Recently, I did some light research on operating table design. I was looking for changes in design and materials so that I could help a researcher date their newly-acquired artifact. What I found was that after about 1920, operating tables didn't change much. They all looked about the same and had similar features. The biggest… Continue reading If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
Category: Museum collection
Radio interview
Last week I had my first radio interview! It was for the Ohio Reading Radio Service, which is a special radio station that reads newspapers and magazines to blind people. I did 2 half hour segments for their "Insights" show. We talked about my educational background, the museum collection, and plans to make the exhibits… Continue reading Radio interview
Dr. Thomson’s Color Stick
Between 1880 and 1899, the Railway Statistics of America recorded that 44,620 people had been injured or killed due to railway carelessness. It was discovered that colorblind railroad employees who could not see the different safety signal lights caused many of the accidents. The railroad companies needed a way to quickly and easily test all… Continue reading Dr. Thomson’s Color Stick
Reflections from a museum assistant
I thought it was time to include another voice on this blog, so I invited a part-time worker to write about her experiences at the Museum. She is a sophomore History student at Youngstown State University. Her first entry is about the cataloging project we're doing together. With an open mind I entered the Rose… Continue reading Reflections from a museum assistant
Medicinal alcohol and Prohibition
The Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which banned the "manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors," took effect on January 16, 1920. It became known as the National Prohibition or Volstead Act. This new law required physicians to obtain a special permit from the prohibition commissioner in order to write prescriptions for liquor. The patient… Continue reading Medicinal alcohol and Prohibition
19th century amputation and surgical kits
The artifact collection at the Rose Melnick Medical Museum includes one amputation set and one surgical kit, both from the 19th century. Both kits contain tools for general surgical procedures of the time including tourniquets, knives and scalpels, capital saws, tenacula, and artery forceps. Both kits also include trephining tools for cutting the skull. Although… Continue reading 19th century amputation and surgical kits
Melnick Medical Museum 