Health & Medicine - Overview
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.
"Health & Medicine - Overview" showing 284 items.
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Portrait of Andreas Vesalius
- Description
- Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564), an early European physician and professor of medicine, wrote an important treatise on the human body, published in 1543. He provided detailed illustrations that demonstrated muscle structure and other features of human anatomy, based on his work dissecting cadavers. Vesalius's work revolutionized the teaching of anatomy and remained influential for generations.
- In Vesalius's time, dissection was discouraged by religious and cultural forces that misunderstood its potential contributions to science. Edouard Hamman's 1849 painting, reproduced as a lithograph by Adolphe Mouilleron in the early 1850s, suggests Vesalius's conscientious struggle with religion as he pursed his anatomical studies through dissection. He stands beside a cadaver laid out on the table, and his dissecting tools are at hand. He is pictured as if paused in thought, looking at a crucifix on the wall to his right. A skull and several large books suggest his research materials.
- Lithography offered artists a medium for literally drawing on stone that was used for high-quality reproductive prints in 19th-century France. Mouilleron, an accomplished lithographer, was not only a superb draftsman, but it was said that in his hand the lithographic crayon took on the characteristics of color as used by painters. His larger prints, like this portrait of Vesalius, have rich tonal variations that convey the color values of the original painting in shades of black and white. Many American artists like Philadelphian Stephen J. Ferris (1835–1915), whose family donated this print to the Smithsonian, avidly collected and studied French prints of all periods.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- ca 1850
- subject
- Vesalius, Andreas
- graphic artist
- Mouilleron, Adolphe
- original artist
- Hamman, Edouard Jean Conrad
- publisher
- Bertauts
- ID Number
- GA*15366
- catalog number
- 15366
- accession number
- 94830
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Interieue d'une Pharmacie, or Interior of a Pharmacy
- Description
- Lithograph on laid paper. A political satire
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 17th century
- artist
- Motte, C.
- printer
- Motte, C.
- artist
- Brekenlenkamp, Quiryn Van
- engraver
- Greux, Gustave Marie
- printer
- Chardon, Charles
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0002
- catalog number
- M-06267
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Interieue D'une Pharmacie
- Description
- The style of this print is remininsant of an 18th century Dutch painting. with the light flowing into the window and illuminating the bench where the woman is working.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- artist
- Brekenlenkamp, Quiryn Van
- engraver
- Greux, G.
- printer
- Chardon, Charles
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0004
- catalog number
- M-06258
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- collector/donor number
- SAP 951
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Friedrich Herrmann Ludewig Muzell
- Description
- Engraving of Friedrich Herrmann Ludewig Muzell dated 1786.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- artist
- Graft, Anton
- engraver
- Berger, Daniel
- depicted
- Muzell, Friedrich Herrmann Ludewig
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0007
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Kykeens d'Aapteker
- Description
- A satirical print of an apothecary with monkeys dressed as humans. Marked "7" in the lower left corner. Print appears to be part of a series. See 1991.664.10 for what may be number 3 in the series. There are two inscriptions below apothecary, the right side in Dutch translates, Look at the apothecary with his ointments
- Location
- Currently not on view
- artist
- Pool, M (atthys)?
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0009
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- collector/donor number
- SAP 962
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Dees Aap Zwetstop Zyn Zalve
- Description
- Printed on laid paper with watermark; Market scene with monkeys dressed as humans. A quack standing on a platform in a market hawks his "medicines". Directly below image are two inscriptions, The left is French, the right is Dutch. Print is Marked 3, May be from a set. See 1991.664.9;
- Location
- Currently not on view
- artist
- Pool, M (atthys)?
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0010
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- collector/donor number
- SAP 963
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Die Leiden und Freuden einer Cholera Contumaz Anstalt
- Description
- Indoor wooden structure, a public gathering place, people are engaged in various activities. In the foreground a female peddler sells merchandise to two men. People are gathered in groups, sitting on bales and barrels. The print depicts people from different social backgrounds, shown through their clothing. Merchants, peddlers, housewives with children
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0018
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- collector/donor number
- SAP 965
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Der Apotecter
- Description
- An apothecary in his shop stands behind a counter grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle while he converses with two gentlemen. The shelves in the background are stocked with boxes and jars for holding herbs and medicines.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0019
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- collector/donor number
- SAP 943
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Stad's Apotheek
- Description (Brief)
- A wintry scene of a group of people standing under an apothecary's awning. The building reads "Stad's Apotheek." There are eight people standing by the building's door. There are four men, two women and two children (one boy and one girl). One of the men has a walking stick, and the boy is holding a bottle. In the right hand corner there are two dogs. In the background there is a cathedral, a carriage with three dark figures following it and a woman and child.
- A copy of this print exists as a painting dated 1841. It is a watercolor titled "Delivery of Medicine at a Town Apothecary's Shop." It does not match the print exactly however, for the dogs and the woman in the background are missing.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0038
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-06259
- collector/donor number
- SAP 952
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
La Pharmacie Rustique
- Description
- An engraving of the inteior of the apothecary of Michael Schuppath. A physician in the Swiss Alps regioin, Schuppath was known to diagnose illnesses by examining the urine of his patients. This image was drawn at the scene by Gottfried Locher and printed by Barthelemi Hubner in 1775.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1775
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0041
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-06257
- collector/donor number
- SAP 950
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center