As war predictably leaves injuries and ailments in its wake, medicine has long maintained a presence both on the battlefield and at hospitals where the wounded come home for treatment. This Report's Topic in Depth examines the role of medicine in war, and presents online resources and information regarding combat-related ailments, and services for active military and veterans. From PBS-NOVA, the...
The History of Medicine division of The National Library of Medicine has been responsible for a number of fine online digital collections, and this latest one is no exception. The Medicine in the Americas website provides access to a number of key primary historical documents that deal with a number of areas, such as women’s health, public health, and clinical works of enduring historical value....
Medicine and art combine through Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries. This resource allows readers to virtually explore an exhibit from the Science Museum in London, which features more than 3,000 items (as of this write-up) from around the world that highlight some of the most substantial medical advancements and instruments. The exhibit seeks to help viewers "better understand the human body,"...
The UK's Royal College of Midwives (RCM) dates back to 1881, and continues to work "to enhance the confidence, professional practice and influence of midwives for the benefit of child-bearing women and their families, nationally and internationally." The RCM also authors the Midwives Chronicle and Nursing Notes, a blog dedicated to the history of midwifery, featuring archival items from its...
The Museum of Health Care in Kingston, Ontario is located on the site of the Kingston General Hospital - the oldest hospital in Canada. The museum is home to a large collection of artifacts that illuminate the history of health and healthcare, including medical instruments, nursing uniforms, anatomical charts, advertisements for homeopathy, and much more. In their online catalog, visitors can...
The collections held by the National Institutes of Health on the History of Medicine trace their roots back to the year 1818, when one Dr. Joseph Lovell (the first Surgeon General of the Army) took it upon himself to create a small collection of books, journals, and pamphlets to serve as an onsite reference collection for the Army surgeons under his direction. Currently under the direction of Dr....
Over the centuries, there has been a paradigm shift in thinking about how to deal with persons with mental illness. A number of innovations in this area came about in Massachusetts, including the innovative work of the social reformer Dorothea Dix. This digital collection brings together annual reports from the Northampton State Hospital, which was opened in 1858 to provide moral therapy to the...
In his introductory lecture for this Open Yale Course, History professor Frank Snowden proposes a thesis: "Infectious diseases are too important to leave solely to the doctors." As the professor explains, while he does not expect students to share his thesis, this course offers an opportunity to explore the topic. Over the course of 26 video-recorded lectures (available via the sessions tab),...
This website from the Valley Library at Oregon State University is subtitled: A Documentary History of Linus Pauling, Hemoglobin and Sickle Cell Anemia. The site is part of a series of Valley Library websites that focus on different aspects of chemist Linus Pauling's notable career. The site is composed of three main sections. The first section narrates "the story of Linus Pauling's research into...
Like so many others, perhaps some of our Scout Report readers have wondered: "Where can I find out more about the history of physician assistants?" Those persons need wonder no longer, as this very thorough website provides a cornucopia of material that addresses all aspects of that very query. The site was created by a group of responsible organizations, including Duke University Medical Center...