LibGuides: Women in Science and Medicine at the Rubenstein Library: Public Health

Searching the Catalog

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

Print Material

Examples of books (and other published sources) that you can find using the library catalog.

Lillian D. Wald. The House on Henry Street. (1915)
Wald coined the term "public health nursing" and put the concept into practice at the Henry Street Nurses' Settlement in the Lower East Side.
Alice Hamilton. Industrial Poisons in the United States. (1925)
Hamilton was a pioneer in the area of occupational health and conducted research on the impact of lead, mercury, and other industrial toxins on health.
American Public Health Association. Special Challenges in Third World Women's Health. (1989)
Presentations given at the 1989 APHA meeting focused on women's public health issues.

Manuscript Collections

Selected manuscript collections from the Rubenstein Library with a focus on the role of women in the public health field. This is just sampling - there are many more relevant manuscript sources to explore. Try searching the catalog with suggested subject terms (links in left sidebar) or consult with our librarians.

Maria de Bruyn Papers, 1988-2012
Maria de Bruyn is a medical anthropologist who worked for non-profit organizations in The Netherlands and United States, as well as international non-governmental and United Nations agencies, in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with a special focus on HIV and AIDS and health-related human rights. This collection includes de Bruyn's writings, work from her consultancies and other trainings and workshops, and her subject files on topics such as HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, human rights, condoms, discrimination, youth, sex work, and women's health issues.
Judith A. Fortney Papers, 1967-2004
Judith A. Fortney is a public health scholar and researcher who received her PhD at Duke University and worked for Family Health International and the World Health Organization. The materials in this collection include her writings and publications, project documentation, professional correspondence, subject files, photographs, and realia.
Eva J. Salber Papers, 1937-1990
Eva J. Salber was a community health physician, as well a public health researcher and instructor at Duke, Harvard, and the National Institutes of Health. Salber conducted research in the areas of epidemiology (especially smoking in schoolchildren and breast cancer) and the utilization of medical care services. The collection includes material related to various community health programs, Salber's speeches and writings, and teaching materials.
Consumer Reports. Esther Peterson Papers, 1953-1997
Esther Peterson was a leader in consumer, labor and women's movements who worked at Consumer Reports, a product testing and consumer advocacy nonprofit organization. The collection documents Peterson's work on a variety of issues including environmental health, women's health, regulation of hazardous substances, and consumer safety.
Asa and Elna Spaulding Papers, 1909-1997
Elna Spaulding and her husband, Asa Spaulding, were civil rights activists and local civic leaders in Durham, N.C. Elna Spaulding served as a Durham County Commissioner from 1974 to 1984. This collection documents the couple's wide-ranging work including Elna Spaulding's involvement with the Durham County Health Department and in community health initiatives such as the Lincoln Community Health Center. [Collection includes some digitized material.]
Ruth Ellen Grout Papers, 1934-1984
Grout was a physician, health educator, and public health professor. Collection includes diaries, correspondence, and reports documenting her twenty-four years as a health education teacher at the University of Minnesota and her career as a medical consultant for the World Health Organization in Europe, Thailand, Africa, Kuwait, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

Digitized Content

Medical Heritage Library
Collection of digitized material from some of the world’s leading medical libraries. Includes public health journals, like "Public Health Nursing," and other publications.
National Library of Medicine Digital Collections
Collections available online include a large number of images and texts that can be searched for public health topics. The site also includes collections of public health posters and videos from the 20th century.
North Carolina History of Health Digital Collection
Collection of North Carolina-related health publications, including several in public health, from the state government, professional groups, and more.

Women in Science and Medicine at the Rubenstein Library: Public Health

Searching the Catalog

Print Material

Manuscript Collections

Digitized Content

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