MUSEUM BLOG
Explore our blog to learn about pieces from Canada’s largest collection of medical artifacts, discover the lesser-known history of health care, or hear about all of the exciting developments at the Canadian Museum of Health Care.
A Tribute to Canada’s Nurses: Celebrating Nursing Week 2013
In Canada, the hard work and dedication of nurses is formally recognized during National Nursing Week, the second week of May. International Nurses Day, designated by the International Council of Nurses in 1974, is celebrated on May 12th. This day was chosen as significant because it is Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
National Stress Awareness Day, 16 April: Managing Stress Then and Now
April 16th marks National Stress Awareness Day. Stress often accompanies difficult situations or circumstances that a person undergoes. Psychological, emotional and mental stress can lead to negative consequences on one’s physiological stability. As a student at Queen’s University, stress is not a foreign concept to me.
World Health Day 2013 – A Short History of Sphygmomanometers and Blood Pressure Measurement
April 7th marks World Health Day, a day that celebrates the birthday of the World Health Organization (WHO) by drawing attention to a significant health problem affecting the world today. The focus in 2013 is high blood pressure.
Celebrating National Doctor’s Day
National Doctor’s Day is celebrated annually in the United States on March 30th. The holiday originated in the 1930s when a physician’s wife in Georgia organized a lunch for her husband and his fellow doctors to show appreciation for their hard work. March 30th is significant because it marks the day in 1842 that anesthesia was administered to a patient for the first time.
World TB Day 2013: A Fearsome Disease, Hope for New Vaccines
The image of bacterial time-bombs in the lungs is frightening. Even more so, perhaps, when you consider that for most of history there was no effective treatment for TB. Or, that increasingly tuberculosis bacteria are becoming resistant to the treatments that are currently available.
Statuette of Hua Tuo
Approximately 1600 years before William T. G. Morton, Chinese physician Hua Tuo invented an anaesthetic that he called mafeisan and applied this substance to patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
The Evolution of Dentistry
Dentistry is a branch of medicine specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the teeth and gums, as well as ailments of the oral cavity and maxillofacial area. It plays a vital role in health care.
Public Sleep Day 2013
Sleep is a vital component in the maintenance of health, yet millions of North Americans do not get enough sleep or suffer from sleep disorders.
Grin and Bear It: Toothache Day and Why It Was Best to Avoid the Dentist in the Ancient World
February 9th marks Toothache Day, a day to celebrate... toothaches? Toothache Day is a reminder to all to see the dentist regularly. And count your blessings that you aren’t suffering from a toothache in the Ancient or Medieval Worlds!
From Apothecary Shop to Independent Science: Celebrating National Pharmacist Day
The United States annually recognizes pharmacists’ contribution to patient healthcare, celebrating National Pharmacist Day, each January 12. Pharmacists apply their extensive knowledge of the chemical composition of medicines to help patients manage disease and pain.