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January 1999
Volume 63 |
Number 1
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| National Health
Museum Offers Entree to Millions |
R. Lawrence Sullivan,
Jr., M.D., Chair
Committee on Communications
The history of health care in the United States and how it evolved
into what is now referred to as modern medicine has been of great
interest to all Americans. From the time of the Revolutionary
War, when major infections and penetrating injuries were often
fatal, to the vivid image of 19th century religious-sponsored
organizations providing end-of-life care for the sick and the
impoverished, this country has witnessed an immense transformation
in its ability to treat diseases and preserve life.
The discovery of anesthesia enabled a radical change in the
treatment of trauma and diseases; vaccines and antibiotics have
controlled the spread of infectious diseases; and now, the evolution
of organ transplant techniques and the development of genetically
enhanced pharmacologic engineering have created new frontiers
in medicine.
Remembering Medicine's Historical Legacy
Each year, tourists from around the world, including thousands
of students on school-sponsored excursions, visit our nation's
capital to learn more about our American heritage. Those who come
to Washington, D.C., can experience this historical legacy as
well as a number of cultural activities in a variety of museums,
exhibits, galleries and memorials, many of which circle the great
"Mall" from the Capitol building to the Lincoln Memorial. Few
visitors to Washington have left without seeing the Museum of
Natural History, the National Gallery of Art, the National Archives,
the National Air and Space Museum or the Vietnam Memorial. Currently,
however, there are no health- or medicine-related museum exhibits
among these national treasures in the vicinity of the Mall.
Previously, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP),
located on Independence Avenue on the south side of the Mall,
housed the Army Medical Museum. Established in 1862, it was originally
intended as a repository for war-related surgical instruments
and other medical memorabilia. Although it was immensely popular,
attracting as many as 400,000 persons a year, in 1968, the AFIP
building was demolished to make way for the Hirshhorn Museum.
The AFIP was moved to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center where
a 16,000-square-foot building was designated for the Army Medical
Museum. Now known as the National Museum of Health and Medicine,
much of this facility still contains many historical artifacts
and memorabilia on American medicine as well as exhibits that
highlight current health issues such as AIDS and women's health.
Because of its location several miles from the Mall, it attracts
only 50,000-100,000 visitors per year.
Being Part of a New Dream
It has been the dream of former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop,
M.D., Sc.D., to bring our national health heritage back to the
Mall in a much larger scale and with an entirely different approach,
one by which Americans will not only learn about past milestones
in medicine but one that will educate people and promote healthy
lives. This entity will be known as the National Health Museum.
ASA, too, is continually interested in opportunities to provide
public education about anesthesiology to all Americans. Because
of the immense potential benefit provided by Dr. Koop's vision,
it was the recommendation of the Committee on Communications that
ASA pursue an active role in the establishment of the National
Health Museum. In June of this year, some members of the Committee
along with ASA staff met with the Museum President, Jennifer Dorn,
and the Director for External Affairs, Mark Dunham. They were
clearly eager to involve physicians and their representative associations
in the planning process.
Based on the immense vision for such a museum as well as the
momentum already evident, the ASA Board of Directors not only
provided its official endorsement of the development of the National
Health Museum, but it also approved an unrestricted donation in
the amount of $25,000. With this sign of commitment, the ASA becomes
the first specialty society to proclaim its support of the National
Health Museum.
In addition to historical exhibits and interactive learning
tools, the National Health Museum will provide lectures and symposia
on a variety of health topics for students, the general public
and health professionals. A key feature of this endeavor will
be the establishment of electronic communication technologies,
including the health online outreach project (HOOP), an Internet
health information Web site, a "virtual museum" tour using CD-ROM,
as well as other educational resources that will reach schools
and homes throughout the country.
"A Glimpse of Our Collective Future"
It is the vision of Dr. Koop and the National Health Museum
Board of Trustees that "... by increasing people's access to health
information and by serving as a global focal point for education
and communication about health, the Museum will have a real potential
to help improve behaviors and lift health standards throughout
the nation; by showcasing the extraordinary innovations that are
transforming medicine and the quality of patient care, the Museum
will provide a glimpse of our collective future."
ASA is proud to be one of the first medical specialty societies
to become an active participant in this vision. Museum officials
say that ASA brings to the table a unique perspective as a leader
of America's medical advancements historically, but because its
member are on the cutting edge of technology, they will be able
to help the Museum's mission to enhance medical care as well as
health care education for the future. ASA stands ready to help
in an advisory capacity and to encourage other entities to become
involved in this long-overdue project.
Last year, legislation was passed by Congress which appropriated
$500,000 to underwrite the organizational efforts in making the
National Health Museum a reality. Specifically, a National Commission
is to be appointed to make recommendations regarding the role
of the federal government in the development and maintenance of
such a facility. Additionally, Congress has already guaranteed
its support in securing a site for the Museum within close proximity
to the Mall. The Museum is anticipated to be a 200,000-square-foot,
multilevel structure, expected to cost more than $200 million.
Additional funding for the project is being sought from the private
sector, corporations, foundations, physician organizations and
individuals, by pursuing a "private-public" partnership similar
to the team effort which led to the successful development of
the Holocaust Museum. Several corporations such as Glaxo, Abbott
and Kellogg have already provided donations in excess of $250,000
each. Ultimately, the National Commission will need to decide
whether additional federal funding will be necessary, whether
the Museum should be managed under the umbrella of the Smithsonian
Institution or another government entity, or whether it can be
totally supported by private endowment.
R. Lawrence Sullivan, Jr., M.D., is Staff
Anesthesiologist at O'Connor Hospital, San Jose, California.
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