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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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Dr. Jean Léo Testut
Jean Léo Testut (1849-1925) French physician, anatomist, historian, and anthropologist, Jean Léo Testut Deynat was born in Saint Avit Senier, France on March 22, 1849.
His early medical studies were interrupted by the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. He was awarded a medal for his courage and patriotism in this war, but declined to accept it. After the war Leo Testut finished his medical studies in 1878 at the Medical School in Bordeaux. His doctoral thesis received several awards, including the Silver Medal of the Paris Medical College.
During his medical studies at the Universities of Bordeaux and Paris, Testut was an assistant for both anatomy and physiology, eventually becoming the Chief of Anatomical Studies and Preparations in Bordeaux.
In 1887 he publishes his masterpiece: “Traité d'anatomie humaine” (Human Anatomy Treatise) in four volumes, which has a second publication in 1893.
Dr. Testut's assistant, Dr. André Latarjet (1877 – 1947) will later continue the work in this voluminous work taking it to five volumes, several editions, and translated into Spanish, German, and Italian. Smaller versions of the book as well as anatomical dissectors are published as companions to this superb book, becoming the standard of anatomical medical education in France and especially in Latin America for over 120 years.
In spite of this incredible publication, Leo Testut published well over 90 books and treatises, including an illustrated anatomical dissector. His work included anthropological research and comparative anatomy.
Dr. Testut worked as a military surgeon during World War I.
In his later life Dr. Testut received an incredible number of awards and decorations, including the Honor Legion Medal and Honorary Professor of the Lyon Medical School. He was also President of the World Association of Anatomists.
After he retired, he continued his historical studies publishing a further seven books!
Personal note: When I studied anatomy I was lucky to use the Testut and Latarjet “Compendio de Anatomía Humana”, the smaller version of the Treatise. The Treatise itself was available to us for study in the library of the Medical School at the University of Chile and I remember countless hours studying with this treasure of anatomy. Later I made it a point to own one of these incredible books, and I acquired the Spanish and the Italian version of the “Traité d'anatomie humaine”. A few years ago I added to my library a beautiful leather-bound French version of this book, which belonged to my dear friend Dr. Gonzalo Lopetegui Adams (1932 – 2004). Dr. Miranda.
Sources:
1. “Leo Testut (1849-1925)” Reverón, RR Int. J. Morphol., 29(4):1083-1086, 2011
2. “La anatomía de Testut y Latarjet” Reverón, RR R Soc Ven Hist Med (2013) 62:1; 62-72
3. “Jean Leo Testut (1849-1925): Anatomist and Anthropologist” Reverón, RR
4. “Huellas de un maestro de la Anatomía francesa: Jean Léo Testut, 1849-1925” Ledezma W.; P. Rev Inst Med Sucre LXXI: 128 (98-105), 2006
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This article is part of the series "A Moment in History" where we honor those who have contributed to the growth of medical knowledge in the areas of anatomy, medicine, surgery, and medical research.
Dr. Václav Treitz
UPDATED: Dr. Václav Treitz (1819 - 1872). Also known as Wenzel Treitz, Dr. Václav Treitz was born in Hostomice, Bohemia. He attended the Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague studying humanities and medicine, receiving his medical degree in 1846. Treitz started postgraduate work at the Vienna General Hospital (Allgemeines Krankenhaus), where Joseph Skoda (1805-1881) was a proponent of “therapeutic nihilism” which stated that “drug treatment usually does more harm than good”, so a minimalistic or even pessimistic approach to diseases was used.
Large numbers of women at this hospital died of “puerperal fever” an postpartum uterine infection due to contamination by the unwashed hands of physicians and utter lack of cleanliness (septic technique had not been yet described). It was during Treitz’s time at the Vienna General Hospital that Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (1818 – 1865) stated his initial observations on asepsis. Treitz later became a follower of Semmelweis’ and Lister’s teachings and techniques.
In 1852 Treitz was appointed Professor of Pathological Anatomy in the Jagellonian University in Prague.
In 1853 he published a paper ("Ueber einen neuen Muskel am Duodenum des Menschens" ) describing a new muscle he discovered at the duodenojejunal junction, later to be known as the eponymic “muscle of Treitz”; the fold of peritoneum over the muscle of Treitz is known today as the "ligament of Treitz". Treitz also described a paraduodenal retroperitoneal hernia that occurs at the paraduodenal recess, just lateral to the ligament of Treitz.
A staunch proponent of Czechoslovakian independence and language, Treitz was publicly attacked for his medical theories and nationalistic beliefs. Isolated and depressed, Treitz committed suicide in 1872.
The article on the "Ligament of Treitz" is the most popular article in "Medical Terminology Daily" with over 140 thousand hits!
Sources:
1. "Václav Treitz (1819-1872): Czechoslovakian Pathoanatomist and Patriot” Fox, RS; Fox, CG; Graham, WP. World J. Surg. 9, 361-366, 1985
2. "Treitz of the ligament of Treitz". Haubrich, W S. (2005) Gastroenterology, 128 (2), 279
3. "Preserving Treitz's muscle in hemorrhoidectomy". Gemsenj?ger, E Diseases of the Colon & Rectum (1982), 25 (7), p. 633.
4. “The Muscle Of Treitz And The Plica Duodeno-Jejunalis” Crymble, PT. The British Medical Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2598 (1910), 1156-1159
Original image, public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Image in this article is AI enhanced.
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Obturator foramen
The word [foramen] is a Latin word meaning "opening, aperture, hole", from the Latin term [forare] meaning to bore a hole, to pierce. The plural form of the word is [foramina]. There are many foramina in the human body.
• Epiploic foramen (of Winslow): An opening bound by the lesser omentum, the inferior vena cava, duodenum and liver. It is a communication between the main peritoneal cavity and lesser sac, an area found posterior to the stomach.
• Nutritional foramina: Openings found in most bones allowing for passage of blood vessels.
• Obturator foramen: An opening in the pelvis bound by the following bones: ilium, ischium, and os pubis. Indicated in the accompanying image by an arrow.
• Foramen of Monro: A communication between the lateral ventricle and the third ventricle of the brain. There are actually two foramina of Monro (one on each side), and are important for cerebrospinal fluid circulation. Named after Alexander Monro Secundus (1733 - 1817).
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Click for a larger image
UPDATED: Root term meaning Thorax (Greek: [θώρακα] Chest plate or area covered by a chest plate). The thorax contains three areas, or regions, sometimes described as "spaces" (sic). These are two laterally situated pleural cavities, each containing a lung, and a median mediastinum, a large region containing the pericardium, heart, great vessels, thoracic duct, azygos venous system, esophagus, aorta, thymus, etc. The plural form for thorax is [thoraces].
• Thoracotomy: Opening of the thorax. Note that the term "thoratomy" en vogue nowadays is a misuse of the term
• Thoracocentesis: The suffix [-(o)centesis) means needle aspiration. Needle aspiration of the thorax
• Thoracoscopy: Visualization of the thorax
Personal note: There is a tendency, a trend to use the word [thorascopy] instead of the correct form [thoracoscopy]. The use of [thorascopy] is incorrect and should not be allowed in the clinical arena. In fact, it is not recognized by my medical spellchecker! Dr. Miranda
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This suffix originates from two Greek root terms [ectos], meaning "out or outside" and "[tomos], which means "to cut" or "to open". The final [-y] means "process". The suffix [-ectomy] means "process of cutting out". Other synonyms are: extirpation, excision, and removal.
Applications of this suffix include:
- Pneumonectomy: Removal of a lung
- Gastrectomy: Extirpation of the stomach
- Nephrectomy: Excision of a kidney
- Cholecystectomy: Extirpation of the gallbladder
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UPDATED: Latin word meaning "tail". The plural form is "caudae". The adjective use "caudal" or "caudad" means "towards the tail" or "inferior". Although not correct, in many anatomy books the term "caudal" is defined as "towards the feet", meaning that has become accepted through use. In reality this is a embryological term that can also be used in quadrupeds. The use of this term in the adult human is not correct, or at least should be avoided; unless you are truly going "towards the tail" i.e. coccyx
Applications of this word include:
- Cauda equina (the horse's tail): A structure formed by the inferior portion of the spinal cords and the corresponding ventral and dorsal roots, resembling a horse's tail.
- Caudate nucleus: One of the deep ganglia of the brain which has an elongated, curved extension resembling a tail
- Caudate lobe (of the liver): A small lobe of the liver that has a small projection resembling a tail, the caudate process.