Lately, it seems the Washington University Medical Center is in a constant state of construction. Before one building is completed, work on another site begins. As the medical center has grown throughout its 100-year history, countless architects, construction workers, and artists have left their mark on its buildings. One unique finishing touch is a concrete [Read more]
Over 100 years of history are now on display on the seventh floor of Bernard Becker Medical Library. The exhibit “‘Skill, tenderly applied, works wonders’ – A History of The Jewish Hospital of St. Louis” is open now through August 31* in the library’s Glaser Gallery. Founded in 1902, the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis [Read more]
Victory in Europe Day, more commonly known as V-E Day, is celebrated each year to commemorate Germany’s unconditional surrender to the Allies near the end of World War II on May 8, 1945. Several hundred members of Washington University Medical Center community were serving in the U.S. armed forces on V-E Day, many of them attached to [Read more]
Lola Mae Baird Mathews was an operating room supervisor at Barnes Hospital from 1939-1943. In 1943, her last summer at Barnes Hospital, she worked hard at a course in chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis, because she wanted to earn a degree. Still, it seems her considerable knowledge failed to earn her the respect [Read more]
Nothing lasts forever, but archivists and librarians are dedicated to making sure some things last a very long time. Preservation Week is the perfect opportunity to learn more about what you can do to preserve your own favorite photos and important documents. Following a few simple guidelines can add decades to the life of a [Read more]
April is National Poetry Month and, as in past years, we’re celebrating by showing off an example of poetry that has a medical flavor. Matthew Green’s long poem “The Spleen” is perfect for the occasion. Although Green (1696-1737) was not a literary scholar, he had a keen wit and a certain natural flair for poetry. [Read more]
When World War I began in 1914, American public opinion was divided about whether the U.S. should get involved. But by 1917, it was clear that U.S. involvement was inescapable. In early April 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. With a great show of public enthusiasm, support for the troops became a rallying [Read more]
One of my favorite parts of my job as a project archivist at Becker Medical Library is discovering individuals’ stories from the past.
All 54 issues of the Washington University Medical Alumni Quarterly spanning the years 1937-1951 are now available online via Digital Commons@Becker.
Joseph Jules Dejerine (1849-1917), a French neurologist whose research focused early on the anatomy and pathology of the nervous system, and later on psychoneurosis, died 100 years ago on February