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History of Pediatrics: Infant Disease

This guide is an overview of the Rubenstein Library's collections documenting the rich history of pediatrics.

Searching the catalog

These links are sample searches in the Duke Libraries catalog based on library subject headings related to the history of pediatrics and infant disease. You can limit by location to "Rubenstein Library" to focus on historical sources. 

Manuscript Collections

Letters (ALS) to Thomas Cadell, Sr. (1742-1802), Thomas, Jr., and William Davies (d. 1820), publishers and booksellers, from James Makittrick Adair, regarding his essay on regimen; from John Aikin; from George Armstrong, regarding his Essay on the diseases most fatal to infants; from Alexander Peter Buchan, regarding a book on sea-bathing; from Thomas Cogan, regarding his Theological disquisitions; from Quintin Craufurd; from James Currie; from William Hey, regarding his Practical observations in surgery, and from Benjamin Rumford, regarding the second edition of his Seventh essay. 

Digitized Content

  • From the Medicine and Madison Avenue Collection, which contains about 600 advertising items and publications dating from 1850 to 1920, illustrating the rise of consumer culture and the birth of a professionalized advertising industry in the United States:

This is what we work for at Parke-Davis

A black and white advertisement from Parke-Davis shows medical staff cleaning a man's arm. There is a needle on the table in front of them, and a child in the lap of the man. The text reads, "This is what we work for at Parke-Davis...the better health and long life that come with better medicines."

Diphtheria can be Prevented!

A large advertisment that stands on sand and beach shrubs. The advertisement shows an infant being held by their mother, and the text reads, "Diphtheria can be Prevented! Toxin Antitoxin protects Babies and Children."