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Marcia Crocker Noyes
(1869 – 1946)
Further to my comment on old books and research that started with an interesting bookplate (Ex-Libris). I continued my research and found that the person in charge of the Osler library bookplate was a fascinating individual that today maybe a ghost in the MedChi library and building in Baltimore... This is certainly an article that can be called "A Moment in History"
Marcia Crocker Noyes was the librarian at The Maryland State Medical Society from 1896 to 1946 and was a founding member of the Medical Library Association.[1][2][3]
Sir William Osler, MD. a famous Johns Hopkins surgeon was a noted bibliophile and had a large personal collection of books on various topics. When he became the President of MedChi in 1896, he was dismayed at the condition of the library and knew that with the right person and some stewardship, it could become a significant collection. Sir William asked his friend, Dr. Bernard Steiner, a physician and President of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore for suggestions of a librarian, and Dr. Steiner recommended Marcia Crocker Noyes. A native of New York, and a graduate of Hunter College, Marcia had moved to Baltimore for a lengthy visit with her sister, and took a “temporary” position at the Pratt Library, which turned into three years. Although she had no medical experience or background, she was enthusiastic, and most importantly, she was willing to move into the apartment provided for the librarian, who needed to be available 24 hours a day.
The image in this article is Ms. Noyes on her first year on the job. Marcia developed a book classification system for medical books, based on the Index Medicus, and called it the Classification for Medical Literature. The system uses the alphabet with capital letters for the major divisions of medicine and lower-case ones for the sub-sections. The system was used for many years, but it's now dated and the Faculty's original shelving scheme was never changed. The card catalogs still reflect her classification and many of the cards are written in Marcia's back-slanting handwriting.
Marcia knew enough to ask the Faculty's members about medical questions, terminology and literature. She gradually won over the predominantly male membership and they became her greatest allies; Sir William at the start, and then for nearly 40 years, Dr. John Ruhräh, a wealthy pediatrician with no immediate family of his own. She made a point of attending almost every Faculty function, and in 1904, under guidelines from the American Medical Association, Marcia was made the Faculty Secretary. For much of her first 10 years, she was the Faculty's only full-time employee, only being assisted by Mr. Caution, the Faculty's janitor. Later in life Marcia would say that she hired him because of his name!
Within ten years, the library had outgrown its space, and plans, spearheaded by Marcia and Sir William before his move to Oxford, were made to build a headquarters building, mainly to house the library's growing collection of medical books and journals.
Marcia was instrumental in the design and building of the new headquarters. She travelled to Philadelphia, New York and Boston to look at their medical society buildings, and eventually, the Philadelphia architectural firm, Ellicott & Emmart was selected to design and build the new Faculty building. Every detail of the building held her imprimatur, from the graceful staircase, to the light-filled reading room, and all of the myriad details of the millwork, marble tesserae, and most of all, the four-story cast iron stacks. She was on-site, climbing up unfinished staircases, checking out the progress of the building, which was built in less than one year at a cost of $90,000.
Among the features of the new building was a fourth-floor apartment for her. She referred to it as the "first penthouse in Baltimore" and it had a garden and rooftop terrace. The library collection eventually grew to more than 65,000 volumes from medical and specialty societies around the world. Journals were traded back and forth, and physicians eagerly anticipated the arrival of each new issue. At the same time, Marcia was involved in the Medical Library Association as one of eight founding members. The MLA promotes medical libraries and the exchange of information. One of the earliest mandates of the MLA was the Exchange, a distribution and trade service for those who had duplicates or little-used books in their collections. Initially, the Exchange was run out of the Philadelphia medical society, but in 1900 it was moved to Baltimore and Marcia oversaw it. Several hundred periodicals and journals were received and sent each month, a huge amount of work for a tiny staff. In 1904, the Faculty had run out of room to manage the Exchange, so it was moved to the Medical Society of the Kings County (Brooklyn). But without Marcia's excellent administrative skills, it floundered and in 1908, the MLA asked Marcia to take charge once again.
In 1909, when the new Faculty building opened, there was enough room to run the Exchange and with the help of MLA Treasurer, noted bibliophile and close friend, Dr. John Ruhräh, it once again became successful. Additionally, Marcia and Dr. Ruhräh combined forces to revive the MLA's bulletin, which had all but ceased publication in 1908, taking the Exchange with it. This duo maintained editorial control from 1911 until 1926. In 1934, around the time of Dr. Ruhräh's death, Marcia became the first “unmedicated” professional to head the MLA. During her tenure, the MLA incorporated, the first seal was adopted, and the annual meeting was held in Baltimore. Marcia wanted to write the history of the MLA once she retired from full-time work at the Faculty, but her health was beginning to fail. She had back problems and had suffered a serious burn on her shoulder as a young woman, possibly from her time running a summer camp, Camp Seyon, for young ladies in the Adirondack Mountains. In 1946, a celebration was planned to honor Marcia's 50 years at the Faculty. But she was adamant that the physicians wait until November, the actual date of her 50 years. However, they knew she was gravely ill, and might not make it until then, so a huge party was held in April. More than 250 physicians attended the celebration, but the ones she was closest to in the early years, were long gone. She was presented with a suitcase, a sum of money to use for travelling, and her favorite painting of Dr. John Philip Smith, a founder of the Medical College in Winchester, Virginia. It was painted by Edward Caledon Smith, a Virginia painter who had been a student of the painter Thomas Sully.[4] She adored this painting and vowed, jokingly, to take it with her wherever she went.
The painting was not to stay with her for very long, for she died in November 1946, and left it to the Faculty in her will. Her funeral was held in the Faculty's Osler Hall, named for her dear friend. More than 60 physicians served as her pallbearers, and she was buried at Baltimore's Green Mount Cemetery. In 1948, the MLA decided to establish an award in the name of Marcia Crocker Noyes. It was for outstanding achievement in medical library field and was to be awarded every two years, or when a truly worthy candidate was submitted. In 2014, the Faculty began giving a bouquet of flowers to the winner of the award in Marcia's name, and in honor of her work. Much evidence exists for this tradition, as we know that the physicians, especially Drs. Osler and Ruhräh, frequently gave her bouquets of flowers. Marcia also cultivated flower gardens at the Faculty and decorated the rooms with her work.
Today, the MedChi building is open for tours and if the rumors are to be believed Ms. Marcia Crocker Noyes is still at work in her beloved library as the "resident ghost" [1][5]
NOTE: This article has been modified from the original Wikipedia article on Marcia Crocker Noyes. The article itself is well-written with interesting images of the subject. I would encourage you to visit it. The second insert is from book 00736 in my personal library and shows in pencil, the incredibly small handwriting of Marsha C. Noyes.
Sources:
1. "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia" MedChi Archives blog.
2. "Marcia C. Noyes, Medical Librarian" (PDF). Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. 35 (1): 108–109. 1947. PMC 194645
3. Smith, Bernie Todd (1974). "Marcia Crocker Noyes, Medical Librarian: The Shaping of a Career" (PDF). Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. 62 (3): 314–324. PMC 198800Freely accessible. PMID 4619344.
4. Edward Caledon BRUCE (1825-1901)"
5. Behind the scenes tour MedChiBuilding
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GoFundMe Campaign for the next stage of the project
A group of researchers and investigators are looking to the incredible possibility of finding the grave of Andreas Vesalius. Initially this led to the 2014 meeting "Vesalius Continuum" in the island of Zakynthos, Greece. At that time Dr. Sylviene Déderix, Pascale Pollier, and Theo Dirix presented the status of the research that led to identification of the location of the church where Vesalius was buried. This was the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie which would have been located in the northern sector of the modern town, around the current junction of Kolokotroni and Kolyva streets.
More on this original stage on the project was published on the following article: In Search of Andreas Vesalius, The Quest for the Lost Grave - The Sequel. Supporters for this research include world-renown scholars such as Prof. Omer Steeno and Dr. Maurits Biersbrouck, which appear in the video
The next stage in this quest is to perform a detailed analysis of the grounds around the church using Electrical Resistive Tomography (ERT) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) as well as other non-invasive ground-sensing modalities. This kind of research is not cheap and requires funding.
Pascale and the research team have set a GoFundMe campaign to raise €9,900, roughly US$10,800, and I am asking all of the Vesalius followers and anatomy enthusiasts to contribute as little or as much as you can to make this next stage of the project a reality. You can reach the GoFundMe page here.
The video in this article is by courtesy of Vimeo.com
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This is a series of articles on depression and published as a community service. The information in these articles follow our Privacy and Security Guidelines and cannot be construed as medical guidance. For additional information and counseling, consult with your physician or the appropriate health care professional of your choice. You can also find information on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) here. For the initial article on this series click here.
The medical term meaning "cause" is [etiology]. As you talk to a physician or research on the causes of depression knowing this term will come in handy. Most likely, the etiology of depression is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
Depressive pathologies are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of patients who have depression are physically different than those of non-depressed individuals. This is important to understand. A depression patient is not a "mental" or "crazy" person in the fact that there is an underlying physical brain disorder causing the depression. They are not "faking it" and the treatment must look into getting the brain back into a normal physical pattern.
The following images show a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan of both a non-depressed and a depressed individuals. In these images the areas of the brain involved in mood, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior appear different. These images do not reveal why the depression has occurred, only that a depressed brain is physically different from a non-depressed brain.
Click on the image for a larger view
Some types of depression tend to run in families, indicating a genetic base for the pathology. However, depression can occur in people without family history of depression. Scientists are studying certain genes that may make some people more prone to depression. Some genetics research indicates that risk for depression results from the influence of several genes acting together with environmental or other factors. In addition, trauma, the loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, long winter seasons, or any stressful situation may trigger a depressive episode. Other depressive episodes may occur with or without an obvious trigger.
Who is at risk?
Major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States. Each year about 6.7% of U.S adults experience major depressive disorder. Women are 70 % more likely than men to experience depression during their lifetime. Non-Hispanic blacks are 40% less likely than non-Hispanic whites to experience depression during their lifetime. The average age of onset is 32 years old. Additionally, 3.3% of 13 to 18 year olds have experienced a seriously debilitating depressive disorder.
Depression also may occur with other serious medical illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease. People who have depression along with another medical illness tend to have more severe symptoms of both depression and the medical illness, more difficulty adapting to their medical condition, and more medical costs than those who do not have co-existing depression. Treating the depression can also help improve the outcome of treating the co-occurring illness
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
Next article: Types of Depression
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BRRRRRRRR!!
A reminder of one of the joys of summer! The term [sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia] is a fancy medical term for "brain freeze". which happens when we eat or drink very cold food.
The etymology of the term is complex. [Sphen-] is a term meaning "wedge" and refers to the sphenoid bone. [-palatine-] means "pertaining to the palate" (and to the bones related to the hard palate].
The root term [-gangli-] refer to a ganglion, which is a concentration of neuronal bodies, neurons being the main cells of the nervous system. [-neur-] means "nerve", and the suffix [-algia] means "pain". Simply said, the term [sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia] means "nerve pain of the sphenopalatine ganglion".
The sphenopalatine ganglion (Meckel's ganglion, nasal ganglion or pterygopalatine ganglion) is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa. It is largely innervated by the greater petrosal nerve (a branch of the facial nerve); and its neuronal axons innervate the lacrimal glands and nasal mucosa.
Not everybody accepts this theory. Some state that "brain freeze" occurs because of rapid cooling of the blood in the pharynx, causing a drop of temperature of the internal carotid artery, which in turn causes cooling and pain in the meninges related to the base of the cranium.
My thanks to Gina Burg, for bringing this term to my attention. Dr. Miranda
Thanks to Forrest J. Bonjo for the image and additional information. The article was originally stored at pdu.edu, but the server was closed. If you click on the image, this will take you to the article stored at web.archive.org.
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There are many in the world that are fascinated by the life and works of Andreas Vesalius (1514 -1564). This has created a market for “Vesaliana”. These are books, art, medals, and works are related to Vesalius. As an example, an original 1543 Fabrica sells today for 400 thousand dollars! Even the “New Fabrica” by Drs. Garrison and Hast has cuadrupled its value in only two years since its publication!
Some of the most coveted items are stamps that celebrate the illustrious anatomist. Probably the most detailed research on the topic was made by Prof. Omer Steeno and Dr. Maurits Biersbrouck, both contributors to this website. Their research is constantly updated and the latest iteration of their work is “Andreas Vesalius in Philately” published in WordPress.com.
In a recent private communication Prof. Steeno regretted that unscrupulous individuals have taken to forge and falsify stamps. A clear case of this is the stamp collection “Les Grands Scientifiques de la Rennaissance” published in November 23, 2006 by the Republic of Djibouti. The stamps (shown in the accompanying image) depict Leonardo da Vinci, Nicolas Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, and Andreas Vesalius. As a Vesaliana collector, who would not want this set of stamps placing Vesalius in such company?
Djibouti is an African country that gained its independence from France in 2007 and is located in the horn of East Africa and the opening of the Red Sea into the Gulf of Aden.
Drs. Steeno and Beisbrocuk contacted the Djibouti postal service and were able to confirm in February, 2016 that indeed these stamps are false and collectors should be aware.
Sources:
1. “Andreas Veslius in Plhilately” Steeno, O; Biesbrouck, M 2016
2. Private communication. Steeno, O. 2016
3. “On the falsification of a Vesalius Stamp wrongfully ascribed to the postal service of Djibouti” Steeno, O; Biesbrouck, M 2016. EMediTheme 2016 Editor: Menzies, S.
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This is a series of articles on depression and published as a community service. The information in these articles follow our Privacy and Security Guidelines and cannot be construed as medical guidance. For additional information and counseling, consult with your physician or the appropriate health care professional of your choice. You can also find information on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) here. For the initial article on this series click here.
UPDATED: People with depressive pathology do not all experience the same symptoms. The severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness. Because symptoms are subjective, some patients will not express or hide them, making the diagnosis of depressive disorder difficult.
Following are the description of the symptoms by two different patients:
Patient 1
"It was really hard to get out of bed in the morning. I just wanted to hide under the covers and not talk to anyone. I didn't feel much like eating and I lost a lot of weight. Nothing seemed fun anymore. I was tired all the time, and I wasn't sleeping well at night. But I knew I had to keep going because I've got kids and a job. It just felt so impossible, like nothing was going to change or get better."
Patient 2
"I felt dirty and unwashed. All my surroundings felt dirty and I spent hours cleaning the house with no results. I took long baths and even after them I still felt dirty. My sleep was broken with horrible nightmares with gore and destruction. I felt tired, mostly because I could not sleep. I cried every morning because I felt like a total failure. I felt ugly and no amount of makeup could cover this feeling. I did not want to go out in public at all"
Signs and symptoms of depression may include:
• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
• Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
Next article: Causes of Depression
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This is a series of articles on depression published as a community service. The information in these articles follow our Privacy and Security Guidelines and cannot be construed as medical guidance. For additional information and counseling, consult with your physician or the appropriate health care professional of your choice. You can also find information on TMS here.
Click for a larger image
UPDATED: Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. There are also those dreaded "winter blues". But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days, usually with no problems or persistent symptoms. Some people may even say that they are "depressed". Although this is true, that person is not clinically depressed.
When an individual has clinical depression, there are physical changes that happen within the brain which reflect in attitudes, mood, symptoms, and actions.
Clinical depression is a common but serious mental disorder that affects over 20 million people in the United States, many of which will never seek diagnosis or treatment. Patients present with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, decreased energy, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, abnormal patterns of sleep or appetite, gruesome nightmares, and poor concentration. Moreover, depression may often come with symptoms of anxiety and varying complex presentations of bipolar disorder.
These problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairment in an individual’s ability to take care of his or her everyday responsibilities. At its worst, depression can lead to a patient's attempt on their life. Clinical Depression interferes with daily life and causes pain for both the individual, their families, and loved ones. Patients with depressive disorder often go from one job to another, cannot work, or eventually end in disability, being maintained by their family or loved ones.
Many people afflicted with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) never seek treatment. This is specially true in males, where the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that ”fewer than 25% of male sufferers worldwide will seek treatment because of the social stigma associated with mental disorders including depression.”
Properly and timely treated, even those with the most severe depression, can get better. Medications, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are the most common methods to treat depression. As patients move from one medication to the next level medication as well as augmentation medication, the annual cost for medication can be staggering, as well as the common, insidious, and problematic systemic side effects of both the drug therapy and ECT therapy.
The main objective of all treatments for MDD is to attain remission, but in many cases just reducing the symptoms of MDD and reducing the amount and types of medication used is enough to bring the patient back to a productive life and enhance the relationship with their families and loved ones.
Next article: Symptoms of Depression