Judy M. Chelnick

Judy M. Chelnick

Associate Curator
Division of Medicine and Science

M.A. (1979) Case Western Reserve University

B.A. (1976) William Smith College

Research Specialties: 

The history of medicine and dentistry, particularly the history of surgical instrumentation, cardiology and bionics.

Projects: 

Current Projects:

Research:

  • Project Bionics History Group
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb 18th Century European Apothecary
  • Elizabeth Blackwell Bookcase

Past Projects:

Exhibitions:

  • Curator, Recent Acquisitions; The AbioCor Artificial Heart.
  • Curator, Artificial Anatomy: Papier M̢ché Anatomical Models
  • Curator, History in the News: X-Rays.
  • Project Manager: Science Projects: A Taxonomy of Images
  • Collections Manager: About Faces.

Lectures and Presentations:

  • Prototype Fiberoptic Gastroscoope
  • The History of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Apothecary
  • Artificial Anatomy: Papier M̢ché Anatomical Models
  • Twentieth Century Medical Inventions
  • The Science Service Collection
  • Collectors and Collecting.
Professional Affiliations: 
  • American Association for the History of Medicine
  • American Institute for the History of Pharmacy Archivists and Librarians in the History of the Health Sciences
  • European Association of Museums of the History of Medical Sciences, Secrétaire general adjoint 2004
  • Medical Museums Association, President, 1995-1997
  • Washington Society for the History of Medicine, Council Member 2000-2002; Secretary-Treasurer 2004-2010

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Publications

"Collecting Medical Technology at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History." In Medical Museums: Past, Present, Future, Samuel J.M.M. Alberti, Elizabeth Hallam eds. London: The Royal College of Surgeons, 200-213.

A historical look at how medical museums in Euroipe and the United States have collected, exhibited and interpreted this fasinating collecting genre. 

"Benjamin Dudley's Surgical Set." In Tranysylvania Treasures: A Closer Look at the University's Treasures, Vol. II, No. 3, Lexington, Kentucky: Transylvania University. 6-7.

An examination of a surgical set which belonged to Benjamin Dudley a surgeon and professor at Tranysyvania College 1814-1850?   

"From Stethoscopes to Artificial Hearts: 150 Years of Collecting Medical History at the Smithsonian Institution" in Caduceus, Southern Illinois University Press, 1997.

Collecting artifacts with special emphasis on the urgical, cardiology, anesthesiology, endoscopy, and bionics collection.

"The Classificiation of Artifacts in the Dittrick Museum" with Patsy Gerstner in Caduceus, Southern Illinois University, 1988.

Report on the adoption of the National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), to medical artifacts.

Web site: Artificial Anatomy: Papier-Mâché Anatomical Models with Richard Barden.