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Month: May 2023

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Black and white photo of a military medic kneeling in front of cabinet of medical supplies.
Photo and caption via National Archives Catalog: A military medic kneels in front of a shelves full of variety of medicine bottles

Health care personnel have assisted military units for centuries, both in unofficial capacities and as recognized members of the armed forces. Whether they were actively treating injured soldiers on the frontline or performing complex surgeries in military hospitals, physicians, surgeons, nurses and other health professionals worked alongside soldiers and commanders to ensure that the injured were properly treated. 

Prior to the 19th and 20th centuries, healthcare treatment within the military was largely decentralized and relied on inaccurate information on wound treatment and patient care management. But as more advanced weapons and military tactics were introduced, countries and military leaders invested in their healthcare infrastructure which led to lower mortality rates and the decrease of widespread infection within military camps. Many of the inventions introduced during conflicts such as the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War and the World Wars have been carefully refined and serve as the foundation for today’s current military medicine practices. 

Health and medicine have been the focus of research for centuries. Many ancient historical figures and civilizations documented their theories about human anatomy, physiology, the nature of diseases and health remedies. Preserved historical texts from ancient civilizations provide us with a glimpse of some of the health treatments and theories proposed by scholars. In Homer’s The Iliad, surgeons were portrayed as “skilled and professional physicians who expertly treated wartime trauma.” (Manring et al., 2009, pg. 2173) Ancient Egyptians and Babylonian-Assyrians left behind texts and treatises that showed cultures with sophisticated and thoughtful ideas about medicine and the human body. (Van Way, 2016)

During the time of the Roman Empire, “The Roman army had organized field sanitation, well-designed camps, and separate companies of what we would now call field engineers. They had a much better grasp of sanitation and supply than anyone else before, or for a long while.” (Van Way, 2016, pg. 260) While ancient civilizations lacked the technology and scientific theories that form the foundation of modern medicine, these cultures worked to protect their injured soldiers during battle. Some civilizations, such as the Romans, understood the importance of maintaining clean environments to prevent epidemics from debilitating their armed forces. As Dr. Charles Van Way III wrote, “Because of their [The Romans] improved sanitation, their armies suffered somewhat less from the epidemics which swept military camps, but only by comparison with their opponents.” (Van Way, 2016, pg. 261)

Color image of temple ruins.
Photo Credit: Edneil Jocusol via Pexels.com:

Unfortunately, when the Roman Empire fell, their ideas on sanitation and healthcare management were lost. For years, there were few scientific advances and many physicians relied on the ancient and incorrect humoral theory or four humors theory which was first suggested by the Ancient Greeks. According to this theory, the human body consisted of four ‘humors’: black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm. If a person was ill, humoral theorists believed the sickness was caused by an imbalance of humors within the body, instead of pathogens or forces outside the body. While there are some critics of this theory, it was the prevailing medical belief until the 18th and 19th centuries. 

With the development of the scientific method around the 17th century, empirical observations became the basis for theories; the humoral theory eventually fell out of favor and more evidence-based practices/theories took its place. This impacted military medicine as healthcare responders developed new techniques that contributed to declining mortality rates and a more sanitary wound treatment management system. 

Some discoveries and resources that were developed during this time include Jean Louis Petit’s tourniquet, Pierre-Joseph Desault’s description of the debridement of wounds and the publication of three textbooks on military medicine. (Van Way, 2016, pg. 262) But it was during the Napoleonic Wars (1792-1815) where military medicine began to improve and leaders recognized the importance of a well maintained military healthcare system. Baron Dominique-Jean Larrey is seen as the originator of modern military medicine. Some of his contributions to the field include an early framework for the triage system, the “ambulance volante” or flying ambulance and the use of field hospitals that were located away from the battlefield. (Van Way, 2016; Manring et al., 2009)

Despite the recommendations created by Baron Dominique-Jean Larrey, armies still failed to create an organized healthcare system within their military. This caused controversy during some campaigns. For example, during the American Civil War (1861-1865) both the Union and Confederate armies “had physicians, but there was only a rudimentary hospital and evacuation system…Public health was terrible. Many soldiers died of disease, often even before reaching the battlefield.” (Van Way, 2016, pg. 336) This eventually led to the establishment of a military medical corps that treated the injured soldiers. And during the Crimean War (1853-1856), public outrage over the treatment of wounded British soldiers led the War Office to enlist the services of Florence Nightingale. Nightingale and her staff of volunteers focused on sanitation, ventilation and waste disposal. Because of her efforts, she “broke the monopoly of health care as the sole providence of the physician, which led to the development of the healthcare team in modern medical practice.” (Manring et al., 2009, pg. 2169)

Black and white photograph of four medical corps members transporting an injured soldier from battle.
Members of the Medical Corps removing the wounded from Vaux, France. Photo via National Archives

Military medicine faced its greatest challenge during the world wars and the field continued to shape itself into the modern version that is present today. When the U.S. joined World War I (1914-1918), hospitals, doctors, nurses and ambulances accompanied the soldiers and commanders. Ambulances were used to transport the wounded from the battlefield, and from there the soldiers would be taken to a healthcare team or moved to a facility where they could recover. (Van Way, 2016) Between the wars, medical advancements were incorporated in the field of military medicine such as “Blood and plasma transfusions, widespread use of intravenous fluids, antibiotics (but limited to penicillin and sulfonamides), endotracheal intubation, thoracic and vascular surgery, and the care of burn wounds.” (Van Way, 2016, pg. 338) 

Military medicine was further tested during conflicts such as the Korean War (1950-1953), the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the Gulf War (1990-1991) and the wars in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and Iraq (2003-2011). According to Manring et al’s 2009 historical review, “Trauma care for US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan currently is provided through five levels of care: Level I, front line first aid; Level II, FST (Forward Surgical Team); Level III, CSH, which is similar to civilian trauma centers; Level IV, surgical hospitals outside the combat zone…and Level V, major US military hospitals…” (Manring et al., 2009, pg. 2171)

Aerial photograph of set of military hospital tents in an open field.
Photo and caption via National Archives Catalog. Caption: An aerial view of a field hospital erected during Exercise WOUNDED EAGLE '83.

The path to our current military medicine field and system was windy. The field was influenced by scientific advances and historical figures such as Baron Dominique-Jean Larrey, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Walter Reed, Leonard Wood and thousands of physicians, surgeons, nurses, ambulance drivers and other professionals. If you are interested in hearing firsthand accounts from military healthcare professionals, visit the Library of Congress’ collection ‘Healing with Honor: Medical Personnel.’ The collection features personal narratives from people who served in conflicts such as World War I, the Korean War or the war in Afghanistan. ‘Healing with Honor: Medical Personnel’ is an excellent way to learn more about the field of military medicine and its commitment to the treatment of soldiers harmed during conflicts.

References:

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Portrait of Beethoven by Scott Gentling
Scott Gentling (1942-2011).Beethoven.[undated].Graphite on paper.Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas.2018.70, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Beethoven, one of the great musical geniuses of the 19th century, was deaf when he wrote some of his best known works. He had progressive hearing loss starting in his 20’s and was functionally deaf during his late period when he wrote his most expressive and innovative sonatas, string quartets, and the Ninth Symphony (Ode to Joy). Beethoven also suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms most of his adult life and died of liver failure. In 1802, he requested that his medical conditions be disclosed to the public after his death in a letter to his brothers known as the Heiligenstadt Testament.

Historians and musicologists have speculated if he had a heritable disorder or infectious disease that contributed to his hearing loss and death. Alcoholism was suspected as a factor in his liver disease. There was a family history of alcohol dependence and some of his associates claimed he drank heavily, though others said he did not drink more than was typical at that time.

Recent advances in ancient DNA methods presented an opportunity to learn more about Beethoven’s medical conditions. A team of 32 international researchers used eight surviving locks of Beethoven’s hair for their analysis. Several locks were taken by friends when Beethoven died in 1827 and others were given to friends and associates while he was alive.  Over the years they were sold and passed down to others and the provenance of some were questionable. The locks were analyzed in this new study to determine their authenticity, using a novel geo-genetic triangulation technique. Additionally, the researchers “analyzed Beethoven’s genome for genetic causes of and risk for somatic disorders in addition to metagenomic screening for evidence of infections, followed by targeted DNA capture.” (Begg, et al, 2023)

Five of the locks were determined to originate from a single individual or monozygotic twins and had damage patterns that authenticated them for early 19th century origin. A non-matching lock called the Hiller lock was used in previous genetic and forensic testing featured in the book and movie, Beethoven’s Hair. It was found to be from a woman, invalidating results indicating lead poisoning as a contributor to Beethoven’s hearing loss and other maladies.

Analysis on the Y chromosome revealed a surprise finding. Five living men from the Beethoven patrilineage had a common ancestor in Aert van Beethoven (1535-1609). But their Y chromosomes did not match with any of the five authenticated Beethoven hair samples. The researchers conclude that there was at least one extra pair paternity event in Beethoven’s ancestry. Further analysis of descendants of Beethoven’s brother Karl leaves open the possibility that the two may have been half brothers.

Beethoven’s GI symptoms were consistent with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. His hearing loss could have been associated. Other possible related causes for the hearing loss were otosclerosis, sarcoidosis or systemic lupus erythematosus. A genome wide association study eliminated most of these as possibilities, except for lupus where there was some elevated polygenic risk. 

Celiac disease and lactose intolerance were both eliminated as possible causes of his gastrointestinal symptoms through testing for associated alleles. He actually had some elevated genetic protections against irritable bowel syndrome, making it also unlikely. 

They analyzed 55 genes where variants could cause monogenic post-lingual hearing loss and 209 related to pre-lingual hearing loss. There were no positive findings.

In summary, we could not reliably evaluate most hypothesized multifactorial causes of Beethoven’s hearing loss, nor did we identify a monogenic origin.”

(Begg, et al, 2023)

Beethoven’s polygenic risk for liver cirrhosis was found to be elevated in his PNPLA3 gene and his HFE gene. This combined with heavy drinking could have caused his liver failure. Additionally, hepatitis B DNA was found in the Stumpff Lock hair which was the best preserved sample. Researchers could not tell how long he’d had the hepatitis B infection. The positive lock was taken at his death and represented the final months of his life. Tristan Begg, the lead author of the study, wrote more about the possible role of hepatitis B in Beethoven’s liver failure on William Meredith’s blog. Meredith is a Beethoven scholar who participated in the genome study.

Though not addressed directly in the paper, the study brings to an end the theory that Beethoven was black. Noting the similarities in their appearance, the bi-racial composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was the first to raise the possibility. Many contemporaries of Beethoven described him as dark, brown or ruddy in complexion and noted his broad, rounded nose which can be seen in his life mask taken in 1812. The idea has persisted since Coleridge-Taylor introduced it, and was repeated by Malcolm X and a 1969 Rolling Stones article titled “Beethoven was black and proud!” More recently it was the subject of scholarly articles and even a Twitter meme. This genomic analysis confirms that Beethoven’s ancestry was greater than 99% European, with the strongest autosomal match with present day North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.

Although there was no definitive finding on Beethoven’s hearing loss, there was plenty to advance the existing knowledge base and establish leads for future research. The study demonstrates how much can be learned from a few strands of centuries old hair through new genetic analysis tools.

References

Begg TJA, Schmidt A, Kocher A, et al. Genomic analyses of hair from Ludwig van Beethoven. Curr Biol. 2023 Apr 24;33(8):1431-1447.e22. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.041. Epub 2023 Mar 22. PMID: 36958333.

Clark P. ‘Beethoven was black’: why the radical idea still has power today. The Guardian. 7 Sep 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/sep/07/beethoven-was-black-why-the-radical-idea-still-has-power-today

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Celebrated in May, Older Americans Month is dedicated to honoring the many contributions, wisdom, and experiences of the older adult population in the United States. We observe to raise awareness about the issues and challenges faced by older Americans while highlighting their achievements and the valuable roles they play in our society.

The month of May serves as a platform to address the challenges currently faced by older Americans and advocate for their rights and well-being. It highlights important issues such as healthcare access, financial security, and social isolation. By highlighting these concerns, we are all encouraged to take action and support initiatives that improve the lives of older adults, ensuring they receive the respect, care, and support they deserve.

It also is beneficial to remember the importance of this month particularly from a health perspective, as it draws attention to the healthcare needs and challenges faced by older adults. With advancing age, individuals may experience a variety of health conditions and physical limitations that require specialized care and support. This observance serves as a reminder to prioritize the health and well-being of older Americans, ensuring they have access to quality healthcare services, preventive screenings, and resources that promote healthy aging.

What better time to honor the wisdom, strength, and resilience of older Americans and to advocate for their rights and dignity? By recognizing and supporting older adults, we can foster a society that values and benefits from the wealth of knowledge and experience that comes with age.

Additional reading can be found at Himmelfarb: 
Guccione's Geriatric Physical Therapy
Ham's Primary Care Geriatrics : A case-based approach
Geriatrics review syllabus (GRS11)
GNRS : geriatric nursing review syllabus: a core curriculum in advance practice geriatric nursing
Geriatric Mental Health Care: Lessons From a Pandemic
Current diagnosis & treatment. Geriatrics
Gerontological Nursing: Competencies for Care

If you would like to promote Older Americans Month, there are logos, social media graphics, and posters available!

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Summer is the perfect time to catch on your yearly reading goals! Many local libraries hold summer reading events for adults and often offer prizes to reward participants for achieving their goal. With the warm weather and extra sunlight, summer is a great time to visit a park or the beach and spend some time reading your favorite novels or trying a new selection. Are you unsure of what books to pick up or what genres to explore this summer? The staff at Himmelfarb library offered some titles and authors that may be worth exploring! 

Systems Librarian JoLinda Thompson recommends Abraham Verghese’s latest novel The Covenant of Water. “I loved Cutting for Stone so I am anxious to read this one!” When asked if there were any genres she associates with summer, she said “I like reading a series or big, epic novels like the new Verghese book.” Himmelfarb Library recently acquired a copy of The Covenant of Water and it is now available for checkout! 

Metadata Specialist Brittany Smith also prefers to read series or epics during the summer. She suggests reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, the Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin or The Teixcalaan duology by Arkady Martine. If you want to add an extra layer of enjoyment to your Lord of the Rings reading experience, she suggests watching the movie after finishing the corresponding book in the series. Brittany also enjoys reading romance novels in the summer because they are typically light-hearted and can be read in a few days. 

Randy Plym, our new Evening & Weekend Supervisor, suggests books by David Mitchell. Specifically Ghostwritten or Number9Dream. “All of his books, but those in particular, are books that make me feel like the possibilities of life have opened up, which is a good feeling for summer.” 

Finally, Reference & Instructional Librarian Deborah Wassertzug says that James Hannaham is an author worth reading! She says that Hannaham’s latest novel Didn’t Nobody Give A – What Happened to Carlotta  “contributed to my understanding of the experience of transgender people and incarcerated/formerly incarcerated people.” 

Other recommendations from our staff members include The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Finding Me by Viola Davis, The Shack by William. Paul Young, Spoiled Brats by Simon Rich, The Hike by Drew Magary, and Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell! If any of these selections sound interesting to you or if you’d like to share your recommendations, please let us know in the comments! Or tag us on Facebook or Instagram and tell us what books you plan to read this summer!

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Image of scrabble tiles that spell out "Mental Health" and a leaf on the upper right side.
Photo by Total Shape on Unsplash

Mental health is an essential part of overall physical health and well-being. Yet, the stigma surrounding mental health prevents many people from seeking help when they experience mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs support, there are resources available to help.

Suicide Prevention Resources:

  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: The Lifeline provides 24/7 access to free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources, and best practices information for health and mental health professionals.
  • Student Health Center (SHC): If you are thinking about suicide, call 202-994-5300 (option 2). Counselors are available 24 hours a day. If you think someone you know is in danger of suicide, call GW Emergency Services at 202-994-6111, call 911, or seek help at the nearest Emergency Room.
  • National Suicide Prevention Resources:
  • District of Columbia Suicide Helpline:

Resources for Students:

  • Anxiety Toolbox: This virtual workshop consists of three, one-hour sessions for students who want to gain an understanding of anxiety and learn skills to recognize and manage anxiety symptoms. 
  • AcademicLiveCare: AcademicLiveCare offers unlimited, no-cost virtual telehealth appointments for full-time GW students. Available visit options include on-demand urgent care, and scheduled appointments for psychiatry, therapy, and nutrition counseling.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): Part of the Colonial Health Center, CAPS is GW’s center for mental health treatment. Telehealth and in-person counseling appointments are available. 
  • SilverCloud: All GW students have free access to SilverCloud’s Digital Mental Wellbeing Platform, which is fully confidential and available 24/7. Programs address a wide range of mental health challenges including stress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
  • GW Listens: This student-run anonymous hotline (202-902-8255) is a place where students can talk to peers about struggles. Hotline hours are from Sunday through Thursday, from 9:00pm to 1:00am.

Resources for Medical Residents and Fellows:

Resources for GW Employees:

Himmelfarb Library Mental Health Resources:

Himmelfarb’s Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb Collection includes a number of mental health-focused titles including:

Taking care of your mental health is an essential part of physical health. Make your mental health a priority and take advantage of the resources available to you. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Everyone faces their own mental health struggles, and there is no shame in asking for help and relying on available resources when needed.

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Photo Credit: Jason Henry via Heinz Awards

Dr. Abraham Verghese is a physician, best-selling author and professor of medicine at Stanford University of Medicine. Verghese is known for work with bedside medicine and the benefits of providing patients with physical examinations. In a 2011 TEDTalk, Verghese said “Too often these days, rounds look very much like this, where the discussion is taking place in a room far away from the patient. The discussion is all about images on the computer, data. The one critical piece missing is that of the patient.” (Verghese, 2011) Verghese is also known for his creative writing career and has published two nonfiction books and two fiction novels. He believes physicians should read more than scholarly or nonfiction texts, saying “I preach to my medical students that to fully imagine their patients’ lives they must read fiction, because fiction is the great lie that tells the truth (to paraphrase Camus).” (Clarke, 2023)

Dr. Abraham Verghese was born in 1955 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to two Indian parents. His parents worked as educators in Ethiopia and he first began his medical education in the country. In an article from the New York Times, Verghese credits W. Somerset Maugham’s book Of Human Bondage as influencing his decision to become a physician: 

“Somehow, when I read those words as an underachieving student in high school, it suggested to me that anyone with a curiosity and empathy for their fellow human beings and a willingness to work hard could be a good physician and be rewarded by work that has great meaning.” (Clarke, 2023)

Unfortunately, political unrest interrupted Verghese’ medical education. In the 1970s, the Ethiopian emperor and government were overthrown and a civil war broke out across the country. Verghese, along with his parents and siblings, left Ethiopia for the United States. While living in the U.S. Verghese worked as an orderly. He continued to pursue a career in medicine. He attended Madras Medical College in India and graduated in 1980. He pursued a residency program in Johnson City, Tennessee. In 1983, after completing his residency, he was selected for a fellowship at Boston College School of Medicine. During his time in Boston, he witnessed the HIV outbreak that hit urban areas such as Boston and other major cities. Verghese returned to Johnson City, Tennessee and once again was face to face with the impacts of HIV/AIDS, this time in a rural setting. 

When reflecting on that time, Verghese said “I first toyed with the idea of writing because I was so affected by what I witnessed as an infectious diseases specialist during the early years of the AIDS epidemic, taking care of dying men (mostly) who were my age.” (Clarke, 2023) He later wrote about his experiences in his first book My Own Country: A Doctor’s Story of A Town and Its People in the Age of AIDS.

Verghese took a break from practicing medicine and attended the Iowa Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa. He earned his Masters of Fine Arts in 1991. He served as a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. Then in 2007, Verghese moved from Texas to California to work as a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, a position he still holds. 

Dr. Verghese also maintains a successful writing practice and career. Besides his first book, My Own Country, Verghese has also published The Tennis Partner: A Story of Friendship and Loss, Cutting for Stone and most recently The Covenant of Water which is an Oprah Book Club selection. The Covenant of Water has received high praise from reviewers. An NPR review stated “Ever the skillful surgeon, Verghese threads meaningful connections between macrocosmic and microcosmic details so elegantly that they are often barely noticeable at first.” (Bhatt, 2023) The reviewer also noted that “Whether describing the spice craze sweeping across Europe, Kerala’s breathtaking coastal views, the overpowering Madras evening breeze, or the lively Anglo-Indian enclaves, Verghese tends to be lyrical. But he writes with such singular detail and restrained precision that it is a pleasure to be swept along and immerse deeper.” (Bhatt, 2023) If you are interested in hearing Dr. Abraham Verghese speak or want to learn more about his latest release, please see this upcoming Politics and Prose event!

If you would like to learn about Dr. Verghese’s experiences as a physician or his clinical research interests, read his recent publications such as “Medicine is Not Gender-Neutral–She is Male,” “Practices to Foster Physician Presence and Connection With Patients in the Clinical Encounter” or watch his 2011 TEDTalk “A Doctor’s Touch.” 

Works Cited:

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Jewish American Heritage Month dates to 2006 when it was first proclaimed by then President George W Bush in reflection of the 350th anniversary of Jews first arriving in America.  A group of 23 Sephardic Jews fled persecution in Dutch Brazil during the Portuguese Inquisition and arrived in New Amsterdam (now New York) in 1654.

Since then the Jewish community has been an important contributor to American culture and prosperity, including many discoveries and advances in medicine. These were achieved despite barriers to becoming health professionals that existed well into the 20th century. Limited quotas for Jewish enrollment were quietly instituted in medical schools and post-graduate training in the 1920’s and there is evidence that the quotas continued until the 1950s. 

The quotas were in response to a wave of immigration by Russian and Eastern European Jews from the 1880s to 1920. Many of these immigrants and their children pursued medical training, due to their high esteem for medicine as a profession and the pathway it provided to a middle class life in America.  The number of Jewish physicians who graduated from medical colleges in 10 major US cities increased from 7 in 1875-1880 to 2,313 in 1931-35. 

Following World War I,  the rise of nativism and anti-Semitism in the United States was reflected in the growth of organizations like the Ku Klux Klan and anti-immigrant groups.  Russian and Eastern European Jews were particularly discriminated against due to prejudice about their culture, countries of origin and suspected revolutionary ideologies, as well as their religion. The institutions that Jewish medical students were entering were largely private, Protestant universities and colleges and there was growing pressure to keep their numbers down, resulting in both official and unacknowledged quotas. 

“In an era in which it was estimated that 32-50% of U.S. medical school applicants were Jews, the medical historian Henry Sigerist wrote that “Jewish students are subject to a tacit, but nevertheless highly effective, quota-system and in most schools the number of Jewish students rarely exceeds 10 per cent. …”

(Halperin, 2019)

The president of Harvard in the 1920s, A. Lawrence Lowell, was a member of the Immigration Restriction League and openly endorsed admission quotas. Columbia and Yale both had explicit quotas starting in 1918 and 1920. At Yale, the admissions committee was to admit no more than 5 Jewish students per medical class.  The University of Michigan began requiring interviews for entry to medical school in the late 1920s and subsequently rejected many Jewish applicants based on their personalities.  Many schools also required disclosure of religion and family background on applications.

“A 1946 review of thirty-nine U.S. medical school application forms showed that all asked the applicant’s religious preference or affiliation, ten asked for the religion of the applicant’s parents, fifteen asked the parents’ race, and eleven inquired if the family name had ever been changed.”

(Halperin, 2001)

As the Second World War ended, attitudes began to change and there was increased sympathy for the Jewish community and Holocaust survivors in the US. Jewish associations worked to enact anti-discriminatory education policies and had the support of President Truman’s Commission on Higher Education. The state of New York and city of Philadelphia both launched investigations into the quota system, exposing it to the public. New York’s Hart Report found that Jews, African-Americans and Italian Roman Catholics were selectively denied admission to the medical schools at Cornell and Columbia. The State University of New York system was founded in the wake of the Hart report, creating new public medical schools in the state.  Several Jewish medical schools were established in the 1950s including Albert Einstein Medical College and Mt Sinai School of Medicine. 

The AMA and AAMC did little to investigate or condemn the quota system. In 1947 when the two organizations published findings of a survey of medical schools, they defended the practice of asking questions about race, religion and family background on applications and opposed anti-discriminatory policies saying they would interfere with school’s freedom to select students “who will most advance the quality of medical education.” 

Despite all of these challenges, the achievements of Jewish physicians and medical researchers in the 20th century are remarkable. We can thank them for the polio and hepatitis b vaccines, the invention of Novocain and streptomycin, pioneering surgical procedures, and important genetic advances.  See this Wikipedia entry for a list of the many Jewish American Nobel laureates in Physiology and Medicine.

References

Halperin E. (2001) The Jewish Problem in U.S. Medical Education, 1920–1955, Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, 56(2), 140–167. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhmas/56.2.140

Halperin E. (2019). Why Did the United States Medical School Admissions Quota for Jews End? The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 358(5), 317–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjms.2019.08.005

Sokoloff L. (1992). The rise and decline of the Jewish quota in medical school admissions. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 68(4), 497–518.

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You make a difference. Nurses Month. American Nurses Association. May 2023.
Photo from https://www.nursingworld.org/ana-enterprise/nurses-month/resources/toolkit/

May is National Nurses Month! Himmelfarb Library is proud to serve GW Nursing, which was recently ranked the 19th top Master of Science in Nursing Program in the country by U.S. News & World Report! To celebrate, this post will highlight some of the nursing resources available at Himmelfarb!

When it comes to nursing databases, CINAHL Complete is one of our most highly used nursing resources! CINAHL Complete includes nursing journals and publications from the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses Association. With full-text access to 600 titles, topic coverage includes nursing, biomedicine, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health, and 17 allied health disciplines. 

ClinicalKey for Nursing is another top nursing database available at Himmelfarb. This full-text database includes evidence-based nursing monographs, clinical trial modules, books, journals, practice guidelines, as well as core measures with nursing recommendations. Drug information, patient education materials, multimedia resources, nursing scales, lab references, and measurement considerations are included in this key nursing resource.

TelemedInsights was developed by the GW School of Nursing and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. TelemedInsights provides telehealth modules that support interactive self-paced learning that supports high-quality, culturally competent patient care through telehealth technology. To access this resource, click the login button. No login or password is required. However, to access this resource from off-campus, you must use the GW VPN.

Himmelfarb has more than 200 nursing journals available! Our five most highly used titles are:

  1. International Journal of Nursing Studies (IJNS): With nearly 2,800 article views and downloads by GW users during 2021, this title is our most highly-used nursing journal! IJNS publishes original research related to a wide range of nursing topics including healthcare delivery, organization, management, policy, and research methods. 
  2. Journal of Professional Nursing: As the official journal of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, this journal publishes articles focusing on nursing education, educational research, educational policy, and education and practice partnerships. 
  3. Nursing Outlook: This bimonthly journal publishes articles that examine current issues and trends in nursing practice, education, and research.
  4. AORN Journal: This journal is focused on perioperative nursing standards of practice and the nurse’s role in patient care before, during, and after operative and other invasive and interventional procedures in ambulatory and inpatient settings. 
  5. Journal of Advanced Nursing (JAN): This journal publishes articles that further the advancement of evidence-based nursing, midwifery, and healthcare and covers a wide range of nursing-related topics including cancer nursing, community nursing, geriatric nursing, home care, mental health nursing, nursing research, and much more!

Rounding out our top ten most highly used nursing journals are the Journal of Nursing Administration, the American Journal of Nursing, the Journal of Clinical Nursing, the Journal of Nursing Management, and the Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

We also have some great e-books available! Some notable titles include: 

To learn more about Himmelfarb’s nursing resources, visit our Nursing Guide. This guide provides information about nursing textbooks, NCLEX resources, and tips on searching the literature. This in-depth guide includes information for BSN, MSN, Nurse Practitioners, DNP, and Ph.D. nursing students! Our Nurse Practitioners Guide is another resource that includes information on physical examination, diagnosis, drug information, links to professional organizations, and evidence-based medicine. 

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Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? Mental health is a key player in overall health, and can impact how we handle stress and influence the healthy (or unhealthy) choices we make every day. The field of medicine is critical to ensure wellness; it's also our responsibility as individuals to prioritize our mental health. Even daily stressors can hinder our physical health. 

Every year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) leads the Mental Health Awareness Month campaign, which aims to increase public understanding of mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. Through this campaign, #morethanenough, NAMI encourages individuals to share their stories, raise awareness in their communities, and advocate for better access to mental health resources and services.

Anxiety, depression, or trauma can greatly affect one’s ability to live a productive life. Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate and inform the public about the importance of mental health and the impact of mental illness on individuals, families, and society as a whole. As the country is facing a shortage of practicing psychiatrists, sharing our knowledge, and supporting those we love has become a topic that is needed, but not often addressed. 

Remember that it's okay not to be okay, and it's okay to ask for help. You deserve to receive the support and care you need to prioritize your mental health and well-being Don’t forget: you are #morethanenough. 

Mental Health Support:

Mental Health resources at Himmelfarb: 

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Published on 2 Comments on Interview with Himmelfarb Library’s Cherry Blossom Photo Contest Winner: Jeffrey Kai

This spring, Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb sponsored its first Cherry Blossom Photo Contest, held in conjunction with the 2023 Annual Art Show. The photo contest is intended to celebrate the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin, and entries highlighted the talents of our entire community – students, faculty, and staff. 

While it was difficult to select a winner, Jeffrey Kai (Accelerated BSN candidate, School of Nursing) impressed the judges with his photograph’s composition and colors. We asked Jeffrey to tell us a little bit about himself and how he got that winning shot. Shoutout to #GWNursing, and to all nurses in honor of National Nurses Week (May 6-12, 2023).

Photo by Jeffrey Kai. A blooming cherry blossom tree with Jefferson Memorial in the background, at sunrise.
Can you share your journey to GW Nursing?

I was serving in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman when one of my fellow Sailors applied and got accepted to GW Nursing. At that point, I wanted to enhance my skills and knowledge in patient care as well, so I also applied and thankfully I got accepted, too! It took me about 5 years to prepare to get here, taking 1-2 prerequisite classes each semester while still serving in the military full-time. There were times when I was doing my class work online aboard a ship, or in the middle of the Arizona desert while doing military training. [Once I graduate,] I would like to give back by serving as a nurse to military service members, their families, and the veteran community.

How long have you been taking photographs, and what are your favorite subjects?

I have been taking photographs since high school, but I started putting more thought into it when I joined the Navy and traveled the world. I want to capture the beauty and essence of each of the places I've been to and share its magic with the rest of my friends and family near and far through social media. It's as if they were traveling with me, too. I grew up on the island of Saipan, which is part of the Northern Mariana Islands -- a U.S. territory. Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would be able to see all the world's amazing views! My favorite subjects are landmarks and vistas, like the National Mall and the National Parks, [such as] Zion, Sequoia, and Shenandoah.

How did you hear about the Cherry Blossom Photo Contest?

I frequently go to the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library website for nursing school resources, specifically the Lexicomp database. [On the homepage] I saw an announcement for the Cherry Blossom Photo Contest. Since I had already planned to check out the cherry blossoms once they reached peak bloom this year, I decided to get to sleep early the night before and drive to the National Mall at 5 a.m. I started walking around the Tidal Basin at 6 a.m., not only to walk around with fewer crowds, but also to capture what photographers call the "golden hour," which is a period of beautiful, soft natural light that makes subjects not overexposed or underexposed, and usually comes with a beautiful golden hue. I took pictures of the cherry blossoms with the Jefferson Memorial in the background, and voilà, the rest is history!

What is something that people on the Foggy Bottom campus should know about the Ashburn campus?

I am very honored to be representing the Ashburn campus with this recognition and I would say that my fellow Nursing students here at VSTC are some of the most resourceful, resilient, and dedicated people I have ever met in my professional career. We always find ways to help each other and the community around us. We also like to be involved and be part of the bigger GW community at every opportunity.
Jeffrey Kai, photo contest winner, with his prize GW cherry blossom mug.
Jeffrey Kai, 2023 Cherry Blossom Photo Contest Winner, at Himmelfarb Library to receive his prize.
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