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Photo credit: Opioid Industry Documents Archive

The Opioid Industry Documents archive is an online archival database that collects and manages documents related to the opioid epidemic so researchers, physicians, community stakeholders and the general public can track the origins of the epidemic in the hopes of creating sustainable solutions to one day end abusive opioid use. The archive is a collaborative endeavor between the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and John Hopkins University and is hosted by the UCSF Library. The mission of the archive is “To collect, organize, preserve, and make freely accessible documents from opioid industry litigation to enable multiple audiences to explore and investigate information which shines a light on the opioid crisis.” [Opioid Industry Documents, n.d.]

The archive began in March 2021 and contains over a million documents that “have been publicly released through state and federal investigations, settlement agreements, and other proceedings…” [Opioid Industry Documents, n.d.] The documents provide insight into the business practices and internal memos of pharmaceutical companies that exploited the potency of their opioid medications. The document types include, “emails, memos, presentations, sales reports, budgets, audit reports, Drug Enforcement Administration briefings…” and much more. [Opioid Industry Documents, n.d.]

Since the archive houses a wide range of documents, searching for a specific document or piece of information may seem daunting. The archive has a helpful ‘How to Search the OIDA’ PDF that provides examples and tips on how to best use their search feature. You can narrow search results by author, title, type of prescription drug, date and other search terms. The archive also has specific collections such as their ‘Popular Opioids documents’, ‘Kentucky Opioid Litigation Documents’ and the ‘Washington Post Opioid’ collections. 

Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA via Pexels.com

Recently the Opioid Industry Documents archive received approximately 1.4 million documents as part of the settlement agreement by the pharmaceutical company Mallinckrodt, which was a leader in manufacturing the opioid epidemic:  

“While most Americans may have never heard of Mallinckrodt, the Drug Enforcement Administration called the company in 2010 “the kingpin within the drug cartel” of legitimate companies driving the opioid epidemic. Between 2006 and 2014, Mallinckrodt accounted for 27 percent of the opioid market compared with 18 percent of Purdue Pharma, measured by the potency of the pills they produced, according to an analysis by The Post.”

[Kornfield, Higham & Rich, 2022]

The ‘Mallinckrodt Litigation Documents’ reveal the company’s outreach and promotional strategies, the names of medical professionals who purchased large quantities of the company’s drug supply, efforts to convince the health-care industry of the safety of their products and video depositions of the company’s top executives. The Washington Post reported that some of the key findings of the files include “Company managers pressured sales representatives to find doctors who would write large numbers of prescriptions and then targeted them for continued business…Mallinckrodt paid top prescribers thousands of dollars to extol the virtues of the company’s drugs to fellow doctors at “speaker programs” held at fine restaurants and resorts…[and] Mallinckrodt played a key role in an industry-wide effort to convince the health-care industry that addiction was rare among opioid users and marketed its drugs to specific segments of society…” [Kornfield, Higham & Rich, 2022] These findings are similar to other pharmaceutical companies’ tactics that purposefully mislead the health care community and the general public about the addictiveness of their products. 

The Opioid Industry Documents archive is free to access. If you are a researcher studying the opioid epidemic, someone impacted by the crisis or have a general interest in learning more about the origins of the crisis, then explore the archival database. If you need assistance conducting archival searches, the staff at Himmelfarb Library are here to assist you! Please contact the Reference department at (202) 994-2850 or by email at himmelfarb@gwu.edu. 

Works Cited:

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[Photo Credit: Women of Color in Tech]

Himmelfarb Library’s Scholarly Communications Committee is pleased to announce five new short lectures have been added to our video library! This round of videos cover topics such as finding article publishing charges (APC) costs, changing citation styles in PubMed, contextualizing preprints and more. 

Locating Article Publishing Charges (APCs)- In this video, you’ll learn about Article Publishings Charges (APCs), how to find them on a publisher’s website and at the end of the tutorial, receive some tips that will help you handle APCs. 

Changing Citation Styles in PubMed- Would you like to learn how to switch from AMA to APA or MLA? This video will focus on changing citation styles when generating citations in PubMed.

Locating Manuscript Guidelines- Learn how to locate manuscript preparation guidelines and author resources for scholarly journals. This tutorial will guide you through three different journal websites to show you where manuscript guidelines are typically located. 


Finding Journals with JCR- In this tutorial, you’ll learn about the Journal Citations Report database and how it can help you discover scholarly journals where you can submit your research for publication.

APA Citations for Legal Resources-  Are you familiar with the Bluebook legal citation style? Do you want to cite case law, but are unsure of the proper citation format?This video will provide a basic introduction to this citation style used by the APA which is useful when citing legal resources.

These videos and the committee’s other videos from previous lectures are located under the ‘Scholarly Communications Video Tutorials’ tab on the Scholarly Publishing guide. The guide also includes resources to help scholars find a journal that will publish their research, tips on how to spot and avoid predatory publishers, ways to increase the visibility of your published research and more!

 The Committee is working on another set of videos that will be released during the fall semester 2022. The committee members are eager for feedback and/or suggestions for video topics. We would love to hear from you! If you have a scholarly publishing topic that you’d like the committee to discuss, please contact the committee chair, Sara Hoover, at shoover@gwu.edu.

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Photo by Markus Spiske

In the United States, June is designated as Pride Month where LGBTQIA+ individuals, families, organizations and their allies commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots, recognize the struggle for marriage equality, bring awareness to discriminatory legislation and celebrate the range of gender identities and sexualities. Washington D.C. hosts a large Pride parade and festival every year and this year’s event, which occurred June 11th and 12th, was projected to have over half a million people in attendance. If you missed the parade and festival, there are still organizations, resources and events, including another local Pride festival, that will allow you to connect with members of D.C.’s LGBTQIA+ community. 

  • 2022 Arlington Pride Festival- June 25, 2022 marks the first year that Arlington, Virginia will host its own Pride celebration. The event will be held at Gateway Park in the Rosslyn neighborhood, which is metro-accessible. The festival starts at noon and will end at 7 pm. There will be performances, vendors, food and other entertainment and it is free to attend. Make the trip across the Potomac on the 25th and come celebrate this year’s Pride month! 
  • The DC Center- Located on 14th Street NW, the DC Center for the LGBT Community is a local community center who “educates, empowers, celebrates, and connects the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.” The DC Center hosts many social and community events including Reel Affirmations, an international LGBTQ film festival, and OutWrite, a literary festival. On June 23rd-26th, the DC Center will have the DC Pride Film Festival 2022. In-person film screenings will take place on the 23rd at 7pm and 9pm at the E Street Cinema and virtual screenings will begin on the 24th. The DC Center hosts other community building events and social and peer support groups to help people connect. Be sure to check out their website to learn more about their work! 
  • The Library of Congress- The Library of Congress has several resources to help you learn more about Pride celebrations and the LGBTQIA+ community. Their ‘History of Pride’ is an interactive webpage that goes into detail about the Stonewall Riots and how that historical event eventually became Pride Month. They also have several online resources and archives including the ‘LGBTQIA+ Studies: A Resource Guide’ and the ‘LGBTQ+ Studies Web Archive’ which “collects and preserves online content which documents LGBTQ+ history, scholarship, and culture in the United States and around the world.” If you’re interested in accessing primary and/or secondary sources related to the LGBTQIA+ community, be sure to explore the Library of Congress’ collections. 
  • Himmelfarb Library- Himmelfarb Library has an assortment of books, journals, articles, blog posts and other resources that focus on LGBTQ+ healthcare. Last year, we published several blog posts for Pride month including a profile of Dr. Rachel Levine, the first openly trans woman to be confirmed to a federal position by Congress, a 2021 Pride resources list that featured titles in our collection, such as the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health and Transgender Mental Health,  and most recently we published a post on trans healthcare and how transphobic bias severely impacts trans patients. The staff at Himmelfarb Library are committed to providing resources that not only meet the needs of our patrons, but also encourage them to think critically about social and cultural issues that have an impact on healthcare. 

Washington D.C. and the surrounding Northern Virginia and Maryland area is home to a thriving LGBTQ+ community and there are other organizations that provide support for people. This list curated by Arlington County has additional organizations that were not featured in this blog post. And if you have an organization that you’d like to highlight, please leave their information in the comments section. May you all have a safe and joyous Pride! 

Three Black and disabled folx smile and hold mini flags. On the left, a non-binary person holds both a rainbow pride flag and a transgender pride flag, while a cane rests behind her. In the middle, a non-binary person waves the rainbow flag while in their power wheelchair. On the right, a femme waves both a rainbow and transgender pride flag. (via Disabled and Here image collection)

Photo Credit: Chona Kasinger. Part of the Disabled and Here image collection.

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(Photo Credit: Photo by Darya Sannikova)

Saturday, May 21, 2022 is recognized as World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. This awareness day was first established by the United Nations in 2002 and is a day that recognizes the importance of cultural diversity as a way to overcome long-standing divisions, cultivate global peace and sustainable economic growth. 

“Three-quarters of the world’s major conflicts have a cultural dimension. Bridging the gap between culture is urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development. Cultural diversity is a driving force of development, not only with respect to economic growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life.” (United Nations, n.d.)

 If you’d like to honor World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, here are some resources, organizations and events that can assist you:

  • Passport DC- Organized by Cultural Tourism DC, Passport DC occurs in May and is a month-long event filled with concerts, festivals, panel discussions and much more that highlights the rich culture of different countries and ethic groups. The Around the World Embassy Tour is likely Passport DC’s most well-known event, where many embassies open their doors to the general public and showcase their country’s cuisine, art, music or other cultural staple. 2022’s Around the World Embassy Tour occurred earlier this month, but Passport DC has a plethora of upcoming events including ‘Matcha Teabowls special exhibition at TOKIYA’, ‘The Washington Jewish Film and Music Festival’, ‘Argentine Festival’, and ‘Taiwan Night Concert 2022’. Visit Passport DC’s website to learn more. 
  • GW’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement- GW’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement offers events, educational resources and much more in an effort to establish an inclusive atmosphere and encourage productive dialogue about diversity, equity and inclusion on campus. Currently, they are disseminating a Spring 2022 Climate Survey to “gather information about the current university climate related to diversity, equity, and inclusion for students, faculty, and staff.” (Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement, n.d.) May 20th is the last day to submit the survey. The office also offers resources on allyship, decolonization, gender and sexuality and so much more. 
  • Himmelfarb’s Cultural Competency Guide- This guide provides educational materials to help researchers and students navigate cultural awareness in the medical and health sciences field. The guide has several tabs for specific resources such as books, articles, clinical resources and more. This is a living guide with new resources added as they are made available. If you have questions or would like to offer additional resources, please contact Stacy Brody at sbrody98@gwu.edu. 

By interacting with different cultures we not only better understand ourselves, but we also connect with others on a deeper and meaningful level. World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is the perfect opportunity to engage with a worldview that’s outside of your own! 

Reference:

United Nations. (n.d.). World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, 21 May. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/cultural-diversity-day

Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement. (n.d.). Retrieved May 19, 2022 from https://diversity.gwu.edu/

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[Photo Credit: George Washington University]

This weekend marks GWU’s 2022 Commencement! From Thursday through Sunday, the campus will be filled with graduates dressed in their regalia, family and friends snapping pictures, and students, staff and faculty members applauding the accomplishments and hard work of their peers. 

The staff at Himmelfarb Library would like to take this opportunity to recognize all of the graduates in the School of Nursing, Milken Institute School of Public Health and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with you both in and out of the classroom, addressing your information needs and helping you navigate your academic and research interests. We know you will continue to achieve your goals as you transition into your career or continue to navigate academia and scholarly publishing.  Once the dust settles on graduation, be sure to check out GW’s E-Resources for Alumni!

Here are some resources and brief reminders for Sunday’s Commencement ceremony. The event will begin at 10:30 am on the National Mall. Graduates should arrive by 8:30 am and line up with their school. Please wear your graduation regalia and bring your Commencement credential with you. GWU’s Commencement Details page provides more information such as the ceremony’s COVID-19 safety measures, a graduate checklist, a list of prohibited items and a detailed schedule. If you’re posting pictures from the ceremony on your social media accounts, be sure to tag us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook so we can celebrate with you!  

Congratulations Class of 2022! Though we’ll miss seeing you on campus and in Himmelfarb, we know you will continue to make us proud and we are eager to see what accomplishments and accolades await you in the future! 

[Photo credit: Photo by Raven Domingo]

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In an effort to remain accountable to communities who have been negatively impacted by past and present medical injustices, the staff at Himmelfarb Library is committed to the work of maintaining an anti-discriminatory practice. We will uplift and highlight diverse stories throughout the year and not shy away from difficult conversations necessary for health sciences education. To help fulfill this mission, today’s blog post will highlight data disaggregation and how it can address health disparities within the Asian-American, Native Hawaiin and Pacific Islander communities. 

As health researchers and medical professionals, data collection and management is necessary for discovering emerging health trends and understanding how behavioral changes can impact a patient's quality of life. But the way data is collected and interpreted can generate misleading information for certain communities. 

When filling out surveys or federal documents, for example new patient intake forms, job applications, or the U.S. Census survey, there’s a section that asks for race and ethnicity. There are typically a minimum of five selections for race : American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islands, and White. These categories are the minimum requirement as established by the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) 1997 ‘Revisions to the Standards for Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity.’ According to the standards, “Data were needed to monitor equal access in housing, education, employment, and other areas, for populations that historically had experienced discrimination and differential treatment because of their race or ethnicity. The standards are used not only in the decennial census…but also in household surveys, on administrative forms (e.g., school registration and mortgage lending applications), and in medical and other research.” (Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 1997, p. 58782) Within health sciences research, these racial categories allow researchers to understand health concerns within specific communities and can lead to preventative health measures that are tailored to a community’s concerns. But many researchers are pushing for data disaggregation which can highlight disparities that are otherwise overlooked when using broad racial categories such as ‘Asian’ or ‘Pacific Islander.’ 

“Asia consists of over forty countries, and the Pacific Islands are grouped by three subregions of Oceania (including Native Hawaiians); both have a diaspora spread across the globe. Due to differences in social, economic, and environmental factors, it is erroneous to assume that health disparities for this population do not exist.” (Bhakta, 2022, p. 133)

Photo by Kate Hliznitsova on Unsplash

Adia et. al examined the results of a California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) conducted from 2011-2017 and found that while the aggregated data suggested Asian Americans in the state appeared healthier than non-Hispanic Whites, when the data was broken into specific subgroups that fall under the Asian category many health disparities, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or asthma, were uncovered. For example, when examining the rates of high blood pressure among survey responders, 31.0% of Non-Hispanic White respondents reported having high blood pressure compared to 22.9% of All Asian respondents. But when examining specific subgroups, the researchers found that 32.3% of Filipino and Japanese respondents reported having high blood pressure. (Adia et al., 2020) “Overall, these findings support further data disaggregation in other large-scale research efforts to support interventions tailored specifically to Asian subpopulations in need…Disaggregation showed that each Asian subgroup faced disparities in health condition, outcomes, and service access that would have been masked.” (Adia et al., 2020, p. 525) When health data is disaggregated, researchers may be alert to concerning medical trends in specific communities and can work with local community partners to implement preventative screenings or devise treatment plans that allow patients to receive the best care possible. Adia et al. also noted that their findings are not applicable to Asian and Pacific Islander populations in other parts of the United States as the makeup of these populations will differ from state to state, which further highlights the need to conduct research in other communities across the country. 

In order to gather accurate data and combat health inequities within the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, researchers will need to partner with local community members and find solutions that prevent people from accessing proper care. In a 2020 article for Cronkite News, Laura Makaroff, Senior Vice President for Prevention and Early Detection at the American Cancer Society, said,  “To make a big difference and seriously impact and reduce health inequities in Asian American populations…we need to address language access, be culturally competent, really support and engage partnerships and collaborations, include communities and people in all of research, and really be responsive and accountable to all of the different Asian American communities we serve…We need to begin and end with the community.”(Gu, 2020) Like other communities of color in the country, some sections of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities do not fully trust the medical community. To bridge that divide, researchers will need to partner with local leaders and trusted institutions, such as religious centers, community centers, public libraries or cultural organizations, who are embedded in these communities and have a deep understanding of community members’ concerns. There are numerous ways to conduct medical research that is accessible and the local leaders and institutions can provide valuable insight to researchers. 

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

To learn more about data disaggregation as it relates to the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, please read any of the works cited in this article or listed in the reference section below. The importance of data disaggregation is an ongoing conversation and we hope this article will encourage you to think critically about this topic and share your ideas and solutions with your colleagues. 

References

Gu, Y. (2020, September 8). ‘A lot of differences’: Experts address health disparities among Asian American subgroups. Cronkite News|Arizona PBS. https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2020/09/28/experts-address-health-disparities-among-asian-americans/

Yeung, D. & Dong, L. (2021, December 13). The health of Asian Americans depends on not grouping communities under the catch-all term. NBC News|Think. https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/health-asian-americans-depends-not-grouping-communities-under-catch-all-ncna1285849

 Yi, S.S. (2020). Taking Action to Improve Asian American Health. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 110(4), 435–437. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305596

 Le, Cha, L., Han, H.-R., & Tseng, W. (2020). Anti-Asian Xenophobia and Asian American COVID-19 Disparities. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 110(9), 1371–1373. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305846

Adia, Nazareno, J., Operario, D., & Ponce, N. A. (2020). Health Conditions, Outcomes, and Service Access Among Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Adults in California, 2011-2017. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 110(4), 520–526. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305523

Bhakta, S. (2022). Data disaggregation: the case of Asian and Pacific Islander data and the role of health sciences librarians. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 110(1), 133–138. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2022.1372

Panapasa, Jackson, J., Caldwell, C. H., Heeringa, S., McNally, J. W., Williams, D. R., Coral, D., Taumoepeau, L., Young, L., Young, S., & Fa’asisila, S. (2012). Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Evidence-Based Research: Lessons From the Pacific Islander American Health Study. Progress in Community Health Partnerships, 6(1), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.1353/cpr.2012.0013

Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. (1997). Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1997-10-30/pdf/97-28653.pdf

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April 25 is  National DNA Day. It’s a day where researchers, teachers, students and the general public can learn more about the history of genomics and DNA, as well as learn about the advances researchers have made over the years as they seek to understand what DNA can reveal about our shared humanity and our individual traits. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, “National DNA Day is a global movement to mobilize, energize and empower communities, educators and students to innovate, collaborate and discover the promise of our shared humanity and connection to the natural world.” National DNA Day commemorates two significant events in the history of DNA: the completion of the human genome project in 2003 and the discovery of the double helix in 1953. In recent years and with a deeper understanding of DNA, there has been a discrepancy between the general public’s perception of the usefulness of DNA and what this information actually means for humanity. By examining the rise in popularity of at-home ancestry testing kits, the role DNA plays in the legal system, and disease research and DNA, it’s clear that our understanding of the human genome will not provide simple answers to complex questions. Researchers and the public must balance our appreciation of DNA with the reality that this research only deepens ongoing conversations about humanity.

Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in ancestry testing and companies such as 23 and Me or Ancestry.com allow individuals to map their genetic ancestry through a simple DNA test. Ancestry tests can connect long lost family members to one another. For people who do not have access to an extensive well-documented family history, such as many African-Americans, ancestry testing can shed light on people’s countries of origin. These testing kits can also encourage people to learn more about cultures and groups. Many of these tests provide people the opportunity to connect with each other in meaningful ways. But many researchers and critics point out the limitations of ancestry testing. Many testing companies rely on their own databases to compare and create user results. If these databases lack genetic information from certain populations or groups, then the ancestry testing results will not be an accurate representation of people’s family lineage. “Commercial ancestry testing is an unintended spin-off from basic research, but the basic research was designed to answer questions about population migration in a probabilistic manner and not to provide concrete and detailed genealogical information to individuals.” (Wailoo et al., 2013, p. 58) Ancestry testing can also lead people to believe our ethnicity or race can be segmented into neat and clear categories. Many scientists have stated there is no biological or scientific basis for race, yet these ancestry tests unintentionally suggest otherwise as they often use broad racial or ethnic categories that do not capture the true diversity across the world. 

Ancestry testing is a great way for people to connect with relatives they’ve lost contact with or for people to have some idea of where they may originate from. But it’s important these tests do not perfectly capture our family history and the initial results may change as ancestry testing companies expand their internal DNA databases.

One of the most popular ways in which DNA testing is used is in the realm of the legal system. Popularized by shows such as Law and Order or CSI, forensic science and DNA testing are often seen as pivotal aspects of any legal investigation. With the rise in DNA testing, many police investigators have successfully apprehended alleged suspects after a crime has been committed. Criminal cases that were opened for years were able to be closed once the collected DNA was analyzed in a lab. But there have been cases of innocent people being wrongfully accused and jailed when errors in DNA handling or testing caused investigators to chase alternative leads. “The problem, as a growing number of academics see it, is that science is only as reliable as the manner in which we use it—and in the case of DNA, the manner in which we use it is evolving rapidly.” (Shaer, 2009) DNA has a complex role in the legal system. It can provide a sense of certainty when law enforcement officers are investigating a case, but poor handling or lab standards can sometimes lead to wrongful convictions that are difficult to overturn. And there are cases where defense attorneys have relied on DNA analysis to free wrongfully convicted individuals. “Among them [ready to move beyond concerns of DNA use in criminal trials] were Dream Team members Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, who had founded the Innocence Project in 1992. Now convinced that DNA analysis, provided the evidence was collected cleanly, could expose the racism and prejudice endemic to the criminal-justice system, the two attorneys set about applying it to dozens of questionable felony convictions. They have since won 178 exonerations using DNA testing; in the majority of the cases, the wrongfully convicted were black.” (Shaer, 2009)

Advances in DNA and genetic research has allowed individuals to better track hereditary illnesses, thus giving them the opportunity to take early steps to address potential health concerns. Through genetic testing individuals can learn about potential inherited susceptibility to diseases such as certain types of cancers, certain blood disorders or respiratory diseases. In this realm, researchers have cautioned that this form of testing could potentially be misinterpreted by individuals seeking to link certain racial groups to certain inherited diseases. “It is in the area of disease studies that the relationship between race and genetics becomes the most susceptible to misinterpretation and distortion…Work carried out by geneticists Sara Tishkoff and others make it clear that sweeping conclusions about African Americans and disease-associated genetic variables are untenable.” (Wailoo et al., 2013, 59) While genetics can play a significant role in an individual’s susceptibility to a disease, other factors are just as significant and should be carefully studied and addressed. “For most diseases in the United States that differ in incidence by race, racial differences correspond to socio-economic or cultural differences. Most of the differences in incidence of asthma, hypertension, and heart disease by race can be explained by differences in income and environmental risk factors.” (Wailoo et al., 2013, 60) The role that genetics play in determining a person’s susceptibility to a disease is important, but should be considered alongside other variables and it’s important to avoid sweeping generalizations. 

The discovery of DNA and the gene sequencing process allows humanity to better understand our makeup and answer some questions about our origins. In the conversations on who we are, where we come from and where we can go, DNA has an important voice that provides a unique insight into our inner workings. For this National DNA Day the general public should continue to learn about and engage with DNA research, while also remaining aware that DNA research will raise as many questions as it does answers. “Science is technical and difficult to comprehend but that does not absolve scientists of the responsibility to inform the public about their work, explain their methods and their rigor, admit the limitations and areas of controversy and uncertainty, and examine its wider relevance. Conversely, the difficulty of understanding and digesting science does not absolve the general public from acknowledging its importance and its contributions.” (Wailoo et al., 2013, 62) To learn more about National DNA Day or the Human Genome Project, please explore the National Human Genome Research Institute website.

Works Cited:

National Human Genome Research Institute. (n.d.). National DNA Day. Retrieved April 22, 2022. https://www.genome.gov/dna-day

Shaer, M. (2016, June). The False Promise of DNA Testing. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/a-reasonable-doubt/480747/ 

Wailoo, K., Nelson, A., & Lee, C. (Eds.). (2012). Genetics and the Unsettled Past: The Collision of DNA, Race, and History. Rutgers University Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5hj79f

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The Himmelfarb Library staff is excited to celebrate the return of our annual art show and this year there are two ways to participate! The art show will take place in-person on the library’s first floor and online via our institutional repository, the Health Science Research Commons. By choosing to display your artwork in our virtual art show, your paintings, drawings, sculptures or other creative works will be archived in our Himmelfarb Library Annual Art Show 2022 collection! 

Our in-person art show will take place in the library from Monday, April 11th until Friday, May 6th. To celebrate the start of the art show, there will be an opening reception Monday, April 11th from 4-5:30 pm on the library’s first floor. Come out to support your colleagues and view the amazing artwork on display. 

Interested in submitting to the art show? Today, April 8th, is the last day! Bring your artwork (up to five pieces per artist) to the Circulation/Reference desk by 4pm. If you’d like to participate in the virtual art show, please email your files to Catherine Sluder at crharris@gwu.edu. It is possible to participate in both the in-person and virtual show or you can pick one of the shows and participate that way. 

If you have questions, please contact Catherine Sluder. We hope to see you during the reception or over the course of the in-person art show! 

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The academic publishing landscape can be difficult to navigate and Himmelfarb Library’s Scholarly Communications Committee is dedicated to answering general and specific questions that arise during the submission and publication process. The Committee continues to expand its ‘Scholarly Communications Short Video Library’ and there are nearly 20 videos to watch that cover various topics such as how to properly change citation styles, how and why to archive your publications with an institutional repository and how to set up your Google Scholar profile. If you’d like to watch the videos, but are unsure of where to begin here are some suggestions:

Advanced Literature Searches and the PubMed MeSH Search Builder:

In this lecture, you’ll learn about PubMed’s MeSH builder and how you can use it to help you perform advanced literature searches. Paul Levett, a Reference and Instructional Librarian, provides a step by step guide on how MeSH terms can be used to locate specific research articles that can assist you during the advanced literature search process. If you’re in the beginning stages of brainstorming a research topic or question, this tutorial will provide insight into how to conduct your own literature search and discover publications that will help you narrow the scope of your own research. 

Screening: What do Editors Look For?

When you’re ready to submit your research for publication, this tutorial by Reference and Instructional Librarian Stacy Brody will talk in-depth about how journal editors select manuscripts for their respective journals. The submission process may seem mysterious and difficult to understand, but this video will discuss six features editors consider when evaluating manuscripts.  

Retractions, Corrections, & Expressions of Concern:

Are you unsure of the difference between retractions, corrections and expressions of concern? Would you like to ensure you’re using research that is considered a valuable source to cite? In this tutorial, Ruth Bueter,  Serials and Systems Librarian, breaks down the difference between these terms and discusses how and why an article may be retracted or corrected or why there may be concerns with a published article.

These are just a few of the many videos currently available in the Scholarly Communication’s video library. The Scholarly Communications Committee is currently working on a new round of videos to add to the video library and hopes to share their new lectures in late spring or early summer. if you’d like to suggest a topic please fill out this suggestion form!

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Color photograph of castle ruins
Photo Credit: Iain on Pexels

It is nearly impossible to pinpoint the exact start of Irish medical history as many sources, both primary and secondary, have been lost to time. Thankfully with the aid of historical town annals and medical manuscripts stored in either a private collection or at an institution, historians can peer into ancient times and learn more about professional medical practices in Ireland. Like many cultures, the medical traditions in Ireland were uniquely tailored to the lives and societal norms of the time period, often adapting to changes in the social hierarchy. There are books, articles and other scholarly sources that provide analysis and detailed overviews on Irish medical practices and we hope this article will encourage you to learn more. 

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Photo by Julia Volk from Pexels

Medicine & Religion: Pre-Christian Irish medical history is believed to be closely tied to the Druids and druidic practices. Due to a lack of firsthand knowledge about the Druids, their beliefs and practices, historians must separate facts from myths often ending up with inconclusive results. In Irish mythology, the Druid  “Diancecht' was known as the God of Healing and is said to have practiced hypnotism. He is said to have recognized fourteen disorders of the stomach.” (Woods, 1982 p. 35) Physicians and medical figures are woven into early Irish myths and legends, hinting at the importance of their profession during the ancient times when warfare was a common occurrence. “King Cormac who reigned in AD 227 made an order that all future monarchs of Ireland should at all times be accompanied by ten persons, a chief, a judge, a druid, a physician, a poet, a historian, a musician and three servants. This order apparently lasted until the death of Brian Boru in 1014 AD.” (Woods, 1982, p. 36) With the arrival of Christianity and the decline of the Druids, medical responsibilities shifted towards monasteries and Christian priests. 

Newly built Christian churches and monasteries contained separate wards and small hospitals that were dedicated to the care of sick or injured individuals. In these sick wards, the priests and nuns attended to their patients, often relying on prayer or herbal concoctions as remedies. Plagues were a common occurrence. There are documented cases of widespread sickness in 250 AD, 664-665 AD and the end of the sixth century when the bubonic plague reached Ireland. During these times, the Christian church grew in power as many in Ireland found comfort in Christian teachings. “The miracles of Christ, the miraculous power entrusted to his followers and the belief in the resurrection after death, gave hope to the sick and those living amidst a plague, while the Christian ethos of caring gave practical comfort.” (Woods, 1982, p. 37)  While secular physicians existed during these early times, for many years medical authority resided primarily with individuals and organizations tied to a religious background, starting with the ancient Druids before transitioning to the Christian priests once their faith reached Ireland. This union of medicine and religion lasted until the mid-twelfth century when medical authority once again shifted towards a new group of leaders and practitioners.

Hereditary Physician Families: The release of the ‘Papal Edict of 1163’ contributed to the downfall of the Christian church as a main source of medical authority. The edict prevented monks from performing surgery making it difficult for injured or sick people to rely on the church for care. As a result of this papal edict, hereditary physician lines grew in influence. Medical knowledge was usually passed from father to son even during the years when the Christian church was the primary healthcare provider. But from the mid-twelfth century to around the early seventeenth century, these hereditary lines established long-lasting connections with the Irish elites. These physicians were usually treated well and received fair compensation for their work. “The stipend usually consisted of a tract of land and a residence in the neighborhood, held free of all rent and tribute, together with certain allowances and perquisites: and the physician might practice for a fee outside his patron’s household” (Joyce, 1908, p. 267). Physicians were able to travel freely throughout the lands, even when they needed to travel into an unfriendly neighbor’s territory. These physicians typically possessed their own family medical book which contained medical treatises translated from other languages such as Greek or Latin as well as their own personal cures and recipes for common medicines. 

Despite the tremendous influence and respect these physicians earned, the Brehon Laws, Ireland’s main legal system for centuries, offered basic protections for patients if their physician intentionally or unintentionally harmed them during a procedure. Under the Brehon Laws a patient or their family could pursue litigation against a physician for any wrongdoing and in most cases the physician was forced to pay a fine in retribution. While physicians were well-respected members of the communities, these early patient protection legal codes point to the underlying danger of ancient and medieval medical practices. Even without the presence of a national medical board to issue medical licenses, early Irish physicians were held to a high standard and medical malpractice could lead to financial and legal consequences. 

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Collection & Preservation of Medical Manuscripts: Early Irish medical professionals relied on books to expand their understanding of medicine and how to treat the injured or infirmed. There was an active attempt at translating medical texts from other countries into Irish. Some of these medical manuscripts are stored in the Royal Irish Academy and they provide insight into the budding international medical community that existed during early and medieval times. For example, ‘The Book of O’Lees’ “contains a translation from Latin into Irish of a highly organised medical treatise, with 44 tables outlining details of diseases, each divided into 99 compartments, across, aslant, and vertical. These are coloured red and black, and comprise descriptions of different diseases, showing name, prognosis, stage, symptoms, cures, etc., of the disease in question. There are rough decorative drawings at the top left margin of many pages.” (The Book of O’Lees [“Book of Hy-Brasil”]: Medical treatise, 2015, para. 1) 

The Edward Worth Library is another prominent collection that contains many early Irish medical manuscripts and texts. Located in the Dr. Steeven’s Hospital in Dublin, this collection was donated to the hospital at Worth’s request after his death in 1733. “Edward Worth was a physician whose taste in books radiated outwards from his professional concern with medicine…Beside medical books, ancient and modern (ie. 18th century), one finds important contributions to the study of related sciences, then philosophy, the classics, history etc. Worth was particularly interested in the book as object: the collection not only holds fine examples of sixteenth-century typography but is also considered to be the best collection of early modern book bindings in Ireland.” (Edward Worth Library, n.d., para. 2)

The Edward Worth Library and the medical manuscripts in the Royal Irish Academy reveal an ancient medical community dedicated to learning not just from their fellow peers in Ireland, but from physicians and scientists abroad. The medical community did not work in isolation, but actively sought out other sources to improve their own craft and medical knowledge.

Understanding pre-Christian Irish medicine is difficult due to the lack of information about the Druids and their customs. We see that even during ancient times, the Irish had a growing community of physicians who were important figures in the community. These medical communities grew and flourished, often establishing hereditary physician lines that worked for the lords and kings with excellent compensation for their services. Thankfully there are ancient medical treatises and texts that show how Irish physicians actively pursued international sources that were translated into Irish. If you’re interested in learning more about Irish medical history then read some of the sources listed in the ‘References’ section below! 

References:

Cunningham, Cantor, D., & Waddington, K. (2019). Early Modern Ireland and the World of Medicine: Practitioners, Collectors and Contexts. Manchester University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv18b5h6b

 Joyce, P.W. (1908). A Smaller Social History of Ancient Ireland, Treating of the Government, Military System, and Law; Religion, Learning, and Art; Trades, Industries, and Commerce; Manners, Customs, and Domestic Life, of the Ancient Irish People. Longmans, Green, & Co., 1908.

Woods, J.O. (1982). The history of medicine in Ireland. Ulster Medical Journal, 51(1), 35–45.

The Book of O’Lees [“Book of Hy-Brasil”]: Medical treatise. (2015, August 31). Royal Irish Academy. https://www.ria.ie/library/catalogues/special-collections/medieval-and-early-modern-manuscripts/book-olees-book-hy

The Edward Worth Library. (n.d.). Edward Worth Library. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://edwardworthlibrary.ie/

Subtracting insult from injury: The medical judgements of the Brehon Law. (2013, March 7). History Ireland. https://www.historyireland.com/subtracting-insult-from-injury-he-medical-judgements-of-the-brehon-law/#:~:text=The%20Brehon%20Law%20was%20the

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