Opening ceremony of the Historical Medical Museum : Dr. Norman Moore in the chair.

  • Wellcome Historical Medical Museum.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Opening ceremony of the Historical Medical Museum : Dr. Norman Moore in the chair. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/36
    Opening Ceremony OF THE Historical Medical Museum Address by Dr. NORMAN MOORE, F.R.C.P., Fresideftt of the Section of the History of Medicine Mr. Wellcome, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been asked to declare this Museum open because I chance to be President of the Section of the History of Medicine in the International Medical Congress, which is to be held in London in the month of August. I am glad to have the opportunity of speaking on this occasion, because I feel that this Museum will be a most important aid to the Section of the Congress over which I preside ; and that it will be of interest not only to that particular section, but probably to nearly the whole of the seven thousand people who, from all the ends of the earth, are coming to London to attend the Congress. Museums are so familiar to all of us at the present day, that we are, perhaps, inclined to think that they have existed from the beginning of time; but that is not the case. They are comparatively modern aids to study. Dr. John Dee, some of whose books we have in the library of the Royal College of Physicians, collected, in connection with his library, a small museum in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. It consisted chiefly of mathematical and astronomical instru- ments, and various other curiosities. It was not a very important collection, and most of it was destroyed by a mob who thought that Dr. John Dee was a malignant necro- mancer. The first important museum which was founded in England was that of John Tradescant, and of his son, John Tradescant, at Lambeth. The two Tradescants were