LibGuides: History of Medicine Collections: Rare Books and Manuscripts

Rare Books

Along with incunabula (books printed before 1501), the History of Medicine Collections also feature a wealth of rare print materials, such as Andreas Vesalius's De humani corporis fabrica, a hand-colored copy of the first edition of Georg Bartisch's Opthalmodouleia, and a first edition of De motu cordis by Sir William Harvey.

Collection Guides

History of Medicine artifacts collection
Collection of historical medical instruments and artifacts, art objects, realia, and other three-dimensional objects related to the history of medicine, primarily originating from Europe and the United States, but including some artifacts from China and Japan. Ranging in age from the late 16th to the late 20th centuries.
History of Medicine picture file
The History of Medicine Picture File holds thousands of small and large images organized into series for individuals, places, and subjects related to the history of medicine and medical practice.

Books and Journals

The History of Medicine Collections contains over 20,000 rare print items including books and journals. Please use the online catalog to search for items related to your research topic or interest.

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Manuscript Collections

The following are just a few examples of manuscript collections pertaining to the history of medicine. You can search the catalog for manuscripts or search our collection guides by keyword.

Bailey Daniel Webb papers, 1845-2003 and undated, bulk 1950s-2003
Early female graduate of Duke University School of Medicine (M.D., 1946) and pediatrician in private practice in Durham Co., N.C., 1949-1987. Includes Webb's 1941 doctoral thesis and other school records (1925-1933); as well as binders and scrapbooks compiled by Webb detailing her youth and schooling, private practice and hospital career, international trips, and Durham history, chiefly in community medicine and governance.
Dorothy Whitlock papers, 1948-1989 and undated
The Dorothy Whitlock Papers span the dates 1948-1989 and derive from Whitlock's work as an occupational therapist and medical illustrator.
Lincoln Hospital (Durham, N.C.) records, 1901-1998
Durham, N.C. hospital established in 1901 Dr. Aaron Moore, Dr. Stanford Warren, and John Merrick to serve African Americans in the area.The Lincoln Hospital Records span the years 1901-1998, and primarily comprise the institution's administrative and medical files.
Philip Turner papers, 1751-1858, 1881 and undated
Turner (1740-1815) was a noted surgeon from Connecticut and New York. The Philip Turner Papers Collection spans from 1751 to 1858 and contains correspondence, military hospital returns, printed material, and ledgers documenting Philip Turner's career as a surgeon in private practice in Norwich, Connecticut and New York, New York, in the Continental Army, and in the United States Army
Josiah C. Trent papers, 1536-1961 and undated, bulk 1938-1951
Trent was a U.S. thoracic surgeon, rare book and manuscript collector. The papers consist mostly of correspondence, printed material, photographs, and lecture notes taken during medical training, as well as diplomas and certificates of residency, and notes and drafts for published and unpublished research and articles. The bulk of the material documents Dr. Trent's activities and publications as collector and historian of medical practice, particularly surgery and epidemiology.
William H. Helfand Collection of Medical Prints and Posters, 1695-1991, bulk 1800-1899
William Helfand was a scholar of pharmaceutical history and art, and collector of ephemera and art related to medicine. The William H. Helfand Collection of Medical Prints and Posters consists of 34 prints and posters related to the history of medicine and pharmacology, dating from 1695 to 1991, with the bulk of the prints dating from 19th century

Persian Manuscript

Manuscripts

The History of Medicine's manuscript collection includes letters, diaries, lecture notes, physician day books, and account ledgers. The collection covers items as diverse as a seventeenth century copy of a late fourteenth century Persian treatise on anatomy to global health collections such as the Maria de Bruyn papers. Also represented are large collections of manuscripts by Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Waterhouse, Pliny Earle, Silas Weir Mitchell, and Ellis Herndon Hudson.

History of Medicine Collections: Rare Books and Manuscripts