The Museum of Health Care (MHC) shows how Canadians have preserved health and managed disease, pain and suffering. The Museum strives to connect visitors of all ages with the experience of people in past times and provide context and perspective on today's health issues. Our blog is regularly updated with interesting and insightful entries by MHC staff and volunteers. Learn more about who we are and what we're working on. We welcome your feedback and comments.
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
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
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
Deaccessioning is the formal removal of an item from a museum’s permanent collection. The important thing to know about deaccessioning is that it’s mostly about paperwork and about status. An item can be deaccessioned without moving from its spot on a shelf. Physical removal of the item is a different and related process, called disposal (disposal in this case doesn’t translate to “garbage,” it just means putting the object somewhere else). We can deaccession items and not dispose of them, but a museum should never dispose of an item without deaccessioning it. … More What Do You Mean Museums Aren’t Forever? The Whats and Whys of Deaccessioning
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2022 Time: Drop in any time between 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM Cost: Admission by donation Registration is not required On Saturday, October 22nd enter the Museum of Health Care…if you dare! Halloween monsters will be taking over the Museum for an all-ages, ghoulish good time. This event will feature some … More Monsters Take Over the Museum of Health Care this Halloween
One of America’s most notorious quacks, Dr. Sanche apparently moved around a lot, keeping one step ahead of the authorities. Dr. Hercules Sanche was an itinerant businessman who pretended to be a doctor. He used this scheme to sell to people a type of product known as the Oxydonor Victor … More Dr. Hercules Sanche and the Gas-Pipe Fraud
