by Alethea Drexler, archives assistant We’re back with the answer to last week’s Thingamajig! Here it is, to refresh your memory: We got several suggestions about what this might be, including a snail race track (complete with “escargot”–car go–pun), a snake warmer, and, more seriously, a giant electrophoresis apparatus. Actually, the snake warmer guess wasn’t… Continue Reading Thingamajig […]
Thingamjig
by Alethea Drexler, archives assistant mcgovern@exch.library.tmc.edu We’ve gotten some new donations, which have included new Thingamajig fodder. The following came from the estate of Thomas Matney, M.D. (1928-2010). It’s almost three feet long and, although it’s made of aluminum, it’s pretty much cast solid and probably weighs fifty or sixty pounds. Phil commented that it… Continue Reading Thingamjig […]
Dr. Kenney's Surgical Suite
by Alethea Drexler, archives assistant mcgovern@exch.library.tmc.edu (Click on image for a larger version.) This image seems to have been a fairly recent acquisition for us: Phil’s predecessor got it on eBay, where it was described as a “patient’s room” at Dr. Kenney’s Sanitarium in San Antonio, from around 1920. It’s obviously not a patient’s, room,… Continue Reading Dr. Kenney's Surgical Suite […]
Pneumothorax apparatus
by Alethea Drexler, archives assistant mcgovern@exch.library.tmc.edu We got a visitor on Monday who brought us a new gadget. Meet the pneumothorax apparatus: (double-click on image for a larger version) This machine, which is a little over a foot tall and has a cylinder about six inches in diameter, was used to induce artificial pneumothoraces… Continue Reading Pneumothorax apparatus […]
Sunset Hospital
by Alethea Drexler, archives assistant One of the things that I find persistently frustrating is the speed, ease, and totality with which older hospitals disappear. Many, many, times I’ve received inquiries about such-and-such a hospital and started looking around for information, only to discover that, not only do we not have any material about it… Continue Reading Sunset Hospital […]
Spoonful of sugar, stat!
by Alethea Drexler archives assistant We received an inquiry a few weeks ago that involved a question about nineteenth century medications, and it turned into a rather interesting fact-search. While I have it on my mind, I thought we could take a look at one of our antique medicine cases. We have several doctors’ bags… Continue Reading Spoonful of sugar, stat! […]
Steam sterilizer
by Alethea Drexler archives assistant We’re back! I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving weekend. This week’s post features our vintage Castle steam sterilizer: This one is a small model–the box is about a foot long and seven inches tall–that seems to have been popular for specialty instruments (which would have been used in smaller… Continue Reading Steam sterilizer […]
Thingamajig answer
by Alethea Drexler archives assistant The research center will be closed until Monday for the Thanksgiving holiday, so I’m moving the blog post up a couple of days. Last week’s Thingamajig was an H.G Fischer x-ray power source. A similar one can be seen here at the online Museum of Electrotherapy. The Museum’s model may… Continue Reading Thingamajig answer […]
Thingamajig
by Alethea Drexler archives assistant Hey, it’s the Thingamajig! Remember the Thingamajig? I almost didn’t, either! This edition of Thingamajig features an object that has been hanging out at the McGovern Research Center for a long time but was only recently identified (yes, I will be able to post an answer for you next week).… Continue Reading Thingamajig […]
Collection reflects changes in nursing school
By Brenda Gunter, MLIS archives intern Gunter processed the Connie Brady collection as part of her practicum at the McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center. Connie Brady was a nursing student at the Shannon West Texas Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in San Angelo, Texas, from 1960 to 1964. The nursing school in San Angelo… Continue Reading Collection reflects changes in nursing school […]