The Historical Medical Library
Hours: Saturday to Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm (gallery hours); For research hours, contact library
Location: 19 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Contact: 215-563-3737 x9992; library@collegeofphysicians.org
Access: Only rare books on view for public during gallery hours; By appointment for research purposes
Website Address: http://www.collegeofphysicians.org/library/
The Historical Medical Library of the College is one of the world’s premier research collections in the history of medicine. The unique holdings of the library include over 400 incunables (books printed before 1500), an extensive collection of b, and a comprehensive collection of 19th and early 20th-century medical journals. The Library contains more than 12,000 other rare books including the majority of editions that laid the basis of modern biomedicine—one of the world’s best copies of William Harvey’s De motu cordis [On the Motion of the Heart] (1628) which first described the circulation of the blood, and two copies of De humani corporis fabrica [On the Fabric of the Human Body] (1543) by Andreas Vesalius, which was responsible for the later development of both modern anatomy and modern medical illustration. In addition to its rare books and nineteenth- and twentieth-century collections, the College Library is notable for its manuscripts and archives. Within this collection are the College’s own archives, the archives of other Philadelphia medical institutions, and letters, case books, and student notebooks that document the personal life and professional practice of doctors in the Philadelphia region and around the world. Among our most important manuscript collections are the bulk of extant letters written by S. Weir Mitchell—Civil War surgeon, neurologist, physiologist, novelist, and leading member of the College for more than fifty years.
The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Digital Library is a searchable image database and exhibition platform dedicated to celebrating and communicating the history of medicine. Highlights include images from rare incunabula previously unavailable online, unusual selections from more popular early modern anatomists, and over 300 photos from the Philadelphia General Hospital Photograph Collection, as well as anatomical images and botanical medicine. Images continue to be added on a regular basis.
Digital exhibits include “Under the Influence of the Heavens: Astrology in Medicine in the 15th and 16th centuries” and “A Philadelphia Physician Encounters the Great War.”
The College of Physicians of Philadelphia has also produced the digital resource The History of Vaccines, which explores the role of immunization in the human experience and examines its continuing contributions to public health.
The Mütter Museum
Hours: Wednesday to Monday 10:00am-5:00pm
Location: 19 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Contact: 215-563-3737, info@collegeofphysicians.org
Access: Open to public; paid entry
Website address: http://muttermuseum.org/
The Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia displays its beautifully preserved collections of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments in a 19th-century “cabinet museum” setting. The museum helps the public understand the mysteries and beauty of the human body and to appreciate the history of diagnosis and treatment of disease. The collection ranges from seventh century BCE to 2014, although the majority of the collection dates from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. The collection contains Wet Specimens; Osteological (Skeletal) Specimens; Models; Instruments; and other collections, such as dried specimens and historical medical photographs. Features of the collection include: Soap Lady; Dr Joseph Hyrtl’s human skull collection; plaster cast and conjoined liver of “Siamese twins” Chang & Eng; Jaw tumor of President Grover Cleveland; rotating exhibits of photographic art and illustrations; tallest skeleton on display in North America; and Einstein’s brain.
The Museum offers permanent and visiting exhibitions, as well as online exhibits. Permanent Exhibitions include: “A Stitch in Spine Saves Nine: Innovations in Spinal Surgery;” “Broken Bodies, Suffering Spirits: Injury, Death, and Healing in Civil War Philadelphia;” and “The Benjamin Rush Medicinal Plant Garden,” among others. The online exhibits are connected to the Library, and are mentioned above.