Tools of the Trade

Jefferson’s Archives Provide a Glimpse into the Past

The Marion J. Siegman, PhD, FAPS Archives, housed in the Scott Memorial Library, holds a treasure trove of fascinating historical artifacts from Jefferson’s past.

Recently, F. Michael Angelo, the Robert Stein, MD, Archivist Emeritus, sat down with Gregory Kane, MD, the Jane & Leonard Korman Professor of Pulmonary Medicine and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, to take a journey through a small portion of that medical history.

Together, they moved from the early 1820s with the invention of the stethoscope, through the late 1800s and the discovery of the microbial theory of disease and the creation of the X-Ray, and up to modern-day robotic bronchoscopy. Each development has had a major impact on pulmonary medicine, says Kane.

Angelo pulled an early stethoscope from the archives; the wooden tool resembled a cook’s rolling pin more than a modern-day medical instrument. He explained the tool would be stowed in the physician’s top hat rather than stored in the pocket of the white coat as is the practice today.

The stethoscope greatly improved the ability of doctors to listen to the lungs of patients. In 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen invented the X-Ray, giving doctors a way to look at the lungs, and later, around 2018, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy further advanced pulmonary medicine to allow biopsies to determine diseases.

Kane notes that all these advances—and all that will be made in the future—are possible through the generosity of benefactors.

“Many times, we rely on our benefactors who provide financial support… to give us a chance to charge forward with the new tools… to be in the vanguard of their use, and we’re blessed to be able to do that,” Kane says.

Every advancement in medicine is the result of hard work, innovative minds, and the philanthropy that backs research, education, and programs. Consider making a gift today to support Jefferson and its mission to improve lives.