Portraits

Overview Dr. Abraham Ornsteen’s medical notes and medical school pictures comprise the Abraham Ornsteen Papers collection. A Philadelphia neurologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Abraham Ornsteen (September 30, 1894-April 28, 1978) gained notoriety for his clinical instruction which included some of the earliest medical instruction videos. This collection includes Dr. Ornsteen’s neurological notes, as well as class and professional portraits. This collection was discovered during...

Overview The Benjamin Rush Letter and Portrait collection, dated 1809, is a small collection that contains correspondence and portraits.

Benjamin Rush was born in Byberry Township, PA on January 4, 1746. He was an American physician, politician and educator who is best known for his activities during the American Revolution and for signing the Declaration of Independence. He helped found the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and founded Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, PA.

Overview Samuel X Radbill (1901-1987) began his medical career as a general practitioner in 1926 and became a pediatrician in 1938, when he was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Radbill was perhaps better known as a medical historian, and collector of bookplates and old and rare medical texts than as a pediatrician. He believed that the study of medicine’s past was useful to its practice, and he encouraged many of his professional colleagues to examine the history of their specialties. The...

Overview Medical illustrations, portraits, and other original artwork by Hermann Faber, and his two sons, Ludwig E. and Erwin F., of Philadelphia, for George A. Piersol's 1907 edition of Human Anatomy and other publications. Approximately 300 items in 6 boxes. A full inventory of the items is available in the Library's card catalog.

Scope and Contents Before-and-after photographs of six female patients of W. S. Playfair who had undergone rest-cure treatment for hysteria and neurasthenia. Treatment included seclusion and rest, massage, electricity, and regimented diet. According to donor, S. Weir Mitchell, Playfair exhibited either the cases or, more probably, the photographs to British Medical Association. Playfair did describe four cases of this type to the Medical Section of British Medical Association, Worcester, England, 9 Aug. 1882....