Reflections on Friendly Fire

The war of 1812, lasting from 1812 to 1814 was a result of long-standing disputes between the government of Britain and the government of the United States of America. The war gradually came to an end that permitted the survival of the small British North American colonies.

The principle land action occurred along the border between the northern states and Upper and Lower Canada. As Alan Taylor describes in his book The Civil War of 1812, the residents on both sides many of who were related or engaged in commerce across the border had no interest and in some cases opposed the war. These same civilians often lost their homes, possessions and sometimes their lives as a result of military actions. Fire between friends was not friendly.

Friendly Fire is a project developed by the Agnes Etherington Art Centre in collaboration with the Museum of Health Care engaging the power of the artist as a story teller and synthesizer. The artist, Howie Tsui investigated health and medicine during the war of 1812. The resulting exhibition illuminates the brutal conditions of the body in war and the medical techniques of the period.

Collections Corner: Waterloo Teeth

Have you ever thought about where dentures come from? Archaeologists have found evidence of denture use dating back to 700 BCE and there have been many manifestations since, but their purpose has never really changed. Dentures were, and still are, used to replace teeth for both functional and aesthetic purposes. Early dentures were carved out of bone or ivory but since these materials are not covered with enamel, they react with the saliva in the mouth and decay, causing an unpleasant taste and odour. Porcelain dentures were introduced during the mid to late 1700s and didn’t rot, but they were unconvincing as natural teeth because of their stark white colour.

Upper denture with a carved ivory base and human teeth, 1850-1870. Accession #010020428.

15 years later… Remembering Nancy Malloy

As the recently appointed Assistant Curator at the Museum of Health Care, I am constantly finding out new and fascinating things about the objects in our collections and the broader history of health care that underpins them.  I also have the privilege of learning about the men and women who forged careers in medical science and who practice(d) medicine or nursing.  Just last week one such story was brought to my attention by Donna Mossman (KGH School of Nursing ’68).  She inquired whether the Museum of Health Care was commemorating the death of her classmate, Nancy Malloy, in any way.  After finding out about her work and untimely death, I would like to honour Nancy’s memory by telling her story.

Nancy Malloy, 1945-1996

A native of Brockville, Ontario, Nancy completed her studies at the KGH School of Nursing in 1968 and her Bachelors degree in Nursing Science at Queen’s University in 1969.  She worked for several years as a teacher in Montreal before moving to Vancouver in 1979.  There Nancy joined the BC branch of the Red Cross, working as a nurse and hospital administrator at remote hospitals.  During this time she also completed her MBA.

Early Penicillin Sample Comes to Collection

Curators are always excited when they make a “find”, especially when that find more or less just arrives at our doorstep: an ampoule containing some of the first experimental penicillin produced in Canada!

Ampoule of penicillin, MHC Collection

How did it come to the Museum of Health Care? In the late 1990s the Museum received a transfer of artefacts and archival documents from Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada), known as the Faculty of Medicine Collection. Most of the objects were shifted to the Museum at that time, but a few remained on display in the medical school on campus. Recently it was decided to move the remaining pieces to the Museum for processing and preservation. Among the Victorian surgeon’s kits, textbooks, and medical student graduation programmes was a nine centimetre glass vial holding a white powder and a typewritten file card:“The last of twelve ampoules containing the first batch of PENICILLIN (10,000 units) made experimentally by Ayerst, McKenna, Harrison of Montreal. The untried, unproved drug was used successfully (but unofficially) to save the life of a 16 year old boy, critically ill with septicemia following a ruptured appendix in the summer of 1940.”