Recent Accession: Children’s Hospital, San Francisco Nursing School

We’ve recently acquired a collection from the Children’s Hospital of San Francisco Nurses’ Alumnae Association, MSS 2006-17. Let’s break that down.

Children's Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1925, page 45

Children’s Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1925, page 45, MSS 2006-17.

The California Pacific Medical Center’s historical timeline and UCSF History site prove quite useful for untangling this history. In 1875 the Pacific Dispensary for Women and Children was founded in San Francisco. It underwent a name change and became, more recognizably, the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Under the leadership of the pioneering Dr. Charlotte Blake Brown (1846-1904) in 1882, the hospital began offering a two-year training program for nurses– the first official of its kind on the West Coast. And in 1887, it finds a new home at the intersection of California & Maple streets. At this point, “the two-story hospital has 25 private rooms, open wards, a cow barn, chicken yard, and laundry. Total cost, with furniture and equipment: $26,000.” The University of California Medical School (that’s us– UCSF!) begins partnering with Children’s Hospital in 1915 to teach medical students.

Group of nursing students, MSS 2006-17

Group of nursing students, circa 1925, MSS 2006-17.

Which brings us just to about the time period of this collection. Donated by the granddaughter of Ruth Steuben, an alumna of the Children’s Hospital Training School for Nurses, the material covers the education of Steuben, roughly 1925-1929, and includes class notes, yearbooks, photographs, and a uniform apron. Digital copies of Steuben’s school records as well as photographs and letters from the mothers of children nursed by Steuben soon after her graduation are also included. Below, a photograph of Ruth with her graduating class, December 1927, from the Little Jim yearbook.

Class of December 1927, including Ruth Steuben. Children's Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1926, page 22, MSS 2006-17.

Class of December 1927, including Ruth Steuben. Children’s Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1926, page 22, MSS 2006-17.

And a photograph of many of the same students at a nursing school reunion event in May 1948.

Reunion of nursing school graduates, May 1948, MSS 2006-17.

Reunion of nursing school graduates, May 1948, MSS 2006-17.

And now, for your further enjoyment: crossword puzzles! The 1948 Little Jim yearbook includes not one, but two crossword puzzles. The first was created by Adelaide Brown, M.D. (1868-1933) who was the daughter of Dr. Charlotte Blake Brown– both were longtime activists for women and children’s health.

Crossword puzzle by Adelaide Brown, M.D. Children's Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1925, page 48, MSS 2006-17.

Crossword puzzle by Adelaide Brown, M.D. Children’s Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1925, page 48, MSS 2006-17.

Crossword puzzle.  Children's Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1925, page 50, MSS 2006-17.

Crossword puzzle. Children’s Hospital of San Francisco Training School for Nurses Little Jim yearbook, 1925, page 50, MSS 2006-17.

Please see our other collections regarding the Children’s Hospital of San Francisco Nursing School Alumnae Association, MSS 89-20 and MSS 91-101. Read more about Dr. Charlotte Blake Brown in this fascinating article, The San Francisco Experiment: Female Medical Practitioners Caring for Women and Children, 1875-1932, by Meredith Eliassen and published online in Gender Forum.

Bartholin’s treatises on snake poisons

As it’s the height of summer, that time of year when many of us head outdoors a bit more often, we thought we’d highlight a first edition from our rare book collection that addresses a potential hiking hazard– snake bites.

Dissertatio prima [et secuna] de theriaca in officina Christophori Heerford Sen. Pharmacop. was published by Matthias Godicchenius for Petrus Hauboldus in Copenhagen, 1671. The volume is composed of two dissertations on snake poisons and their antidotes, issued from the laboratory of two Copenhagen pharmacists. The manner in which Bartholin approaches the topic is of particular significance as it assumes that blood circulates throughout the body. He was one of the earliest advocates of Harvey’s theory of blood flow.

Dissertatio primae de theriaca in officina Christophori Heerford...

Thomas Bartholin was no slouch himself. He discovered the lymphatic vessels, contributed to anesthiology research, and came from an utmost scientific family that can boast pioneering work in the olfactory nerve, light ray double refraction, and discovery of Bartholin’s gland.

We hope you’re all enjoying the summer. Be safe and remember that even breeches and stockings may not protect you from everything.

Dissertatio secunda de theriaca in officina Christophori Heerford...

Dissertatio primae [et secunda] de theriaca in officina Christophori Heerford, 1671

Additions to the Catalog

As always, we’ve been working to make more and more collections accessible for research. The following are additions to the catalog over the past few months. Subject highlights include UCSF history, neurology, tobacco control, and stem cell research.

Contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more. Don’t hesitate to use the calendar on the right to make an appointment to use collections!

AR 2002-18 University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine — Office of the Dean videotape collection, 1991-2003: Videotapes of lecture series, including Dean’s Research Seminar Series (DRSS), Galante lectures, and other special lectures/symposia. Also includes State of the School addresses, faculty meetings, academic senate meetings, award ceremonies.

AR 2012-12 University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry records, 1952-1982: The papers of the UCSF School of Dentistry include: Newsletters of the Alumni Association of the University of California College of Dentistry, 1952-1980; Programs of the annual meeting of the Alumni Association of the University of California College of Dentistry, 1956-1977; Alumni Association of the University of California College of Dentistry by-laws and directory, 1974, 1981; CSEA UCSF Newsletter, 1956-1958; UCSF Alumni Association newsletter, 1982; UCSF magazine, 1982 Medi-Cal yearbooks; 2 photographs of School of Dentistry faculty and employees.

MSS 2010-16 Guenter B. Risse papers, 1987-2009: Papers relate to Risse’s research for his book “Mending Bodies, Saving Souls: A History of Hospitals” (Oxford, 1999). Materials include one binder with the original illustrations collected for the book, two folders with information about the origins of the illustrations and permissions to publish them, and one folder with correspondence and book reviews.

AR 2011-13 University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, Master’s Entry Program in Nursing records, 1988-1991: The collection contains materials relating to the UCSF School of Nursing Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) dated from 1988-1991. Papers include grants, clippings, promotional materials, various records from the program ranging from development to accreditation.

MSS 2011-18 Rheba Fradkin (de Tornyay) papers, 1946-1954: Collection includes photographs, nursing school application, reference letters, and clippings pertaining to Mount Zion School of Nursing graduate Rheba Fradkin (de Tornyay), the nursing school yearbooks, issues of NOIZ and Bib & Apron (1953-1954), announcements, pamphlets and recruitment brochures.

AR 2013-02 University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine Office of the Dean records, 1999-2012: Records include photographs, negatives, slides, contact sheets, CDs, and DVDs from the School of Medicine Dean’s office.

MSS 2012-29 Marilyn Reed Lucia film, 2012: The collection contains the film “Steadfast Purpose: the Life of Marilyn Reed Lucia, MD,” produced by Arc Light Digital Media in association with UCSF in 2012. The film chronicles the life of Dr. Lucia, graduate of UCSF Medical School– first in medicine, then in psychiatry– who taught and practiced at UCSF as a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry for more than forty years. The film begins in the 1950s and continues throughout Lucia’s life.

AR 2011-04 UCSF School of Medicine, Class of 1963 Alumni collection, 2009-2013: Collection includes the newsletter founded and edited by UCSF School of Medicine alumnus Robert Sherins, M.D. issues 2009-1013, and the 50th Reunion Memory Book for his class of 1963.

AR 2007-09 Renee Reijo Pera laboratory notebooks, 1996-2007: Collection contains the papers of Dr. Renee Reijo Pera’s laboratory. Materials include laboratory notebooks and research data. Dr. Renee Reijo Pera performed embryonic stem cell research and established UCSF’s embryonic stem cell program in 2003. She was the UCSF co-director of the human embryonic stem cell research center, and director of the training program funded through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

AR 2003-23 Dorothy Bainton papers, 1970-2012: Records from the UCSF Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs office relate to the tenure of Dr. Dorothy Bainton. Materials include records from the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (CACSW); files from the UCSF League of Women; other materials related to the status of women at UCSF; a copy of “Report on Ishi’s treatment at the University of California, 1911-1916;” materials related to the Distinguished Alumnus Lecture presented by Dr. Bainton at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry in 2012.

AR 2013-23 University of California, San Francisco. Metabolic Research Unit collection, 1966: Collection contains materials that relate to the UCSF Metabolic Research Unit (MRU) and includes four photograph prints depicting employees and researchers of the MRU and the inauguration ceremony and a 1966 School of Medicine Alumni-Faculty Association bulletin with an article about the history of the MRU from 1950-1966.

MSS 2013-20 Melvin M. Belli Tobacco Control papers, 1950-1999: Professional papers of Melvin M. Belli (1907-1996), a high-profile attorney in San Francisco, California, relate to actual and potential litigation matters pursued by Mr. Belli and colleagues against tobacco companies. Materials consist of various court filings, media clippings, correspondence, memoranda, publications, and others.

AR 2003-13 Department of Neurological Surgery records, 1958-2000: Records from the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery include: publications, reports, correspondence, pamphlets, brochures, photographs, videotapes, and films.

MSS 97-04 Howard C. Naffziger papers, 1907-1983: The personal and professional papers of Howard Naffziger include correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, ephemera, certificates, military orders, notes, diaries, and artifacts. Subjects matters include Dr. Naffziger’s military experience in World War I and II, biographical information, his experiences at UCSF and his instrumental role in neurological surgery, and other work-related information.

Vegetarianism and Raw Food in the 1930s

Many of us would assume that the vegetarian diets and other trends in eating one hears of so often lately are a more recent fad– a preoccupation brought on by modern life. Or, especially for those of us in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’d perhaps date them to the 1970s. However, a pamphlet from the George Williams Hooper Foundation Administrative Records, 1882-1958, collection number AR 59-1, shows us that like many ideas, vegetarianism has been around longer than we have.

The following issue of The Vegetarian and Fruitarian from March 1932, published in Lewiston, Idaho, promotes ethics, ideals, culture, health, and longevity. It describes itself as “a fund of information as to ethical and physical reasons for choosing meatless foods– for an argument or debate this booklet fits in nicely– giving ammunition for proving that vegetarianism is sound and logical.”

The Vegetarian and Fruitarian, March 1932

The Vegetarian and Fruitarian, March 1932

At the time, the vegetarian and raw food movements were, in part, tied to feminism. It was viewed as a way to free women from the confines of the kitchen and allow them to pursue other activities and interests. Notice the brief article “Vegetarian Soups for the Hurried Housewife” below on page 16. In the lower right hand corner of page 17, “Places to Visit When in Los Angeles” recommends raw food living “if you are wedded to the cook pot and would like to know of something different.” Similar to various lifestyle publications and articles today, it goes on to advise a vegetarian-friendly guest house in the area. Other vegetarian recipes appear across both pages such as Mock Hamburger– the parenthetical note for which is particularly interesting.

The Vegetarian and Fruitarian, March 1932. Hooper Administrative Records, AR 59-1.

The Vegetarian and Fruitarian, March 1932, page 16 and 17. Hooper Administrative Records, AR 59-1.

Pages 14 and 15 give voice to two other current food and health trends that have history in the early 20th century– carbohydrates as devil and raw food. A Texas subscriber wrote in that she believed that the raw food diet had cured a number of her family’s ailments, including one of her daughter’s bad tonsils. The article on page 15, “Lowly Spud Seeks Help,” attempts to make a case for the healthfulness of potatoes to help bolster decreasing potato sales. It says, “Women have a mistaken idea. Potatoes, it is claimed, do not round out the figure.”

The Vegetarian and Fruitarian, March 1932, page 14 and 15.

The Vegetarian and Fruitarian, March 1932, page 14 and 15. Hooper Administrative Records, AR 59-1.

For more information on the George Williams Hooper Foundation please see a brief history of the organization on the UCSF History Website and their current website. I’d also like to point you toward the post on Slate’s The Vault blog about 19th Century Vegetarian Personal Ads, which I found quite interesting.

Ishi: The Greatest Anthropological Treasure

Syanpse, the UCSF Student Newspaper, published a wonderful article about Ishi and his history with UCSF this week, Ishi: The Greatest Anthropological Treasure, by Yi Lu.

Portrait of Ishi in a suit and tie.

Portrait of Ishi

Read the article and follow it up with The Story of Ishi on the UCSF History website for more information. The Archives & Special Collections has information regarding published resources available here and other institutions.

Moving Mementos, 1930-1938

Take a quick 7 minute break to watch this newly digitized and previously rarely seen footage we presented at last night’s Bay Area Video Coalition’s (BAVC) program– Video Capsule: Treasures from Bay Area Archives! UCSF’s contribution was this amalgamation of clips from “moving memento” films of the 1930s. For a time the UCSF School of Medicine had a tradition of creating these dynamic mementos of each class of students of staff. The films are comprised of faculty and staff introductions and a variety of candid scenes around campus and in the hospitals.

[iframe src=”https://archive.org/embed/UCSFMovingMementos” width=”640″ height=”480″ frameborder=”0″ webkitallowfullscreen=”true” mozallowfullscreen=”true” allowfullscreen]

Or watch the video on the Internet Archive.

May 27th VIDEO CAPSULE: Treasures from Bay Area Archives

Join us next Tuesday, May 27th, at the Exploratorium at 7pm to take in some rarely seen audiovisual treasures from local archives– including some of our own! UCSF’s contribution is an amalgamation of clips from “moving memento” films of the 1930s. For a time the UCSF School of Medicine began a tradition of creating these dynamic mementos of each class of students of staff. The films are comprised of faculty and staff introductions and a variety of candid scenes around campus and in the hospitals.

Here is more information from the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC), and do note that while the program is free there is a link to RSVP:

WHAT: Video Capsule: Treasures from Bay Area Archives
WHERE: Exploratorium, Pier 15: Kanbar Forum. Please enter the Exploratorium through the historic Pier 15 Bulkhead located directly on the Embarcadero.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 27 at 7PM
ADMISSION: Free

Join Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) Preservation program staff for an evening of video preservation revelry. Anchored by recent selections from BAVC’s Preservation Access Program*, tonight’s program includes archivist favorites, unexpected gems, and rarely seen treats from artists and arts organization participants from the program as well as friends from other Bay Area preservation organizations– including Stanford Media Preservation LabSan Francisco Media ArchiveUCSF Archives, the GLBT Historical Society and California Audiovisual Preservation Project. We invite you to join us as we share recent, prized work, making for a congenial celebration of archival craft and our media legacy.

Co-presented with BAVC by the Exploratorium Cinema Arts.

Let us know you’re coming. RSVP here.

Please note: there will be no Museum access during this program. Join the Exploratorium during adult evening hours on May 29th, 6-10pm, which will include a film screening co-curated by Walter Forsberg and Exploratorium Cinema Arts.

*The Preservation Access Program is made possible through the generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

 

National Hospital Week (May 11-17)

More historic images brought to you this week in honor of National Hospital Week! Celebrated May 11-17, Hospital Week serves to recognize the dedication of all hospital professionals.

Operating Room at City County Hospital, circa 1890

Operating Room at City County Hospital, circa 1890

UC Hospital Men's Ward, circa 1920s

UC Hospital Men’s Ward, circa 1920s

UC Hospital, circa 1918

UC Hospital, circa 1918

UC Hospital Lobby, 1920s

UC Hospital Lobby, 1920s

UC Hospital Kitchen, 1924

UC Hospital Kitchen, 1924

Read more about the history of San Francisco’s hospitals on the UCSF History website.

Celebrating National Nurses’ Day (May 6) and National Nurses’ Week (May 6-12)

Happy National Nurses’ Day! Here’s a selection of a few of our favorite images of nurses from the UCSF Historic Photograph Collection. For more images, check out our Digital Collections.

Moffitt Hospital Nurses' Station, circa 1970s.

Moffitt Hospital Nurses’ Station, circa 1970s

UC Nurses, World War I, Base Hospital # 30

UC Nurses, World War I, Base Hospital # 30

Nurses at the 30th General Hospital, June 1943

Nurses at the 30th General Hospital, June 1943

Tuberculosis service, circa 1930s.

Tuberculosis service, circa 1930s

Three UC Nurses-- Rigney, Dubois, and Catton-- in the nursery with infants an unidentified man in 1912.

Three UC Nurses– Rigney, Dubois, and Catton– in the nursery with infants an unidentified man, 1912

UCSF School Of Nursing students watching TV in the Nursing Dorm, circa 1955

UCSF School Of Nursing students watching TV in the Nursing Dorm, circa 1955

UCSF School of Nursing students in the Nursing Dorm archway, circa 1950s.

UCSF School of Nursing students in the Nursing Dorm archway, circa 1950s

UCSF School of Nursing class in Toland Hall, 1941.

UCSF School of Nursing class in Toland Hall, 1941