When we first begin doing historical research, we start by examining text-based sources. This is especially true in the field of medical history. We want to read old medical texts to learn how our predecessors understood the human body and how this understanding has evolved over the centuries. But the books we hold in special [Read more]
One beloved holiday tradition is sending cards to family and friends – connecting with loved ones when often the weather and a busy season make it difficult to meet personally. The Office of the Dean routinely sent out holiday cards on behalf of Washington University School of Medicine. The following are a few examples from [Read more]
Becker Medical Library’s Archives and Rare Books Division is delighted to announce that it has acquired an exceptional new collection of rare medical texts, generously donated by Patricia Croughan. The collection was assembled by her late husband, Jack Croughan, MD, a former chief resident and assistant professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. [Read more]
Becker Medical Library has released an enhanced database to help users explore and discover our archival collections. The new Becker Archives Database includes over 18,000 digital images from our visual collections. The new database allows users to browse and keyword search across all of our archival collections, then filter search results by date, subject, language, [Read more]
Once a year, Becker Library’s Archives and Rare Books Division brings out the “greatest hits” of the rare book collection for the Annual Display of Rare Anatomical Texts. The display is an opportunity to see these spectacular works up close. Below is a self-guided tour to help provide a deeper appreciation for select items that [Read more]
In 1999, Dr. Cynthia Wichelman, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, launched the Mini-Medical School with the goal of educating the community by sharing the expertise of the medical faculty. Over the past 20 years, it has become so popular that it has expanded to include three different series [Read more]
Back in the days before the Internet, how did authors obtain copies of journal articles if they did not hold a subscription to the journal? One common way to request a copy of an article was to send the corresponding author of the article a postcard or a letter requesting a reprint of the article. [Read more]
The following is a guest post from Stanley Finger, professor emeritus in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Washington University. Finger earned his doctorate from Indiana University and has been on the faculty of Washington University in St. Louis since that time. He is also currently affiliated with the school’s History of Medicine [Read more]
The Becker Archives holds a letter written by President Thomas Jefferson. This handwritten letter concerning Jefferson’s spectacles was given to Dr. Eugene Opie, dean of Washington University School of Medicine, in 1915. The letter was generously donated by William K. Bixby, was a frequent benefactor and long-time supporter of Washington University. Jefferson’s letter, dated Dec. [Read more]
Bernard Becker Medical Library is fortunate to have robust collections in archives and rare books that document the history of medicine from the late 15th century up to the present. Subjects in which the library’s holdings are particularly strong include ophthalmology and optics, neurology, deaf education, and the history of dentistry. In order to encourage [Read more]