Existing comment:
ADVANCING MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE:
Following the Civil War, the Smithsonian acquired patent models for surgical tools and artificial limbs. These items were all too common during a conflict that resulted in so many deaths, injuries, and amputations. Collections have since grown to encompass nearly all aspects of health and medical practice. Highlights include early x-ray machines, the penicillin mold from Alexander Fleming's experiments, the first artificial heart implanted in a human, and panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Exhibitions, such as Outbreak at the National Museum of Natural History, have helped inform visitors about pandemics.
Smithsonian researchers are also making significant contributions to medicine. The National Mosquito Collection helps us understand the evolution of viruses. Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama have worked to prevent Zika virus, and scientists at the National Zoo have studied Avian flu. Suzan Murray, program director of the Smithsonian's Global Health Program, works with U.S. and international agencies to track the movement of infectious diseases from animals to humans. |