Light the Wick

The Rose Melnick Medical Museum has been featured on “Light The Wick,” a weekly video newsletter about people and events on Wick Avenue, Youngstown State University’s (YSU) arts corridor. The show typically includes profiles of students, staff, faculty, visiting artists, and administrators in the YSU arts scene as well as coverage of noteworthy events. The Museum was included in the episode that aired on November 13, 2009.

Click here to see the video.

Sometimes gross but fascinating…

One of the blogs on the Melnick Medical Museum’s “blogroll” is Morbid Anatomy. The blog is written by Joanna Ebenstein. For more than two years she has used it to explore the intersection of anatomy and art.  As a photographer and graphic designer, Ebenstein has an eye for visually interesting images. She is interested in a wide range of formats including anatomical models and specimens, medical illustrations, and other visual media like post cards, slides, and broadsides. Her photographic exhibit called Anatomical Theatre took her around the world to capture stunning photographs from medical collections. Even though her project is complete, she continues to scour the Internet, blogs, and medical museums for historical and unique anatomical images.  Her blog is covered with clear, crisp, images of the things she has found. Through this art work, readers can learn new things about the history of medicine, disease, and cultures. Once you start looking, your curiosity gets the best of you and you can’t take your eyes away!

Ebenstein is also active in the art and medical museum communities. Her blog contains many, many links to medical museums, collections, and related online exhibits, blogs, artists, and sources. These lists can be overwhelming, but they are a great resource for those who have time to browse them. She also writes about events in the medical art and medical museum communities like conferences and exhibits. I am amazed at how much is going on!

Polio survivors face new challenges

On Monday, National Public Radio aired a story about Dr. Lauro Halstead, a doctor who published his research about what would come to be known as post-polio syndrome (PPS) 25 years ago this month. Halstead’s research described PPS as a condition that affects polio survivors decades after they were first struck by the disease and causes new weakening in muscles and joints, as well as general fatigue and exhaustion after minimal activity. For his work to educate the medical community about PPS, some polio survivors call him the “champion of the post-polio community.”

One of the reasons Halstead can speak with authority about the condition is that he survived polio and now experiences the symptoms of PPS himself. At 73 years old, he continues to work and the list of patients waiting to see him is growing. He uses a motorized scooter to get around, wears a leg brace, and takes naps in the afternoon to help his fatigue. When he talks with patients about ways to live with PPS, he often suggests some of the techniques that have helped him. Sometimes its a hard sell. Polio survivors have usually worked hard to regain a “normal” life and are proud of being independent people. Trying to convince them that they need to slow down and use canes, braces, or wheelchairs is difficult because they feel like they’re giving in to the disease.

National health and polio organizations estimate that there are between 440,000 and 775, 000 polio survivors alive today. PPS may effect 25-60% of them. At the same time, the number of doctors specializing in polio is falling as the disease is defeated. The number of people infected with polio was greatly reduced in the 1950s and 1960s as vaccines were created and there hasn’t been a new case of polio in the United States since 1979. Dr. Halstead is one of just a handful of doctors who specializes in polio but he’d like to retire. He’s hoping to find a young doctor that he can mentor to take over his practice first.

The NPR website for this story contains the original radio broadcast and a summary of the story. It also includes many postings from polio survivors suffering from PPS in which they talk about the ways they have learned to cope with the symptoms.

AMA anniversary

Today, May 7th, is the 162nd anniversary of the founding of the American Medical Association (AMA). The mission of the organization was to advance the science of medicine, to improve the standards for medical education, to develop a program of medical ethics, and to improve the health of the public. The AMA was organized in Philadelphia at the Academy of Natural Sciences by 250 delegates from 28 states. Dr. Nathan Smith Davis from New York was the main proponent of the formation of the AMA. Its first president was Dr. Nathaniel Chapman. Chapman was a well known physician in Philadelphia and was the chair of the department of Theory and Practice of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania for 40 years. At the meeting the delegates adopted the first code of medical ethics and the first national standards for preliminary medical education and for the degree of MD. In 1883 the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) begins publication and Nathan Davis is its first editor. Today JAMA has the largest circulation of any weekly medical journal in the world. To learn more about the history of the AMA, click here.

Interesting Smithsonian exhibits on medicine

Common Threads exhibit by Jean Shin at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art:

This exhibit is made out of a collection of similar everyday objects. For example, “Chemical Balance III” makes lighted stalactite- and stalagmite-like sculptures out of empty prescriptions containers. According to the artist, this part of the exhibit speaks to a dependency on prescription medications.” Other installations include “Chance City” which is a cityscape made out of thousands of losing lottery tickets. “Everyday Moments” mimics the landscaping of the National Mall with old donated trophies. Find out more about the exhibit here. Look at behind the scenes photographs of this exhibit being installed at Jean Shin: Common Threads on Flickr.

“Balm of America” collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History:

This is an interesting and valuable database of patent medicines that has a wide range of audience and use. The product names and ingredients are amusing to almost anyone. For example, Dr. Strong’s Life Force Pills, Kickapoo Indian Sagwa Renovator, and Johnson’s Carbolic Salve. At the same time, this is a valuable tool for anyone researching over the counter medicine, drug use, or popular culture during the 19th century. Here’s the description from the Smithsonian website:

The Smithsonian Institution began to collect objects related to health and medicine in 1881. It first obtained examples of patent medicines in 1930, acquiring packages of Haarlem Oil (or Dutch Drops), Dr. John Hooper’s Female Pills, and Roche’s Herbal Embrocation.  Since then the Smithsonian’s collection of patent medicines has expanded to over 4,000 products, dating from the 19th century to the present day. The online exhibit “Balm of America” features examples from this collection, found in the Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American History.  Each entry includes a photo of the object, the product’s name, maker’s name, place of manufacture, and a date range.  Ingredients and therapeutic claims are included when indicated on the product packaging.

Dissection: Photographs of a Rite of Passage in American Medicine 1880–1930

Throughout medical history, the practice of dissection has been controversial. During some periods of history it was distasteful or even illegal. At other times it served as the cornerstone of anatomy classes. Public opinion and differences in religious beliefs often meant that some cultures accepted the practice while others did not. The Dittrick Medical History Center at Case Western Reserve University has just published a fascinating new book based their collection of dissection photographs. The book, Dissection: Photographs of a rite of passage in American medicine 1880-1930, discusses the role of dissection in medical school and a little bit about the history of the practice. These images are not for those with weak stomachs! Dissection in the late 1800s was a messy and unsanitary process. You can see the on-line exhibit here. In addition, the blog Morbid Anatomy has a recent post that includes photographs from the book and a press release.

Medical library being cataloged!

The Rose Melnick Medical Museum is excited to annouce the beginning of a library cataloging project. We are in the process of creating catalog records for the hundeds of books and periodicals in our medical library collection. These records will be available in Youngstown State University’s Maagnet catalog and on the OhioLink catalog. These catalog records will help alert patrons to historical medical resources available at the Museum and encourage the use of the library for research. Due to the fact that these books are part of a specialized collection, they will be available for on-site research only. If you’re interested in using the medical library, please call (330-941-4662) or email (clnespor@ysu.edu) to make an appointment.

Physical vs. technological diagnosis

In modern medicine, physicians are greatly aided in diagnosis by new machines and technology. Undoubtedly these devices provide more accurate and detailed information than the old, low-tech methods, which usually leads to better treatment for the patient. However, some vestiges of the old methods are still in use and still provide valuable information for a doctor. These methods of physical diagnosis, such as using a stethoscope and taking your pulse or blood pressure, have remained cornerstones of a clinical examination.

Ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Greeks all recognized the value of reading the pulse to diagnosis illnesses. Many cultures identified various qualities in the feeling of the pulse and correlated those to illnesses. As early as 2600 BC the Chinese recorded observations of the effect of excess salt in the body leading to a faster pulse. However it would be many years until the the circulation of the blood and the workings of the circulatory system were understood. In 1616, William Harvey’s experiments proved that the blood flowed in a circular fashion through the body and was pumped by the heart, not the arteries themselves.

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), famous for his study of astronomy and mathematics, was also the first person who recorded counting the pulse by the minute. Previously, analyzing the pulse rate was a strictly qualitative method. Skilled physicians may have been able to identify high blood pressure and other illnesses using this method, but it was a precise art. Using a standard unit of measurement allowed physicians to compare data and create charts for normal and abnormal readings and their meanings. By the early 170os, counting the pulse by the minute had become common. As the century progressed, more attention was paid to the quantity of pulse, not the quality.

With the increased use of pulse data, physicians began to invent devices to read and record the pulse. The first of such machines was invented in 1555 by Joseph Struthus. He pioneered the idea of representing the pulse graphically, but lacked the technology for a sophisticated device. After 1616, with new understanding about the circulatory system, the importance of stress on the heart, and a rise in quantitative readings, doctors also became interested in measuring the pressure of the blood to diagnosis disease. Physicians had discovered that one could measure the pressure inside the artery by measuring the amount of outside pressure it took to stop the flow of blood. In the late 1700s and early 1800s many cumbersome devices were made that applied measured pressure to the artery in the wrist and recoded the pulse response on a rotating cylinder covered with smoked paper.

In 1896, Italian Scipione Riva-Rocci invented a simple instrument that obstructed the artery using an inflatable arm cuff. A vertical meter filled with mercury measured the amount of pressure in the cuff. The next year, two physicians used this devise to monitor eight surgical patients while they were under anesthesia. At the turn of the century, blood pressure measurement began to reach a significant level in the United States for the first time.

The last major discovery in the measurement of blood pressure came from a young Russian doctor serving a military hospital. Using a pressure cuff, Nicolai Sergeivich Korotkoff began using a stethoscope to listen to the pulse under the cuff and noticed several distinct sounds as the pressure was released. In 1905, after further study, he was able to identify the sounds of maximal and minimal pressure of the artery. In 1927, the United States Bureau of Standards recognized this method as the most accurate for the measurement of blood pressure and it became a routine procedure in medical examination.

As a side note, the evolution of methods to measure blood pressure also illustrates medicines inter connectivity with broader science and discovery. For example, the use of pulse in diagnosis was greatly aided by standardized time. Our understanding of blood circulation was increased in 1839 when physicists determined a law for the behavior of  liquids flowing in tubes. The modern blood pressure cuff was not possible until Charles Goodyear had invented vulcanized rubber in 1839 and John Dunlap had refined it to make a pneumatic tire in 1887.

The upcoming exhibit “Tools of the Trade: Medical Instrumentation” will address the evolution of a variety of medical tools and procedures.

Women in medicine

In honor of Women’s History Month, this post will highlight some of the roles women have played in the field of medicine throughout history.

Evidence from surviving artwork and texts reveals that women in ancient Rome and Egypt were physicians. At this time, the practice of medicine in most parts of the world was closely tied to religion and most cultures believed that sickness was brought on by sin or unhappy gods. Egyptian medical practice included physicians, surgeons, and sorcerers. Certain types of sickness and disease were treated spiritually, and other ailments were treated with medication or surgery. Some women who were part of the medical field may have been sorcerers; other female physicians may have limited their practice to midwifery and other areas dealing only with other women. It is not unlikely that some ancient female physicians may have attended to male patients as well.

The story of women in medicine after the Dark Ages is mostly the story of sexism and their struggle for equality. Women continued to practice midwifery and nursing, but were usually excluded from formal training in medical universities and professional organizations. There were exceptions. For example, when Germany began licensing physicians in the 14th century, there are some records of licensed female physicians. In France, a woman named Madame Boursier published a scientific book on midwifery in 1626. In Italy, Anna Morandi Manzolini was a professor of anatomy at the University of Bologna in the 18th century.

In the United States, the first approved, legal medical school for women opened in 1850. The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania was created with support from the Quaker community and a few male physicians willing to teach women. Similar schools were quickly established in New York, Boston, Cleveland, and Baltimore. By the turn of the 19th century there was scattered support for women to attend medical school with male students and female medical colleges began to integrate into larger university medical schools.

Youngstown’s first female physician began practicing in 1873, about 50 years after male physicians had come to the area. Her name was Helen Betts and she was a native of Vienna, OH. She had a medical degree and was also the first female member of the Mahoning Valley Medical Society.

The Mahoning Valley also had several schools to train nurses. The first was the Youngstown Hospital Association School of Nursing which began in 1896. Nurses assisted with surgery, fed patients, and assisted with housekeeping duties. They were expected to uphold a high moral code and adhere to strict rules. The Warren City/Trumbull Memorial Hospital and Saint Elizabeth Hospital also had nursing schools which opened in 1907 and 1911 respectively.

Youngstown Hospital Association student nurse uniform, c1956

During World War II the Mahoning Valley participated in the Cadet Nurses Corps, which was a federal project to train nurses in an accelerated program in order to relieve the nursing shortage on the home front. Many local nurses were trained in this program over 4 years.

uniform of St. Elizabeth Hospital Cadet Nurse, c1943

Happy Women’s History month!

Abraham Lincoln’s DNA

February 12, 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Many events are planned to honor him and bring attention to new historical research about his life. Some of this new research has focused on the former President’s health and DNA.

The speculation centers around Mr. Lincoln’s remarkable physique. He was an extraordinarily tall man for the early 19th century, measuring 6 feet 4 inches. His arms, hands, legs, and feet also seemed to be elongated. In addition, he was very thin throughout his life. Historical evidence suggests that he weighed about 170 pounds. In the 1960s, medical specialists speculated that he had Marfan syndrome. This hereditary disorder usually affects the growth of the lungs, eyes, bones, and most importantly, the heart. However, Lincoln was not known to have problems with his heart, or in any of the other areas.

Another speculation is that Mr. Lincoln had spinocerebellar ataxia type 5, which has been discovered in his descendants. This hereditary disorder affects coordination and could explain historical accounts of the former President’s clumsy gait-like walk.

Recently, cardiologist John G. Sotos posed a new theory that Lincoln’s unusual build was caused by multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2- a genetic disorder that causes the growth of tumors and usually affects the thyroid. In many cases, the tumors are cancerous. Sotos speculates that Lincoln may have been dying of cancer when he was assassinated in April 1865.  (Lincoln was 56 years old when John Wilkes Booth shot him in the back of the head at close range, damaging vital brain tissue and causing a severe hemorrhage.)

The research into Lincoln’s health gets complicated here because these diseases can be diagnosed through simple DNA tests. The plethora of bloodied clothing, skull fragments, and pieces of hair that have been saved from his assassination are all possible sources for DNA that can be tested. However, the testing may cause part of the artifact to be destroyed, any many curators and artifact owners are not willing to take that risk.

Beyond the destruction of Lincoln artifacts, there is the ethical question about whether researchers have the right to analyze the former President’s DNA and make the findings public. Would it set a precedent that could possibly erode the privacy of other historical figures? Is it worth the risk…? When Lincoln’s body was moved to a more secure burial site over 100 years ago, his last living son requested that his father’s body be left in peace. Since then, curators and researchers have cited this request as evidence of the Lincoln family’s wishes.

On the other side, historians and those who suffer from these diseases would like to have conclusive answers. Almost every other aspect of this famous President’s life has been researched extensively. If the DNA evidence proves Lincoln did have a genetic defect, others with disabilities could site his success as encouragement.

It’s a tricky question…

You can learn about the health of other U.S. Presidents in our virtual exhibit “When the President is the Patient” which is posted below.