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News from the Archive

Digitizing Medical Illustrations from the Heart Bulletin + The Role of Art in the Medical Field

[Illustration, p. 74: “Cardiac Clinic: Renal Hypertension” drawing, July/August, 1957, Box 11, Folder 37, IC 094 Medical Arts Publishing Foundation, McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library]

By Johana Canales, Archives Intern. As archivists discussed recently, the Houston-based Medical Arts Publishing Foundation produced illustrated medical publications like the Cancer Bulletin, Heart Bulletin, and Psychiatric Bulletin. The Foundation’s records began arriving at the McGovern Historical Center in 1992. Since then some of the collection’s medical illustrations had already been digitized, including several complete… Continue Reading Digitizing Medical Illustrations from the Heart Bulletin + The Role of Art in the Medical Field […]

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Selections from the Papers of Murdina MacFarquhar Desmond, MD Digitized and Online

Murdina MacFarqurah Desmond working in a laboratory at George Washington University, 1947-1948

By Joy Oria, Archives Intern Almost two hundred items from the Murdina MacFarquhar Desmond, MD papers have been digitized and are now available online. Dr. Desmond (1916-2003) contributed to the fields of pediatrics and neonatology during her long tenure (1948-1986) on the pediatrics faculty of Baylor College of Medicine and service to Jefferson Davis Hospital… Continue Reading Selections from the Papers of Murdina MacFarquhar Desmond, MD Digitized and Online […]

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25 years later: we still care about innocent Palestinians

Cropped image of Debbie Goldberg, Executive Director of Texas Hadassah Medical Research Foundation, stands as medical supplies are unloaded from plane behind her at Yasser Arafat International Airport in Gaza on February 9, 1999. [IC 105 Texas Hadassah Medical Research Foundation records, McGovern Historical Center, TMC Library, IC105-024]

By Armin Weinberg, PhD, Guest Contributor I’ve had the pleasure of working with the staff at the McGovern Historical Center for several years. The opportunity to place articles, notes, correspondence, photos, equipment, and books related to the academic and research initiatives that my colleagues and I at Baylor College of Medicine conducted is truly an honor. My… Continue Reading 25 years later: we still care about innocent Palestinians […]

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#ColorOurCollections

The Heart Bulletin vol.4 no.5 (1955: September/October). Illustration, p. 95: “Physiology and Pathology of the Heart” drawings of figure drinking. IC 094 Medical Arts Publishing Foundation records, McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library. https://archives.library.tmc.edu/gi203694738

By Matt Richardson, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian. The McGovern Historical Center invites you to #ColorOurCollections! This week the MHC joins other libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions sharing coloring pages created from our historical materials. This is the MHC’s first time joining this annual celebration, which is hosted by The New York Academy of… Continue Reading #ColorOurCollections […]

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Remembering the Benevolent Benefactor, Kathrine G. McGovern: A Quiet Force in Houston’s Transformation

Patron Saints of Houston Kathrine continued to play a pivotal role in managing the McGovern Allergy Clinic’s growth over the years. But their involvement in the city and community they loved expanded far beyond Dr. McGovern’s medical practice. The McGoverns were eager to give their time, energy, and resources through the McGovern Foundation. The support… Continue Reading Remembering the Benevolent Benefactor, Kathrine G. McGovern: A Quiet Force in Houston’s Transformation […]

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The Christmas Bonus

Baptist Hospital Christmas Card, 1928. MS249-14, MS 249 Lucile Baird papers, McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library

By Matt Richardson, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian. After processing the Lucille Baird papers, we noticed the handful of letters that had been saved weren’t just any old correspondence—they were actually Christmas greetings. The cards and letters came from Robert and Lillie Jolly, who served as Superintendent and Director of the Hospital Training School for… Continue Reading The Christmas Bonus […]

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The 153 Marmoset and the Mystery of the Handwritten Book: Stories from an Addendum to the UT Dental Branch Collection

[Cover page. Report of the Director, 1969-1973, Box 30, Folder 14, IC 009 University of Texas Dental Branch records, McGovern Historical Center, Texas Medical Center Library]

By Johana Canales, Archives Intern. The University of Texas Dental Branch records arrived at the McGovern Historical Center in 2010. Sometime after those records were processed and made available for research, a few more boxes made their way to the archives. I had the pleasure of processing those boxes, now discoverable alongside the rest of… Continue Reading The 153 Marmoset and the Mystery of the Handwritten Book: Stories from an Addendum to the UT Dental Branch Collection […]

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Newly Digitized: Vinyls!

The Heartbeats Again, 1972

By Tara Carron, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian. Recently, the McGovern Historical Collection acquired several items that, as an archivist, I consider to be exciting acquisitions, as they are quite unique in the context of a medical archives: Dr. Denton A. Cooley’s string bass instrument, and two vinyl records wherein Dr. Cooley plays the (very… Continue Reading Newly Digitized: Vinyls! […]

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John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science Collection

By Tara Carron, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian. Newly processed! The John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Science collection has been processed and a finding aid is available at https://archives.library.tmc.edu/ic-079. The Health Museum: A Brief History In 1962, the “Victory Over Polio” campaign prompted the formation of a citizens committee, which recommended creating permanent… Continue Reading John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science Collection […]

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Archives Month and Texas Archival Resources Online

by Matt Richardson, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian.  October is Archives Month! The celebration offers an occasion to raise awareness about archives, the work archivists do, and the amazing resources they steward. At the McGovern Historical Center, this provides the background for our annual Give2History campaign (https://library.tmc.edu/make-a-gift/). You can also catch us participating in #AskAnArchivist… Continue Reading Archives Month and Texas Archival Resources Online […]

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