Duke Medical Center Archive Blog

The Computerized Textbook of Medicine: The development of computer technology and medical databases at Duke Medicine 

Medical Center Library & Archives – Level 1

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Today it is hard to remember a world without computers, but their value in medicine was not always apparent. As with any new technology, widespread adoption takes time. 

Duke University Medical Center played a crucial role in the development of data science techniques and innovations in medicine and clinical research since the 1960s. This is most clearly evident in the development of the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease, but early data science efforts also played a critical role in other departments.… MORE

Category: News

The Archives is happy to announce that the Duke Cancer Institute Records has been reprocessed and is open for research. The Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) was established in 1973 as one of the original eight comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Since, Duke cancer researchers have made many notable accomplishments in the field, including the creation of the nation's first outpatient bone marrow transplantation program (1992) and assisting in the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that are responsible for many inherited forms of breast and ovarian cancer (1995). In 2010 the DCI was Duke’s first entity to consolidate cancer care, research, and education.

… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

The Archives is happy to announce that the Duke Cancer Institute Records has been reprocessed and is open for research. The Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) was established in 1973 as one of the original eight comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Since, Duke cancer researchers have made many notable accomplishments in the field, including the creation of the nation's first outpatient bone marrow transplantation program (1992) and assisting in the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that are responsible for many inherited forms of breast and ovarian cancer (1995). In 2010 the DCI was Duke’s first entity to consolidate cancer care, research, and education.

… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

The Medical Center Archives is happy to announce that new additions to the Division of Cardiology Records and the Joseph C. Greenfield Papers are open for research. The first collection documents the administrative functions of the Division of Cardiology, as well as the personal experiences of its faculty and residents, while the second collection contains the research and personal files of Dr. Joseph C. Greenfield, one of the division’s most accomplished physicians. 

The Duke Division of Cardiology is one of the largest… MORE

Category: News

The Duke University Medical Center Archives is happy to announce that the Duke Surgical Women’s Club Records are processed and open for research. The collection contains records pertaining to the club whose members were the spouses of interns, residents, and fellows in the Department of Surgery at Duke.

This collection documents the philanthropic and social activities of the Duke Surgical Women’s Club, including the October 1977 vote in which the club voted to change their name from Duke Surgical Wives to Duke Surgical Women. Materials include the club’s newsletter, The Probe; publicity committee materials; scrapbooks created by club members; and clippings pertaining to the club and their activities. 

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

The Duke University Medical Center Archives is happy to announce that the Duke Surgical Women’s Club Records are processed and open for research. The collection contains records pertaining to the club whose members were the spouses of interns, residents, and fellows in the Department of Surgery at Duke.

This collection documents the philanthropic and social activities of the Duke Surgical Women’s Club, including the October 1977 vote in which the club voted to change their name from Duke Surgical Wives to Duke Surgical Women. Materials include the club’s newsletter, The Probe; publicity committee materials; scrapbooks created by club members; and clippings pertaining to the club and their activities. 

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

The Archives is pleased to spotlight our recently reprocessed Richard S. Lyman Papers. Dr. Richard S. Lyman was the founding chairman of Duke’s Department of Psychiatry in 1940, and his long career included widespread international research, projects with the United States Military, and service on the staff of North Carolina’s Highland Hospital. To learn more about Highland Hospital, visit the finding aid to the Highland Hospital Records. Materials in the collection date from 1927 to 1957. 

Dr. Lyman began his medical career with an eye toward international research. Less than a decade after his 1921 graduation from Johns Hopkins… MORE

Category: News

In honor of Black History Month, we are featuring Dr. Brenda Armstrong. From student activist to Senior Associate Dean for Student Diversity, Recruitment, and Retention, Dr. Armstrong left behind a legacy of almost half a century of service to Duke and the wider medical community. 

Dr. Armstrong was born in Rocky Mount, NC on January 19, 1949. In high school she chose not to attend an exclusive New England private school and instead attended Rocky Mount’s segregated Booker T. Washington Senior High School. Despite the school board’s belief that none of their students would attend college, teachers at Booker T. Washington Senior High taught her and more than forty other students college readiness courses like calculus and trigonometry and ensured that they were prepared to take… MORE

Category: DUMC History

This past spring, the Duke University Medical Center Archives (DUMCA) received a 2018 North Carolina Preservation Consortium (NCPC) Preservation Grant. This grant provided half the funds to purchase a Nilfisk Museum Vacuum Cleaner for collection care. The other half of the funds came from the DUMCA. The Nilfisk Museum Vacuum Cleaner is a HEPA vacuum. HEPA is an acronym for high-efficiency particulate air. A HEPA vacuum is a vacuum with a HEPA filter. This type of filter works by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles caused by mold, dust, frass, and other fine debris. 

All of the DUMCA’s collections were the focus of this grant. As an archival repository, the DUMCA regularly receives materials from the departments we serve, as well as individuals… MORE

Category: News

The Medical Center Archives is happy to announce that the Shirley K. Osterhout Papers are processed and open for research. The collection contains educational materials related to Osterhout’s career at the Duke University Poison Control Center. 

Osterhout received her MD from Duke University in 1957. Following graduation, she completed her residency in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke, working closely with Dr. Jay Arena on poison control issues. Arena founded the Duke Poison Control Center in 1953. It was the second such center in the United States. This collection complements the… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

The Medical Center Archives is happy to announce that the Shirley K. Osterhout Papers are processed and open for research. The collection contains educational materials related to Osterhout’s career at the Duke University Poison Control Center. 

Osterhout received her MD from Duke University in 1957. Following graduation, she completed her residency in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke, working closely with Dr. Jay Arena on poison control issues. Arena founded the Duke Poison Control Center in 1953. It was the second such center in the United States. This collection complements the… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

This is the third blog post in a three part series about processing digital files. See the following links for Part 1 and Part 2.

Over the course of this past year, the Duke University Medical Center Archives (DUMCA) began addressing our digital files backlog by identifying and adding these digital files to the collections to which they belong. This process has uncovered materials current Archives staff were unaware of, introducing us to new stories about Duke and Duke Alumni. 

When appraising digital files located in the backlog (for more… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

This is the third blog post in a three part series about processing digital files. See the following links for Part 1 and Part 2.

Over the course of this past year, the Duke University Medical Center Archives (DUMCA) began addressing our digital files backlog by identifying and adding these digital files to the collections to which they belong. This process has uncovered materials current Archives staff were unaware of, introducing us to new stories about Duke and Duke Alumni. 

When appraising digital files located in the backlog (for more… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

The Duke University Medical Center Archives is happy to announce that new additions to the Edward C. Halperin Papers are open for research. Halperin served on the Duke faculty for twenty-three years as a professor and chairperson of the Department of Radiation Oncology, vice dean of the School of Medicine, and associate vice chancellor. Types of materials in this collection include his correspondence, grant applications, a cassette tape, articles, and reports. The majority of these materials relate to Halperin’s extensive research and writings on ethics and the history of racial, religious, and gender discrimination in medicine and higher education. This collection includes research materials from 1961 and 1973, but… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

The Duke University Medical Center Archives is happy to announce that new additions to the Edward C. Halperin Papers are open for research. Halperin served on the Duke faculty for twenty-three years as a professor and chairperson of the Department of Radiation Oncology, vice dean of the School of Medicine, and associate vice chancellor. Types of materials in this collection include his correspondence, grant applications, a cassette tape, articles, and reports. The majority of these materials relate to Halperin’s extensive research and writings on ethics and the history of racial, religious, and gender discrimination in medicine and higher education. This collection includes research materials from 1961 and 1973, but… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight