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
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
Published by Education Intern, Jackie Guataquira Over the past twelve weeks, I’ve been continuously reflecting on my time here at IMSS, keeping a journal to do so. The experiences I’ve had and the knowledge and skills I’ve gained over the course of my internship so far have genuinely been very valuable. I recently revisited a … Continue reading Reflecting on my Experience as an Education Intern
Published by Erin Newton “William Smellie,” photoprint. Accessed 1/8/2020. <http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101429306> William Smellie (1697-1763) is often referred to as the father of British obstetrics. He spent most of his long career overseeing and assisting in birth, reconciling the health of both mother and child in hundreds of cases. During this time, he developed a number of … Continue reading A Note from the Library: Smellie’s ‘Treatise on Midwifery’: A debate between theory and practice
Published by Nada Abdelrahim Even those of us that are only slightly acquainted with the medical field can appreciate the way it has come to be an interdisciplinary practice. Medical professionals of our modern era collaborate with engineers and dieticians, psychologists and more to approach patient care in a more well rounded and successful way. … Continue reading A Note from the Library: One Hit Wonder of 1698
Published by Claire Olszewski. With the Museum fully decked with festive decor, it is starting to feel like the holiday season is among us. I would like to take this opportunity to look more closely at a few relevant items in the collection. Christmas, the religious holiday traditionally celebrated in many Western cultures, marks a … Continue reading A Note from the Collection: Christmas at IMSS
Published by Education Intern, Lillian Climo In our Obstetrics and Gynecology exhibit, many visitors are drawn to the large murals. The images are bloody, busy, and they certainly communicate the danger involved in early obstetric procedures. The paintings are densely populated, but only three of the figures depicted are women; two patients and one nurse … Continue reading A Note from the Collections: Midwives and Healers in the European Witch Trials
Published by Education Intern, Jackie Guataquira There are many eye-catching objects in the Museum, but when I began my internship, the one that I found most interesting was the human skeleton encased on the third floor. The label describes how prior to replica skeletons, real human skeletons were used as teaching tools. The field of … Continue reading A Note from the Collections: Why We Should Question “Scientific Fact”
Published by Erin Newton Japanese historians commonly refer to the years between 1603 and 1867 as the Tokugawa Period, named for the Tokugawa Shogun whose family ruled the country during this time. It is widely considered one of the most politically stable periods in Japanese history, during which time the economy grew steadily and the … Continue reading A Note from the Library: On Obstetrics and Gender in Tokugawa-Period Japan
Published by Nada Abdelrahim Above Left: Spine view, De medicina. Alter, ut ab almeloveenio editus est. A. 1713. Above Right: Back view, De medicina. Alter, ut ab almeloveenio editus est. A. 1713. Originally written in the first century CE, the copy of De Medicina in the IMSS’s library is “newer”— from 1713—written almost sixteen centuries … Continue reading A Note from the Library: De Medicina—A Complete Medical Text for its Time
International Museum of Surgical Science 