This via Resource Shelf: NLM now has an online version of a program running on its kiosks at the National Library of Medicine's Visitors Center and the History of Medicine Division. It's called "Turning the Pages," and it's a page-by-page look at three 16th century anatomy (human and animal) books. The books themselves are wonderful; they feature what must have been cutting edge illustrations of animals – some of which the artist had never seen. The rhinoceros, for example, looks like a hippo in Spanish armor. The zoological book also has mermaids, seven-headed sea creatures, a unicorn and a satyr. The content of the books is delightful and is complemented by the presentation technology NLM uses. It's just like the page-turning motif you see at the beginning of fairy tales. Better still, NLM has a page that explains the magic of the application. "Turning the Pages" is the latest in NLM's online exhibits in historical medicine. A look at
New Frontiers in Health Communication (1986) and Computer-Generated Animation: Aerial Flight Around NLM (1994) will quickly illustrate how far we've come, not just in medicine, but in web design and presentation.
And if you want a peek at how far we have yet to go, take a look at GAO’s new report: Health Information Technology: HHS Is Taking Steps to Develop a National Strategy. It seems that the health challenges ahead aren't ones that will be solved by the discovery of penicillin or the chemical markers for diseases like Alzheimer's. Achievements of individual researchers will be difficult to apply if we don’t have both a technology and management infrastructure in place. It may be a long journey before we arrive at a fair and equitable health system in the United States. But after looking at the historical medicine exhibit at NLM, I'm hopeful.
Posted by pamelakworkoutgirl on January 13, 2008 - 05:05 AM
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