Health & Medicine

Iron Lung

The Museum's collections of medical science artifacts represent nearly all aspects of health and medical practice. Highlights include early X-ray apparatuses, such as one of Wilhelm Roentgen's tubes, penicillin mold from Alexander Fleming’s experiments, and Jonas Salk's original polio vaccine. More recent acquisitions include the first artificial heart implanted in a human, the earliest genetically engineered drugs, and materials related to David, the "Bubble Boy." Other artifacts range from artificial limbs and implant devices to bloodletting and dental instruments, beauty products, and veterinary equipment. The contents of a medieval apothecary shop and an 1890s drugstore form part of the collections, along with patent and alternative medicines. The collections also document the many differing perspectives on health and medical issues, from patients, family members, doctors, nurses, medical students, and out-of-the-mainstream health practitioners.

Place: Pennsylvania

Chicken Pox - Children -- Except those of this household with the Health Officer's permit -- must not enter or leave these premises...

CHICKEN POX - Children -- except those of this household with the Health Officer's permit -- must not enter or leave these premises. No person other than those authorized by the Board of Health shall remove this placard.
Description
CHICKEN POX - Children -- except those of this household with the Health Officer's permit -- must not enter or leave these premises. No person other than those authorized by the Board of Health shall remove this placard. Any person or persons defacing, covering up, or destroying this placard render themselves liable to the penalties of the law. Act of the General Assembly approved June 28, 1923, provides that anyone violating the provisions of this Act, upon conviction thereof may be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $100.00, to be paid to the use of said county, and costs of prosecution, or to be imprisoned in the county jail for a period of not less than ten days or more than thirty days, or both, at the discretion of the court.' By order of the Board of Health. Herman Lang, Health Officer, Donora, Pa. " with lines to write the date posted.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1923
ID Number
2005.3079.05
nonaccession number
2005.3079
catalog number
2005.3079.05

Tetanus Toxoid - Alum Precipitated U.S.P.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
expiration date
1965-07-18
maker
National Drug Company
Richardson-Merrell, Inc
ID Number
1981.0170.010
accession number
1981.0170
catalog number
1981.0170.010

Scarlet Fever Streptococcus Toxin for Immunization

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1947
maker
Sharp and Dohme
ID Number
MG.177206.08
catalog number
177206.08
accession number
177206

NoRunette Nylon French Style-Small Mesh Hair Net, Bobbed Size, Dark Brown #240

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Thomas Holmes Company
ID Number
1984.0557.05
accession number
1984.0557
catalog number
1984.0557.05

Pragmater Ointment

The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:Highly effective in common skin disorders such as: dandruff, eczema, itchy, scaly skin, athlete's footCurrently not on view
Description
The indications or uses for this product as provided by the manufacturer are:
Highly effective in common skin disorders such as: dandruff, eczema, itchy, scaly skin, athlete's foot
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1978-1982
researcher
Winthrop-Stearns, Inc.
maker
Menley and James Laboratories
ID Number
1985.0475.735
catalog number
1985.0475.735
accession number
1985.0475

National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis Grant Application from Jonas Salk

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
July 12, 1950
maker
Salk, Jonas E.
National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis
ID Number
MG.221419.02
accession number
221419
catalog number
221419.02

Country Club Saponified Cocoanut Oil Shampoo

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Royal Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1985.0481.259
catalog number
1985.0481.259
accession number
1985.0481

Purified Antitetanic Serum, U.S.P. (Serum Antitetanicum Purificatum)

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920
maker
H. K. Mulford Company
ID Number
MG.M-00536
catalog number
M-00536
accession number
65614

Dougherty's Private Stock Pure Rye Whiskey

Dougherty's Pure Rye Whiskey was manufactured by John A. Dougherty & Son of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1849. In 1866 John A. Dougherty died and the company was renamed to J. A. Dougherty’s & Sons.
Description
Dougherty's Pure Rye Whiskey was manufactured by John A. Dougherty & Son of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1849. In 1866 John A. Dougherty died and the company was renamed to J. A. Dougherty’s & Sons. The family company found great success, but divested their interest during the Prohibition years when the Dougherty Distillery & Warehouse Company, Inc. sold whiskey for medicinal use. The “for medicinal use” and Dougherty Distillery & Warehouse Company, Inc. labels date this bottle of whiskey to the Prohibition years between 1920 and 1933. The label on the back of the bottle reads "Rx Spiritus Frumenti," the official medicinal name for whiskey, and "For medicinal purposes only. Sale or use for other purposes will cause heavy penalties to be inflicted."
date made
before1920-01-17
maker
Dougherty Distillery and Warehouse Company, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0027.02
accession number
2012.0027
catalog number
2012.0027.02

Mulford Pollen Extract Concentrated Made from Ragweed High - Sharp & Dohme

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1940
expiration date
1940-06-04
maker
Sharp and Dohme
Mulford Biological Laboratories
ID Number
1978.0882.76
accession number
1978.0882
catalog number
1978.0882.76

Shaved Cocoa Butter - Glaser's Rexall Drug Store

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
retailer
Glaser Drug Store
maker
Rexall Drug Company
ID Number
1985.0481.149
catalog number
1985.0481.149
accession number
1985.0481

Kirsten Hilleman Vaccinated with the Investigational Jeryl Lynn Strain Mumps Vaccine as Jeryl Lynn Hilleman Offers Comfort

A ca 1968 print of a 1966 photograph documenting the vaccination of Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman's daughter, Kirsten Jeanne Hilleman, with the investigational Jeryl Lynn strain mumps vaccine.
Description (Brief)
A ca 1968 print of a 1966 photograph documenting the vaccination of Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman's daughter, Kirsten Jeanne Hilleman, with the investigational Jeryl Lynn strain mumps vaccine. Eight-year-old Jeryl Lynn Hilleman, for whom the strain is named, comforts her younger sister as Dr. Robert E. Weibel gives Kirsten the injection. The pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme widely distributed this photograph in 1968 as part of their press release and promotion for the Mumpsvax vaccine. This photograph has handwritten notations on the back.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1966
ID Number
2017.3081.02
catalog number
2017.3081.02
nonaccession number
2017.3081

Mulford Timothy Pollen Extract

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Sharp and Dohme
Mulford Biological Laboratories
ID Number
1978.0882.63
accession number
1978.0882
catalog number
1978.0882.63

Antivenin Cascabel - Tropical Rattler - Anti-Snake-Bite Serum - M 19

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1930
maker
H. K. Mulford Company
ID Number
MG.M-02704.02
catalog number
M-02704.02
accession number
108676

Typho 'Serobacterin' Vaccine Mixed , Second Dose, No. 4880, 1 cc

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1947
maker
Sharp and Dohme
ID Number
MG.176974.17
accession number
176974
catalog number
176974.17

Oatmeal, Bethlehem Brand, Schools' Drug Store

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2008.0062.41
accession number
2008.0062
catalog number
2008.0062.41

Mulford Timothy Pollen Extract

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Sharp and Dohme
ID Number
1978.0882.65
accession number
1978.0882
catalog number
1978.0882.65

Tetanus Toxoid Fluid - One Immunization

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1947
maker
Sharp and Dohme
ID Number
MG.176974.09
catalog number
176974.09
accession number
176974

Diphtheria Antitoxin, U.S.P. - Refined and Concentrated Globulin - Equine Origin

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1964
expiration date
1964-06-30
maker
National Drug Company
Richardson-Merrell, Inc
ID Number
1981.0170.004
accession number
1981.0170
catalog number
1981.0170.004

Optus Powdered Henna

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Philadelphia Wholesale Drug Company
ID Number
2002.0138.031
accession number
2002.0138
catalog number
2002.0138.031

Whooping Cough - Children - Except Those of This Household with the Health Officer's Permit - Must Not Enter or Leave These Premises - Donora, PA

Pink cardboard sign with black text reading, "WHOOPING COUGH- Children--except those of this household with the Health Officer's permit--must not enter or leave these premises. No person other than those authorized by the Board of Health shall remove this placard.
Description (Brief)
Pink cardboard sign with black text reading, "WHOOPING COUGH- Children--except those of this household with the Health Officer's permit--must not enter or leave these premises. No person other than those authorized by the Board of Health shall remove this placard. Any person or persons defacing, covering up, or destroying this placard render themselves liable to the penalties of the law. Act of the General Assembly approved June 28, 1923, provides that anyone violating the provisions of this Act, upon conviction thereof may be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $100.00, to be paid to the use of said county, and costs of prosecution, or to be imprisoned in the county jail for a period of not less than ten days or more than thirty days, or both, at the discretion of the court.' By order of the Board of Health. Herman Lang, Health Officer, Donora, Pa. " with lines to write the date posted.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1930s
ID Number
2005.3079.08
nonaccession number
2005.3079
catalog number
2005.3079.08

Catarrhalis Serobacterin Vaccine Mixed - 7,000 million organsims per cc

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1947
maker
Sharp and Dohme
ID Number
MG.177206.14
catalog number
177206.14
accession number
177206

Pertussis Topagen Soluble Antigen - made from Pertussis bacillus (phase 1) representing the soluable antigenic fraction of 20,000 million organisms per cc

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1947
maker
Sharp and Dohme
ID Number
MG.177206.04
catalog number
177206.04
accession number
177206

Kirsten Hilleman Vaccinated with the Investigational Jeryl Lynn Strain Mumps Vaccine as Jeryl Lynn Hilleman Offers Comfort

A negative strip containing four images documenting the 1966 vaccination of Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman's daughter, Kirsten Jeanne Hilleman, with the investigational Jeryl Lynn strain mumps vaccine.
Description (Brief)
A negative strip containing four images documenting the 1966 vaccination of Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman's daughter, Kirsten Jeanne Hilleman, with the investigational Jeryl Lynn strain mumps vaccine. Eight-year-old Jeryl Lynn Hilleman, for whom the strain is named, comforts her younger sister as Dr. Robert E. Weibel gives Kirsten the injection. The pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme widely distributed this photograph in 1968 as part of their press release and promotion for the Mumpsvax vaccine.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1966
ID Number
2017.3081.08
catalog number
2017.3081.08
nonaccession number
2017.3081

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