On the bookshelf: Dr. Mütter’s Marvels by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz
Published on in Vaccine Update for Healthcare Providers
Published on in Vaccine Update for Healthcare Providers
If you have visited Philadelphia, but you’ve never been to the Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, you have missed an opportunity. The Mütter Museum, located at 19 South 22nd Street, is a museum filled with medical history. Boasting a collection of more than 25,000 items, the museum seeks to educate about the human body and the history of the diagnosis and treatment of disease. As it relates to vaccines, the College has sponsored the online educational resource, History of Vaccines website, since its inception.
The museum is named after Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter, a physician who taught at the Thomas Jefferson Medical College in the mid-1800s. As chairperson for the principles of surgery, Mütter collected a series of specimens to use while teaching his students about surgical intervention. When Dr. Mütter realized he was dying, he determined to have his collection preserved for learning by future generations of medical students. He came to an agreement with the College of Physicians who used the1,700 object donation as the start of today’s collection.
The book, Dr. Mütter’s Marvels by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, explores the life and career of Dr. Mütter. For those who enjoy reading about the history of medicine, this book offers accessible writing and a wonderful look at medical education in Philadelphia in the 1800s.
Dr. Mütter trained students who went on to great medical and scientific accomplishments including:
Additionally, several students assumed important roles in the Civil War, and many more became local physicians in areas throughout the country. Indeed, Dr. Mütter’s ideas and teaching transpired into a legacy worthy of the time spent with Aptowicz’s well-researched and written history.
Contributed by: Charlotte A. Moser, MS
Categories: On the Bookshelf, Vaccine Update January 2018
Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.
You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.