Each year Furman University, located in South Carolina, offers a three-week May term, where students are encouraged to take experiential courses that build on their academic interests and take them in new directions. Inspired by programs bringing medical students into museums, undergraduate students have been coming to New York to focus on the skills of observation and communication since 2017.
Many of the students are on track for medical careers. This course, “The Art and Science of Observation,” is designed to use art as a “rehearsal space” for interpreting complex, sometimes contradictory visual information; by talking through the processes of looking, students can become better aware of their biases, the ways they reach conclusions, and learn to be more comfortable with differences of opinion.
One of the challenges is helping students understand the constructed nature of images, especially when they seem “realistic” or “factual.” Our visits with Arlene Shaner in the Library of the New York Academy of Medicine have been instrumental in breaking down the pretense of objectivity, even in medical and scientific illustration.
Our program is fortunate enough to visit the library three times during the May course. During the first two meetings, students trace a history of illustrated medical and scientific texts, learning under Arlene’s guidance about how print technology, art, circulation, and scientific understanding have unfolded over the centuries. Moving from Vesalius to 20th-century popular media, our students understand from first-hand experience how information has been created, copied, and circulated, especially in a pre-digital world.
At our third meeting, students enjoy being able to work directly with books from the collection. They choose a text and then select an image – or a small set of images – to analyze. The students deconstruct the image to consider its materiality, audience, and integration with text. This helps construct a better understanding of how one book can signify a larger system of learning and intellectual history.
A few examples of student work reveal how they interpret this assignment – from those who transform their notes into a visual scrapbook (material which then found its way into a senior’s ceramics project), to analyses that consider the text’s original function and audience – be it a neurological surgeon of the 16th century or a family doctor on the 19th-century American frontier.
Our visits to the library are always a highlight of our time in New York, in no small part thanks to the wealth of resources, the accessibility of this collection, and the enthusiastic guidance and insight of Arlene Shaner. We look forward to working together in the future!
If you are interested in bringing your own class for research within our collection, please reach out to library@nyam.org.
As the April showers (hopefully) dwindle down, out come May flowers. The passage of the month means the conclusion of April’s celebrations, including National Poetry Month, and the commencement of the festivities of May, including National Dental Care Month. We’re going to combine both, with a poem by a dental care worker.
John Thomas Codman (d. 1907) was the an active speaker at various dental gatherings. He was also one of the more prolific writers on dentistry. But he wrote about more than teeth and dental issues. Dr. Codman’s writing appeared in mass market publications and he wrote about the co-op community he belonged to in the 1894 book, Brook Farm, Historic and Personal Memoirs.
Codman broke a sensitive issue when he wrote his essay, “Foul Breath.” When speaking on the problem, he hinted at dentistry’s higher involvement with the human body; “I cannot but think that the neglect is occasioned by want of that knowledge of its primary causes, and a lack of general knowledge of the relation of all the organs, one to another, that work together for the sustenance and maintenance of the life and health of all of our corporate frames.” His words call for a well-rounded, holistic approach to the whole profession. Really, who knew one could wax so poetic about bad breath?
Well, if you were at the 1866 meeting of the American Dental Association, you would know. In the Doric Hall of the State House in Boston, Dr. Codman welcomed the guests with a poem encompassing the birth and battles fought by our nation. It includes dental puns and nods to popular attractions in Boston. He even manages to add in a few pop culture references!
Today we bring you a slightly abridged version of this welcome poem.
The Dentists’ Welcome.
Welcome, ye knights of the forcep and plugger, The Bay State invites, embrace her and hug her; Her arms are outstretched, and her years not so few, That her check might mantle with blushes anew; The friends of her dear sons from near and from far, To her impulses pure, how welcome they are.
So, friends, from the West take a chair and sit down, In the capitol old of this capital town; In the hall where the “assembled wisdom” meet, When the winter comes in with its flying sleet, And leave only when the tubers begin to grow, And shoots of the corn are too old for the crow.
‘Ecod, what is that which hangs high in mid air? My professional friend, no wonder you stare; ‘Tis the ghost of a fish, long salted and sold, But never like Hamlet’s, shall its tale unfold; ‘Tis a pity, for if he was minded to blow, And tell all he knows of the actions below, The “lately Departed” would wriggle and squeak, And some heads, like curs’ tails, be drooping and weak; He’d prove to us all what we know not before, That men could be made of nothing but jaw.
Ye friends from the East, as ye trod the rotunda, Saw yet the battle-flags rent all asunder? Uncover! Bow low! For those stains are of blood Of the martyrs that fell by field and by flood. Ah! Could but th enote of the trumpet again Awake the departed by hill and by plain, And turn back the tide of the nation’s great day, With the blot on its banner of slavery, say, Who would sound it? Lives there such a man now? Then shrivel his muscles and wrinkle his brow; His right arm be palsied and dried up by his tongue, In lines most accursed let his name be sung.
Rest, martyrs, the sound of battle is o’er, And your feet tread soft on the Elysian shore.
Ye who come from North, Easy, South, and “far West,” Our programme is ready, so join in with zest. Here’s Liberty’s “cradle,” where the babe was rocked, Such a naked little thing that the nurse was quite shocked. She has grown pretty large since that time you’ll say, And larger still grows with the flight of each day. New members she’s had, and as everyone knows, The president adds daily V. toes and V. toes.
There’s Breed’s hill, called Bunker’s where the boys had a fight, What there is left of it, just a very small mite, With a big pile of stones on it, so it shan’t blow away, And to commemorate a sort of Bull Run in its day, Only the bull didn’t run on that eventful morn, And the Yankee boys’ pluck took the bull by the horn.
Here’s Harvard beyond, the famed “seat of learning” For lads who are able to keep the torch burning; The poor must digest what the schoolmaster teaches, Driven in at the head and seat of the breeches.
Here’s Agassiz’s museum of fishes and bones, With birds, beasts and reptiles, plants, skeletons, and stones, And many other things that deserve your attention, As the auctioneer says, “too numerous to mention.”
Here’s the Natural History, with molusks and “crusty” Pickled snakes done in bottles, and specimens musty; Here’s a good chance to “compare” the jaw-bones of owls, With the dodo and eagle, and all sorts of fowls; Here you can sit on a “rush-bottom” and study with ease Whether the walrus eats pork, or the elephant cheese; Here’s molar teeth, to pull would take forceps immense, Got up, like the drama, at unlimited expense.
But now let us hasten, the mastodon waits; Just imagine the creature wearing two pair of skates, Gliding about on thick ice in the river; Should the cold climate his carcase make shiver, The Yankees might “guess” that his heartiest shake Was a touch of the long-remembered earthquake. Here’s the footprints of birds, tremendous “Shanghies,” That could life young pigs high and dry from their sties, And swallow them whole, spite of any protest, With paving stones plenty to make them digest.
We’ll look at the Hospitals, City and State; Should fortune be right, or unfortunate fate, We need not the privilege seek for or beg Of seeing the surgeon “make a hand of a leg.” If Paddy could jest thus, why can’t I declare That oft a broken arm is a humerus affair.
‘Twould take paper and ink by the ton, more’s the pity, To tell all the wonders to be seen in our city; So I shan’t do it, but let you explore for yourselves, And lay up your treasures on memory’s fair shelves.
Then there’s the serious part, the weighty discussion, The clash of ideas in serious concussion; The din of the clinic with twenty filled chairs, And the usual amount of splitting of hairs. There is delegate 1, with wisdom erratic, And delegate 2, with mallet automatic; Like Uriah Heep, here’s a chair that can tumble From dignified straight-back to posture most “’umble;” But to make the thing equal, and state it right fair, The owner is sure to set a “heap” by his chair.
…………………
My welcome is most done—it’s no welcome that tires– And I fear that I keep you from other desires.
And now for a breath of the saltiest sea air, A dip and a splash in Venus’ deep lair; The steamer is ready, we wait not the oar, Strike up, sweetest music,– away goes the shore!
Now let the gay laugh grow louder and louder, As sweet on the nostril comes smell of the chowder; Here’s filling to put in—there’s plate-work enough here To last a smart dentist to the end of the year. Success to him, say I, he fortune can win Whose filling, in spite of the water, stays in.
With great hopes for our future, for peace while we stay, May the star of the dentist mount high into day, Is my wish; so, therefore, to part in good cheer, One little conundrum I’ll venture just here. Why is the dentist, when fishing, I pray, Engaged in the trade he follows each day? Can’t guess it, you say, you slyest of vulpines– Because he, no double, will pull out some skull-pins.
Some of Dr. Codman’s other writings can be found in our collection. You can also find there’s a lot of poetry written by medical professionals. To see for yourself, contact library@nyam.org for an appointment.
Each year, the New York Academy of Medicine Library is proud to host visits from students across all different disciplines. From graduating medical students to those studying the culinary arts, the history of public health is surprisingly encompassing and intertwined. Our Historical Collections Librarian, Arlene Shaner, chooses different materials for each group visit. She considers who is coming, what they are studying, and what they might like to see. The display that Arlene curates for the visitors reflects how they might want to use the collection for their work. These displays include not just books but posters, pamphlets, and other assorted ephemera.
In a previous guest post, Dr. Evelyn Rynkiewicz, Assistant Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, shared why she enjoys bringing her “Disease Ecology in a Changing World” class to the library. While teaching design and business students at FIT, she hopes to instill science literacy and curiosity within them. At the end of the course, they are assigned creative research projects. The students choose a disease to study and make their own unique presentation to help inform the public.
We are excited to once again present submissions from Dr. Rynkiewicz’s class, which visited the Library on October 24th, 2023. We also present images, some items from our own collection, others from elsewhere, that may have sparked their imagination for this project. While we would love to include all the submissions that we received, we are limited to what we can show on a blog post. If there happens to be a student art show in your area, you should check it out. You never know what you are going to see!
Alluring pictures can draw lots of attention. An image can tell a story without the need to read the words attached. We live in a globalized society where visual signs speak louder than the written word. This is a bit of the thought process behind any kind of campaign, public health especially. We still see these kinds of efforts today!
Theodore Geissel, in his pre “doctor” days, helped bring public service announcements to life in these posters. You could tell from his unique artistry that he was a gifted storyteller. These pictures were not only eye-catching but served an important purpose. This poster comes from a series directed towards soldiers fighting overseas during World War II that were designed by different artists.
Just by looking at Laelani Sawicki’s (second year, Illustration major) poster for rabies, you can guess where it’s going…
Cordyceps have gotten a bad rep lately. Fear not, The Last of Us viewers! In Jada Arroyo’s (second year, Illustration major) poster set, their misconception is cleared up.
These public health posters were even allowed to get away with raunchier, more risqué content! Vernon Grant, creator of Rice Krispies’ Snap, Crackle, and Pop, made this poster for part of the same malaria prevention campaign.
To convey the importance of recognizing chronic wasting syndrome in wild game, Amaryllis Arroyo (second year, Illustration) went with their own provocative image.
(You can see more of Amaryllis’ work at @amartist27)
Fashion and activism reached a pinnacle with the yellow Livestrong bracelets of the mid-2000’s. You couldn’t go anywhere without seeing them, despite little marketing. The slogan itself, “Live Strong,” said all one needed to know. So simple and yet, so fashionable.
Kenneth Cole created a provocative ad campaign in 2005 called “We All Have AIDS.” The ads promoted a T-shirt, where all sales proceeds would be donated to fight the AIDS epidemic. Cole’s idea for the campaign came from the idea of “solidarity.” It was to ease the stigma surrounding the disease and fight preconceived notions. To fight the disease, physically and socially, we would all have to come together.
Students Chaea Im (first year, Fashion Design major) and Kylie Smith (first year, Fashion Marketing major) used tees as their canvas.
Chaea (above) focused efforts on polio awareness while Kylie (below) speaks on the lack of access for worldwide rabies vaccination.
Haute couture can also be used to convey a message. Alexander McQueen even referenced Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” on his 2009 runway! The models were fitted with heels based on an armadillo, gifting us the “armadillo heel.”
To convey information about tuberculosis through fashion, Charlie Sue Birznieks (third year, Communications Design major) mocked up garments to echo the physical effects of this respiratory bacterial infection. It takes form through a “blood choker, bone crushing corset, suffocating puffer jacket, and full-face respirator mask.”
The biggest way information, and unfortunately, disinformation, disseminates these days is through the internet. We can combat the negative by being sure to amplify knowledge from verified and reputable sources. Some of us may remember infographics shared during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This project by Valerie See (fourth year, Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing major) breaks down important information to share during World Tuberculosis Day. These images would go a long way to spreading awareness while linking back to a credible source.
That does not mean we shouldn’t share our own, lived experiences! There’s a great deal to learn from first-hand accounts. Audrey Cahill (second year, Illustration major) shows us what a social media timeline might have looked like in the 14th century during the time of the plague!
We once again thank Dr. Rynkiewicz and her students for allowing us to share their work. If you are interested in bringing your own class, please reach out to library@nyam.org.
On February 14th we observe Valentine’s Day, a day that has come to signify and celebrate all the love in our lives. Some may take loved ones out to dinner, some buy gifts, and some may even do a grand gesture, like ask for their lover’s hand in marriage.
St. Valentine was a 3rd-century Roman priest, maybe even a bishop, who ministered to those persecuted by the church. It was believed that he delivered messages to lovers who had been torn apart. The Feast of St. Valentine was introduced in the late 5th century to commemorate his decapitation, on February 14th. While his end doesn’t sound romantic, we can see how future lovers had come to admire the man.
Back in 1853, the New York Times first questioned how the modern Valentine’s Day came to be. They concluded that it was an “antiquarian problem” that would likely “never be solved.” They must’ve realized how funny that sounds in the age of information, so they revisited this inquiry in 2017 and once again in 2023. Two theories were brought forth to go along with the holiday’s namesake.
The first one credits Geoffrey Chaucer. In his 14th-century poem, “Parlement of Foules,” Chaucer namechecks “St. Valentine’s Day” and speaks of how on this special day, a bird will choose their mate. That sounds a little like the holiday that we celebrate. His words eventually trickled into the English lexicon, as many whom Chaucer inspired began to note the holiday.
The alternative look further back to the ancient Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia. This is where men and women paired off. Well, with wine free flowing, the occasion tended to get a bit wilder. The Christian church came and cleaned that up, but it remained a coupling ritual.
From these traditions we can see the rough sketches of the holiday we’ve come to know. By the time the New York Times originally investigated, it had already become a “greeting card” holiday. The writer mentions the “symbols and paraphernalia of Cupids, hearts, and love letters,” associated with the day. What would they make of the holiday aisles and celebrations of our era?
We have previously looked inside the narrative homemaker books starring “Bettina.” In A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband, she juggles the first year of marriage to “Bob.” Later volumes would see her raising a family, and even teaching her own daughter how she can begin to train for her own home one day. Books like these were often given as gifts to brides or brides-to-be. The dedication page offers hope for those who may not feel like they can handle this society-given duty.
The narrative, illustrations, and the recipes that ended every chapter make the book charming. As stated in the previous blogpost, the gender politics within have not aged well. Bettina doesn’t seem to ever catch a break! Left home alone, she’s the one making sure the house continues to function. This is even before the kids, Robin and Sue, come into the picture.
In …Husband we get a look at the couple’s first Valentine’s Day as husband and wife. Flowers seem to be the only item that Bob gave–though, to be fair, they are called “lovely” and “brilliant.” Bettina apologizes for not making more of a big deal, as if it was only on her to do so!
She tells how she had spent most of the afternoon at a luncheon with friends. When she mentions the décor, Bob seems to mock all the hearts and red by calling it “Valentine’s Day with a vengeance.” She assures him that it was “lovely,” as she serves up the steak dinner that she had just thrown together.
An interior image of Bettina baking for Bob.
Years later, in A Thousand Ways to Please a Family, we join Bettina at the Valentine’s Day luncheon she is cohosting with her friend, Alice. The guests are taken to Alice’s guest room. No talk of romance is present: she talks of the furniture, the furnishings, and the paint which covers “a multitude of sins.” As the two hosts move to the kitchen, Alice laments what once was. She asks, “What is Valentine’s Day in our lives, now?” They eventually move on to their menu of heart-shaped foods.
We want to bring back those lost feelings of Valentine’s Day! In honor of the rather unromantic circumstances our female characters found themselves in, this year we are providing a gift; four recommendations from a genre perfect for Valentine’s Day, romance! Romance as a genre has roots back to ancient Rome (again!) while the first romance book, Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded, was published in 1740 by English author Samuel Richardson.
The softcover paperbacks that we’ve come to associate with romance novels came out of the late 60’s/early 70’s. Almost instantly, they were a hit amongst female readers. Despite this, derogatory labels and preconceived notions have kept romance books hidden away. They were treated almost like scarlet letters. After years of consistently making up a large part of book sales, romance novels and authors have only now begun to command the respect they deserve. Romance often provides their readers with some of the most diversity featured on a bookshelf.
So, this one is for Bettina, Alice, and anyone else on this Valentine’s Day. We present a librarian’s recommendation for some romance novels. This trio of books have all come out, in the United States, in the last year or two and all of them feature main characters or romantic partners who are medical professionals. The link will direct you to WorldCat but should be available at your local public library!
Anatomy of A Meet Cute by Addie Woolridge. As if being the new hire isn’t hard enough, Sam somehow manages to insult one of her fellow doctors. Great—this is just what she needs. In order to get the board to agree to her new proposal, she’s going to have to make some new allies quick. Maybe she can apologize to Grant and get him on board. And maybe they’ll find out they have more in common than they think….
The Plus One by Mazey Eddings. Indira has just moved back in with her brother after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her. Her brother is about to get married and his best friend Jude is also staying with him. Jude has spent the last few years as a doctor traveling the world tending to humanitarian crises. Despite their mutual love, Indira and Jude have always hated each other. Somehow their forced wedding attendance, as a fake couple, has them rethinking some of these strong feelings.
The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley. Claire and Graham are too busy for romantic relationships. That’s why they get each other. One night they make a drunken pact to get married and take care of one another if they are both single at forty. When Graham injures himself, the two realize it’s more than Claire’s expertise as an ER nurse that he needs.
Weaver, Louise Bennett, and Helen Cowles Le Cron. A Thousand Ways to Please a Family with Bettina’s Best Recipes. N.Y., A.L. Burt company, 1922.
Weaver, Louise Bennett, and Helen Cowles Le Cron. A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband with Bettina’s Best Recipes. New York, Britton Publishing Company, 1917.
On Monday, February 5th, we kicked off the eighth annual “Color Our Collections!” This initiative asks libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions to submit coloring books based on their collections. These coloring books don’t just live on our site for that one week; you can access them whenever you want! Over the years we have collected over 800 free coloring books for everyone to enjoy.
Maybe you need an excuse to color? Well, besides just being a fun activity, coloring has been shown to provide other benefits. Research has shown that it makes your brain feel a sense of relaxation. You don’t have to be an artist to break out crayons or colored pencils. The “low stakes” nature of the activity lets you enjoy it more. There may also be the subconscious thought of nostalgia lingering as you color; this used to be something you enjoyed! These factors combine to provide therapeutic effects to coloring (though it is important to keep in mind “therapeutic” is not the same as actual therapy!).
For the NYAM coloring book this year, we chose images of what it was like to be healthy in the 19th and 20th centuries. “Living Well in the 19th and 20th Century” shows activities meant to relax and help people taking care of one another, a woman ready for a bike ride, and acquaintances stopping to shoot the breeze on the grass. These are just some routes that you may take when practicing your own wellness routines.
You can use the hashtag #ColorOurCollections to show off your own work and see what others are doing.
A huge thank-you to our colleagues worldwide who have contributed coloring books to the collection. We couldn’t do it without you!
Despite the name, Pet Milk isn’t for your furry friends! Formerly the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company, the company broke ground in Highland, Illinois in 1885. For years, they would be the standard for canned and condensed milk. If their own words are to be believed, they may have even given whole milk a run for their money.
Pet Milk’s messaging made them seem like the All-American brand of milk. They were there when future President Teddy Roosevelt fought alongside other soldiers in the Spanish-American War. The canned beverage was available for our troops overseas during both great wars. What was more American than providing nourishment and daily vitamins for these heroes? When they returned, seeing the brand name in their cupboard or on the store shelves could trigger strength and loyalty. Milk was the drink of choice with the average American’s dinner. It’s no wonder that the brand had garnered such popularity!
The 1932 Pet Cookbook comes after two huge American events; the end of World War I and the Great Depression. In their introduction, Pet Milk boasts of “a valuable new quality,” the addition of vitamin D. An essential vitamin, it prevents rickets in children. Despite this priceless addition, the company reminds readers—in big font—that; “the cost of Pet Milk has not been increased because of the extra sunshine vitamin D it now contains.” As Americans struggle amidst an economic downfall, the values of an American company remain true to their customers.
The cookbook is a masterpiece of marketing and nutrition. Each recipe inside specifically calls for Pet Milk. This was done not only because they put out the recipe book, they assure you, but because their product is unlike other kinds of milk, including “ordinary whole” milk. With milk being “one of the most important of all our items of food,” or even “the most nearly perfect food,” you want to be sure you are choosing the right kind! The vitamins contained in a serving of Pet Milk span the alphabet. This isn’t the case with any other milk, they claimed. The company speaks of the importance of “irradiated” milk: using ultra-violet rays to provide an extra dose of Vitamin D.
The company claims that typical whole cow’s milk could vary in taste, while Pet Milk’s provides uniform taste. For that reason, they believe it should be the standard to use in recipes. Don’t believe their words? Pet Milk boasts of the “melt-in-your-mouth texture” that stems from making candy with their product and tells you why. The photomicrograph on the left shows fewer numbers and larger crystals when making candy with regular milk. The image on the right shows what happens when you make candy with Pet Milk. Smaller crystals, and more of them, results in an eruption of flavor for your taste buds. The company was so confident in their science that it appeared almost verbatim two years later in a holiday-themed recipe book.
Candies may be one of the most “desirable” gifts for your “holiday entertaining.” It’s not just for the younger ones! “Sweet-toothed” adults also appreciate getting treats during the holiday season. Brand loyalty is important here, Pet says. Your family will taste the difference when you make your holiday sweets with Pet Milk. And of course, you’re providing them with all the added nutrients you’ve come to expect!
Any of these recipes featured can be replicated today. Pet Milk may not have the panache it once had but it is still available. Other brands of condensed milk can also be substituted. We cannot confirm or deny whether the lack of “flavor crystals” will impact the taste. You might want to make a couple batches just in case….
If you can somehow manage to save some of these delicious candies for gifting, you’ll want to dress them up a bit. Pet Milk provides some suggestions for how you’ll want to give these out. Head over to your local “ten-cent store” for various containers to put them in. You can get creative here. For an added look, “flowers” made of cellophane-wrapped candies can be draped on top.
From all of us at the New York Academy of Medicine Library, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. Seasons’ eatings!
By Sean Purcell, The Media School, Indiana University-Bloomington and the Library’s 2023 Helfand Fellow
Mr. Purcell completed his Fellowship residency in the summer of 2023 and will present his research by Zoom on Thursday, December 7 at 4 p.m. (EST). To attend his talk, “A Portrait of Tuberculosis (as a Young Microbe): Representing Consumption at the Turn of the Twentieth Century,” register through NYAM’s Events page.
I spent a month over the spring and summer looking through the New York Academy of Medicine Library collections, working towards a mixed methods dissertation, titled The Tuberculosis Specimen: The Dying Body and its Use in the War Against the “Great White Plague.” I came to the library with an interest in the visual culture surrounding tuberculosis at the turn of the twentieth century, and in my research, I have cast a wide net, looking at an array of images, from doctors’ portraits to children at play, from histological samples to photographs of wet specimens.
The turn of the twentieth century saw major shifts in the public, professional, and governmental interventions against tuberculosis. Robert Koch’s 1882 essay on the microbial cause of the disease led to a broad shift in how medical professionals and the lay public understood and combatted the disease. Koch had figured out a process to isolate the bacteria in laboratory animals and used a series of chemical baths to stain Mycobacterium tuberculosis a bright blue (fig. 1). Seeing the bacteria clear as day under the microscope helped move germ theory forward, and forced doctors and health worker to reconsider how to treat a disease that was, prior to Koch’s essay, considered a constitutional malady. The period after Koch’s essay saw the rise of public health interventions against the disease and the popularization of the tuberculosis sanatorium.
Figure 1. An illustration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. From Aetiology of Tuberculosis, 1890, Robert Koch.
The most influential figure in the burgeoning sanatorium movement was Edward Livingston Trudeau. A doctor who had sought a cure for his own tuberculosis in upstate New York, Trudeau built his own laboratory and sanatorium, the Adirondack Cottage Sanatorium, in 1880 (figs. 2 & 3). This institution became a central fixture in the decades to come, as it was equipped with research facilities, and published its public-facing journal for tuberculous patients, The Journal of Outdoor Life.
While Trudeau’s sanatorium was the most prominent institution, it was far from the only one. Many for-profit institutions opened their doors during this period, in addition to the development of publicly funded sanitaria in certain states. Assisting the larger, long-term treatment facilities, some cities and hospitals adopted a dispensary system, where tuberculous patients could get assistance and medicine within an urban space.
These dispensaries served patients, but also sought to teach the urban poor lessons on hygiene. Doctors and public health workers reeled at the dusty, ill kept living conditions of the urban poor, and argued that improper sputum management, poor ventilation, and dark living conditions were contributing to tuberculosis infections in American cities (figs. 4 & 5). While ideas regarding the “healing air” of a specific environment were becoming out of fashion for tuberculosis practitioners in the early 1900’s, most doctors argued that tuberculous patients should get away from the polluted and uncirculated air common to urban environments (figs. 6 & 7).
The fight against tuberculosis in this period saw a collection of different interventions, and the New York Academy of Medicine’s library offers a unique glimpse into the work of scientists and medical professionals who were trying to fight the disease. My time here as a Helfand fellow has been a boon to this research because of the library’s extensive collections, much of which has not been digitized.
The first panel of the AIDS quilt was put together in 1987—this year the Quilt is 36 years old!
Image courtesy of National AIDS Memorial.
The AIDS Quilt was the brainchild of gay activist Cleve Jones. A protégé of Harvey Milk, the San Francisco city supervisor murdered in 1978, Jones honored Milk’s life and service with candlelight marches through the city. For the 1985 march he saw the ravages that AIDS was making in the gay community and asked that marchers write the names of friends lost to AIDS on posters. Placed on a wall, the posters resembled a quilt; by 1987 the names had been captured in fabric, a traditional way of memorializing people and events. The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was born.
Cleve Jones, activist and founder of the quilt, in front of a panel. Image taken from Wikipedia.
The quilt was first displayed on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on October 11, 1987, and contained 1,920 names—a dramatic demonstration of the terrible effects of the disease, only a few years after it came to public notice. At the quilt’s October 1996 display, it covered the entire Mall and was the last time that the whole quilt could be displayed at once. In the years since the quilt began, it has been exhibited throughout the world, often in connection with World AIDS Day on December 1. Today the quilt contains almost 50,000 panels, representing 110,000 individuals. The National AIDS Memorial in San Francisco is responsible for the quilt, mounts special efforts to address the presence of HIV/AIDS in the Black and Native American communities, and shares the quilt online.
An image of the quilt being displayed in Washington, DC around 1987. Image taken from National AIDS Memorial.Advertising the digitization of the quilt from National Aids Memorial, as per their website.
This year, the New York Academy of Medicine is proud to host a portion of the AIDS quilt for World AIDS Day on December 1. We’ll reveal the quilt at our Celebration of the Library on November 29 and exhibit it in the Academy Building throughout December. We hope you can join us to view this sober but also hopeful reminder of how disease devastates communities, and how communities respond, through art, with remembrance and resilience.
A panel from the AIDS quilt at the National Building Museum used as part of Wikimedia Commons.
By Arlene Shaner, Historical Collections Librarian
In July 2023, artist and teacher Dan Thompson brought a group of students to the Library’s Drs. Barry and Bobbi Coller Rare Book Reading Room. The students were here in New York for a week-long workshop organized by the Art Students League, “Musculoskeletal Gross Anatomy for the Figurative Artist.” We looked at anatomical atlases dating from the early 16th through the mid-20th centuries. Viewing items from our collection—like the first two images here—and engaging with the students made up the first day of the workshop. The balance took place in the Weill Cornell Medicine anatomy lab, where students worked directly with cadavers.
As the course description explains, “This course presents the study of anatomy as a convergence between anatomical and structural drawing. Motivated students of representational art will have unparalleled opportunities for developing detailed anatomical knowledge through their work in Cornell College of Medicine’s anatomy lab, where they will explore the complexities of the body through the study of prosections and cadavers. Prosections are specially prepared human anatomical specimens, wrapped in a damp preservative, as well as plastinated specimens, which allow for the study of deeper and more isolated anatomical structure. Through laboratory drawing, participating students will become more familiar with the manner of interlocking deeper forms—forms which are not typically clear on anatomical models (due to the haphazard ways that art school skeletons are wired together). Ultimately, students will work towards achieving greater anatomical clarity and validity in their drawing studies, which will be applied to creating higher quality figurative work in the visual arts, from a finer appreciation of human construction.”
Dan teaches at the New York Academy of Art and I have hosted Dan’s New York Academy of Art students here for several years; I first hosted his workshop for the Art Students League in the summer of 2022. This year Dan invited me to visit Weill Cornell’s anatomy lab with the workshop class so that I could gain a deeper understanding of how he teaches with human specimens and watch students make their own drawings and sculptures from cadavers, prosections, and plastinated specimens. Being in the anatomy lab was, for me, a transformative experience, as I had never had the opportunity to see actual cadavers and specimens and think about their relationship to images from historical texts that I share with classes when they visit.
Workshop participant Karina Fuhrman shared images from the visit to the rare book room. The drawings were done by Dan Thompson and the sculpture was done by Karina during her time in the dissection lab.
After the class had ended, I asked if the students would be willing to send their work to me so that we could share it with a broader audience. Many sent images, and it is a privilege to be able to show some of those here.
Artist: Alan LeeArtist: Anna CharuvastraArtist: Chalice MitchellArtist: Eva AvenueArtist: Jae ParkArtist: Kristin duCharmeArtist: Renee Wang
Classes from many local institutions regularly visit the rare book room to engage with materials from our collections. Dr. Evelyn Rynkiewicz, who teaches at FIT, has brought her class “Disease Ecology in a Changing World” more than once. After their 2022 visit, she wrote a blog post about the experience, which you can find here.
If you are interested in bringing your class to the New York Academy of Medicine Library, please reach out to ashaner@nyam.org.
Relaxation is just what the doctor ordered! Specifically, Dr. George S. Stevenson of the National and International Association for Mental Health. In his book, How to Deal with Your Tensions (1957), he says that “anxiety and tension” are essential parts of being alive. If we did not experience these feelings, we wouldn’t be equipped to manage the high or low-intensity situations we experience day to day. It is indeed an anxious time. We face threats such as climate change and the spread of misinformation. Writing in 1957, Dr. Stevenson spoke of real high tensions his society faced, “While it is true that we live today under pressure of intense competition, economic uncertainty, and the possibility of war…” Stevenson continued, “our ancestors faced other perils of equal magnitude.” It is important to realize each generation has its own struggles.
Dr. Stevenson produced eleven tenets for dealing with our feelings. These range from “Talk It Out” to “Shun the ‘Superman’ Urge’ to “Give the Other Fellow A Break.” We know these ideas but hearing them prescribed feels different.
The two that we want to focus on are #2, “Escape for a While,” and #11, “Schedule Your Recreation.” His ideas of escape are not necessarily jetting off to an island vacation! You can find escape by “[losing] yourself in a movie or a book or a game.” Even a “brief trip or change of scene” can make you feel relaxed. Public parks are beautiful places to go for a stroll.
Scheduling recreation is sometimes hard—especially for an adult. When we are younger, we get scheduled vacation. The summer is ours! As adults, we have more responsibilities. As Dr. Stevenson mentioned, we don’t have to schedule a week-long trip! We can buy tickets in advance to the latest blockbuster or art-house film. We can schedule an hour or two before bed to transport ourselves with the help of a book.
This summer we asked, “How are you recharging?” We want to hear what recreation and relaxation you have been taking part in. Dr. Stevenson has spoken of the benefits but so have others.
In 1924, Joseph Ralph, a psychologist and psychoanalyst, declared that he had found the fountain of youth. It was not in some unobtainable secret cave, and he was not going to keep it to himself. The secret to still being young was electronic relaxation, a method of inducing tension.
Ralph declared that the secret to eternal youth lived in the cell’s protoplasm. Through wear and tear, the protoplasm becomes weak, causing us to age. The agent responsible was not our physicality but instead our mental conflicts. Our intense emotional reactions cause the protoplasm inside the cells to harden. If hardened, they can no longer provide us with the energy we need. He deduced that this is why we acted “older.” By creating tension, Ralph believed the protoplasm was being stretched and worked out like a muscle.
Even your insurance company wants you to relax! Metropolitan Life Insurance gave advice in their pamphlet “Relax and Revive.” In comparing the body to the mechanical machines, we use daily, they remind us that “extra care avoids shutdowns.”
Whether we get a day, a whole weekend, or the entirety of a season, it’s important to carve out time for yourself. As Met Life put it, “How you use your precious hours of leisure is of the greatest importance in keeping yourself fit, and in fighting the good fight on the home front.” To take care of what you need to take care of, you have to start with yourself.
Like Dr. Stevenson, the insurance company wanted you to figure out what works best for you. Besides the typical ways we think of recreation, the pamphlet stated that perhaps just sitting there is what works for you! “Maybe idleness is your recreation. That’s all right too.”
While we all may have ideas of what recreation is, it looks different for all. We wanted to share how people have been relaxing so far this summer. We’ve gotten pictures, postcards, and stories from fellow NYAM staff, friends, family, and patrons. We thank everyone for their responses so far.
The staff here at NYAM filled out beautiful New York City—centric postcards. They relayed their goals for the summer, which included personal goals (vacations, exercise, spending time with family and pets, and of course, recovery), as well work goals (planning notable events, organizing office space, and remembering to respond to emails on time).
We even got a response from a friend of a famous 100-foot-tall ape…
Parks are always fun to visit during the summer. This one comes from Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, one of 63 with that distinction.
Indiana seems like a popular destination this summer. Three of our postcards come from different parks there.
Rachel visited Wolf Park and talked about the different wildlife she saw there, including foxes, turtles, and of course, wolves! She mentioned how the park gave her tips on how to help the wildlife there and in the larger environment.
Megan went on a trip to Turkey Run State Park in Indiana where she went on a hike for her recent birthday. She loved being in nature with her sister and best friends.
Our Historical Collections Librarian sent a postcard from a road trip she took. One of her stops brought her to the Indiana Dunes National Park. There she got to walk along the Lake Michigan Shoreline!
One of our patrons, Dr. Sharon Packer, sent us these photos from Bearsville, New York. The pictures remind us of the beauty and therapeutic power of relaxing in our natural environment. For those in a big city, it’s nice to get away for a bit. We are lucky to live only a train ride away from such different scenery. There also looks to be delicious home cooking! Both making and eating are perfect relaxation practices.
We don’t want to scare you; the summer is not over yet! With that, we are still collecting postcards and pictures.
Postcards/letters can be sent to: Attn – NYAM Library The New York Academy of Medicine 1216 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10029
We look forward to hearing from you! And more importantly, we hope you are having a relaxing summer.
References: Harris, Antron. The Man Who Stopped Growing Old : Joseph Ralph, Psychologist and Psycho-analyst, Discoverer of the Electronic Relaxation Method of Mental and Physical Rejuvenation. B.F. Tibby, 1924.
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Relax and Revive. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1920?.