

■ 





*— **, 









Figure 24. — The origins of drugs from the three natural kingdoms, drug synthesis, and the 

 increase in the manufacture of vitamins. This display was completed in 1962 and is now on 

 display at the Museum of History and Technology. (Smithsonian photo P6316.) 



drugs, such as tablet and capsule machines and drug 

 mills and percolators. Recently, with the assistance 

 of Professor Glenn Sonnedecker, the Division acquired 

 a fine collection of pharmaceutical equipment and 

 devices from the School of Pharmacy of the University 

 of Wisconsin. 



Since the Division houses the largest collection of 

 null, n<i medka in the country. .1 representative cross 

 section of crude drugs will be displayed in alphabetical 

 order as well as a display illustrating the role of 

 cinchona and antimalarial drugs in the fight against 

 disease. An exhibit will portray the "origin of drugs" 

 from the three natural kingdoms, animal, vegetable, 

 and mineral, together with synthetic drugs including 

 the manufacture of vitamins. 



Plans are being made for an elaborate exhibit of 

 weights and balances used in many countries through- 

 out the centuries, their impact on accuracy of dosage 

 and weighing ol drugs, and their use in the apothecary 

 art. 



The Division will also display pictorial and printed 



materials, as well as artifacts from all periods and all 

 countries. These collections are intended to help in 

 presenting a more complete picture of the story of the 

 medical sciences for educational purposes and re- 

 search, and to increase man's knowledge in fighting 

 disease and promoting health. 



Thus, from a few hundred specimens of crude dings 

 in the Section of Materia Medica of 83 years ago, 

 there has developed a Museum Division today which 

 embraces the evolution of the health professions 

 through the ages. This Division now has the largest 

 collection in the Western Hemisphere of historical 

 objects which arc related to the healing arts. The 

 reference collections are available to the researchei 

 and scholar, and the exhibits are intended for pleasure 

 and educational purposes in these fields. The plans 

 for expansion have no limitation as we keep pace 

 with man's progress in the medical sciences AUI \ con- 

 tinue to collect materials that contributed to the 

 historical development in the fight against diseases 

 and the attempts to secure better health for everyone. 



296 



BUI I.TIN 24n; CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE Ml'SFl'M Of-' HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



