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Re: Question from a patron



If memory serves me correctly, a Union Army physician, so appalled by the
incredible mortality he observed in the Civil War hospitals, and so appalled
by the difficulty in obtaining medical literature during the conflict, took
it upon himself to establish a collection of medical literature after the
war. This collection, I recall, was done at his expense and with his time,
so concerned was he about the availability and organization (or lack thereof
up to that time) of medical literature. (And he probably had the financial
wherewithal to do this). His dedication did not go unnoticed, and I recall
he approached Congress to take over this collection and help fund it.
Congress thought it a good idea, and the seminal work had already been done
by the good doctor (I think his name was Billings, Billig....something like
that).  Thus, the origins  of the National Library of Medicine.
"Andersonville", by McKinley Kantor, vividly portrays that camp, including
its hospital. The book garnered a Pulitzer Prize in Literature for Kantor
some years ago.

Sharon Lee Butcher
Reference Librarian
AEDC Technical Library
100 Kindel Drive, Ste C212
Arnold AFB, TN  37389-3212
931-454-4430
Fax:  931-454-5421
sharon.butcher@arnold.af.mil

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joan Goodbody [SMTP:JGoodbod@LIB-GW.TAMU.EDU]
> Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2001 10:56 AM
> To:   ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject:      Question from a patron
>
> Hello everyone, This question came to me yesterday so I thought I would
> see if anyone could help. I am sending it out to GovDocs list also.
> One of our students is working on his dissertation in History and is
> looking for Mortality rates at the prisoner of war camps during the Civil
> War (whoops I am in the south-the war between the states-or was it the war
> of northern aggression or to some the late great indiscretion)  Thanks for
> your help in this.  Joan
>
> Joan Goodbody
> Lecturer
> Humanities Social Sciences
> Reference Services
> Sterling C. Evans Library
> Texas A & M University
> College Station, TX 77843-5000
> 979-458-1351
> Fax 979-458-0112
>
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

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Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
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Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>