Collection Spotlight: History of Medicine in Ireland Reference Collection
As our Dun’s Library is a historical medical library the collection is largely static, but there is one part of the library which we are actively adding to; the History of Medicine in Ireland Reference Collection. The strategic review of the library carried out in 2014 clearly identified the purpose of this collection.
A reference collection which supports the Heritage Centre's collection in providing context to the history of medicine in Ireland.
The collection contains;
- Books and pamphlets on the history of medicine in Ireland
- Biographies/autobiographies of Irish medics
- Histories of Irish Hospitals, medical organisations, societies
- Books and pamphlets on the history of medicine with a substantial Irish interest.
- Books and pamphlets that relate to other material in the collections.
In a nutshell the collection is there to help readers, and the Heritage Centre, in carrying out research on the history of medicine in Ireland. It is a wide and varied collection, and will hopefully have something to interest everyone!
The collection contains nearly 300 items, including;
- institutional histories of the main Irish hospital
- biographies of the ‘great men’ of Irish medicine, as well as some less well known medical practitioners. For example Dr Isabel Mitchell (1879-1917) who worked as a medical missionary in China, or, the account of John Fleetwood of his years as a medical student, titled In Stitches.
- Collections of essays on the history of medicine in Ireland, such as Cultures of Care in Irish Medical History, 1750-1970.
- Books on specific areas of medical history, for example Growing Pains. Childhood illness in Ireland.
- Books on Irish Medical involvement in national and international events, including Irish Doctors in the First World War.
- Books which are not about medical history, but which relate to items held in the collection. For example Thomas Fitzpatick and the Lepracaun Cartoon Monthly 1905-1915 which includes information on some of the seven original Fitzpatrick cartoons, relating to Public Health, in our archive.
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| TF/1 - Registered Dairy by Thomas Fitzpatrick |
Over the last couple of years we have been working to ensure this collection is up to date, and reflects recent developments in scholarship in this area. One of the latest acquisitions is
Doctors Beyond Borders, which includes a chapter by Prof Greta Jones on “A mysterious discrimination”: Irish Medical Emigration to the United States in the 1950s.
I have spent this week collecting up all the books identified as part of this collection, and bring them together on the shelves in the Heritage Centre Reading Room. This will mean that they are always on hand for readers to consult when they are carrying out research with us.
Many of the books in this collection have been donated to RCPI by the authors, and we are very grateful to all those who have supported us in this way. If you have any suggestions for books which would be a useful addition to this collection please let us know.
If you would like to access any of the books in this collection just visit the Heritage Centre Reading Room which is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 4pm.