Category: Museum Blog

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A Moment in Museum History: the First Cardiology Exhibit

Published by Michelle Rinard Invitation to Conquering Heart Disease (front and back) Conquering Heart Disease: A Surgeon’s Perspective, opened at the International Museum of Surgical Science in 2001. The exhibit was organized by Dr. Sibu Saha, MD, the Medical Director of the Baptist Heart Institute. Cardiovascular disease surgery is a recent medical advancement of the … Continue reading A Moment in Museum History: the First Cardiology Exhibit

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The Hands Have It: The Importance of Manual Dexterity in Medicine

Published by Sandy Bechtolsheim When we think about the qualities or traits that a surgeon needs to have to be successful, words such as intelligence, courageousness, ability to focus, adaptability, stamina, and analytical thinking come to mind. But no matter how intelligent, courageous, focused, adaptable, strong, or analytical a surgeon may be, they would be … Continue reading The Hands Have It: The Importance of Manual Dexterity in Medicine

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A Note from the Collections – From Assassinations to Witches’ Brews: The Troubled History of the Belladonna Plant

Published by Bailey Kirsten “Beauty is pain!” one may think as they stuff their feet into 6-inch pumps, or meticulously tweeze their brows into the perfect arch. How far, however, might someone be willing to step over the line separating minor discomfort and extreme agony in order to get that special compliment from a stranger … Continue reading A Note from the Collections – From Assassinations to Witches’ Brews: The Troubled History of the Belladonna Plant

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A Note from the Library – A Horrible Laceration: The Impact of the Minié Ball in the American Civil War

Published by Kelly Christian Many of the surgical textbooks held in the Thorek Manuscripts and Rare Books Collection reference how to operate on and care for wounds from war. The nuance of military surgery varied based on a book’s publication date, which accounts for the many differences in medical technology. Books from the late 19th … Continue reading A Note from the Library – A Horrible Laceration: The Impact of the Minié Ball in the American Civil War

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A Note from the Library: Florence Nightingale Through Letters

Published by Erin Newton While surgical textbooks and treatise on diseases can tell us much about the history of medicine, it is important to remember that the men and women who labored in medicine—as doctors, surgeons, nurses and midwives—are as much a historical object as the procedures and theories of the body. In addition to … Continue reading A Note from the Library: Florence Nightingale Through Letters

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A Note from the Collections: Dangerous “Soothing Syrups:” Patent Medicines

Published by Education Intern, Lillian Climo Patent medicine trading card. Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup, c. 1887. Miami University Libraries Digital Collections. Advertisement for “Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup”, from 1887. The syrup is advertised as a cure for teething and shows a mother administering the medicine to her infant in a peaceful outdoor setting. Patent medicines … Continue reading A Note from the Collections: Dangerous “Soothing Syrups:” Patent Medicines