WELCOME // ABOUT US
Based in Kingston, ON, our mission at the Museum of Health Care is to connect learners of all ages with Canadian health care’s complex and intriguing history.
Explore our blog to learn about select pieces from our 40,000 artifact collection, discover lesser known history about the medical profession, or take a look at our at-home educational activities.
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! … More Special Event to Celebrate New Addition
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. … More “You wake up soaked”: Mist Tents and Cystic Fibrosis
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. … More 2022 Margaret Angus Research Lecture
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. … More The Llandovery Castle Tragedy – and the 14 Nurses Who Shaped History
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. … More The Story of Tommy Douglas and Hospital Insurance
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Dracula was published in 1897. What was the state of blood transfusion back then? … More The Blood of Four Strong Men: Dracula and The Portrayal of Blood Transfusion
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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. … More Globe and Mail: How lessons from the past can help shape future health outcomes
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The Story For several thousand years urine was a, if not the, primary body fluid used in medical diagnoses. Physicians … More Urinometer (From the Collection #34)
The Story Before antibiotics and modern dental care, dentists had little choice but to remove a patient’s diseased tooth. The … More Fox’s Toothkey (From the Collection #33)
The Museum of Health Care at Kingston is encouraging all families and stuffy lovers to join in on the fun of this full day, virtual adventure to be held on Family Day, Monday February 21, 2022, 9:00am-4:00pm … More Teddy Bear Hospital Virtual Family Day Event
Did you see that! There seems to be some Lego figures hiding in the museum just waiting for you to … More Virtual Scavenger Hunt
