MUSEUM BLOG
Special Event to Celebrate New Addition
Information about mNRA vaccines, such as that for COVID-19, has been added to mark this important time in medical history. To celebrate the gallery update, the Museum is holding a special event!
“You wake up soaked”: Mist Tents and Cystic Fibrosis
For those living with cystic fibrosis (CF) from the 1960s to mid-1970s, nights called for fog. People with CF would tuck into bed under a plastic canopy filled with a medicated mist, accompanied by one or more whirring compressors nebulizing solution all night long. These “mist tents,” as the devices were known, were considered a mainstay of CF treatment—until, abruptly (and perhaps mercifully), they weren’t.
2022 Margaret Angus Research Lecture
Anna’s project examines the lived experience of cystic fibrosis (CF) in the latter half of the 20th century as expressed through the healthcare objects associated with its treatment. By tracing the material histories of two fundamental categories of CF-related objects, inhalation therapies and parenteral antibiotics, she evokes the changing routines of everyday life with the illness from the 1940s to 1990s.
The Llandovery Castle Tragedy – and the 14 Nurses Who Shaped History
The story of the Llandovery Castle is one of reprieve turned tragedy – the deadliest Canadian naval disaster of World War I. However, its legacy and those of the 14 nursing sisters on board have now been largely forgotten in the pages of history. The implication of this disaster compels a resurfacing of the story and a commemoration of those whose lives were lost.
The Story of Tommy Douglas and Hospital Insurance
ommy Douglas implemented the Hospital Services Plan which made hospital services free and available to all. It was the first health care plan of its kind in Canada. This plan inspired the federal government to create one that helped fund hospital-operating costs and diagnostic services all throughout Canada.
The Blood of Four Strong Men: Dracula and The Portrayal of Blood Transfusion
Dracula was published in 1897. What was the state of blood transfusion back then?
Globe and Mail: How lessons from the past can help shape future health outcomes
That’s where the Museum of Health Care aims to make a contribution. “Our objects can tell a million stories, not just about vaccines but also about vaccine hesitancy,” says Ms. McGowan. “A lot of the discussion that was the backlash against the smallpox vaccine, for example, is not that different from what you hear today. It is really interesting to see this continuity.” The question then becomes what lessons we are willing to learn, and Ms. McGowan believes that seeing an iron lung, a smallpox vaccination certificate or a poster about wearing a mask during the 1918-19 influenza epidemic can provide an extra incentive for seeking out valid evidence.
What Do You Mean Museums Aren’t Forever? The Whats and Whys of Deaccessioning
Deaccessioning is the formal removal of an item from a museum’s permanent collection. The important thing to know about deaccessioning is that it’s mostly about paperwork and about status. An item can be deaccessioned without moving from its spot on a shelf. Physical removal of the item is a different and related process, called disposal (disposal in this case doesn’t translate to “garbage,” it just means putting the object somewhere else). We can deaccession items and not dispose of them, but a museum should never dispose of an item without deaccessioning it.
Dr. Hercules Sanche and the Gas-Pipe Fraud
One of America's most notorious quacks, Dr. Sanche apparently moved around a lot, keeping one step ahead of the authorities. Dr. Hercules Sanche was an itinerant businessman who pretended to be a doctor. He used this scheme to sell to people a type of product known as the Oxydonor Victor