli will also be admitted on Sundays.
By order of Col C. DeWitt, Asst. Surgeon General U.S.A.
Coj[?] Myers
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Letter of the Day: June 19
June 19, 1897
Captain W. O. Owen
Asst. Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Fort Bayard, N.M.
Dear Sir:
I have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt of a barbed-wire fence staple removed from the throat of a child aged four months.
The Surgeon General desires me to thank you for this addition to the Museum collection.
Very respectfully,
D.L. Huntington
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army
In charge of Museum & Library Division
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Museum & AFIP's history book now available
Legacy of Excellence: The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 1862-2011 - Provides a narrative and photographic history of the AFIP (originally the Army Medical Museum) from its beginning during the Civil War, through the development of the modern field of pathology in the 20th century, to the response to 9/11 and beyond in the 21st century. This book is available for purchase only through the Government Printing Office (see Ordering Information).