Harry Ransom Center
The University of Texas at Austin
Today, the Ransom Center has as its major emphasis the study of the literature and culture of the United States, Great Britain, and France. Although the Center's collections primarily consist of works of art in theater arts, and film, we do hold materials in the history of medicine.
The Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5: 00 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9:00 a.m. to Noon on Saturday. For information on how to access collection material (some of which are not fully cataloged), please see the Ransom Center website: http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/.
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895): Subjects: science; medicine; 1 box; accessible via card catalog.
The papers of Louis Pasteur are a small but important collection from Pasteur's closely related family and most likely represent those materials which did not find their way to the Bibliothèque Nationale in 1967, when Pasteur's immediate family donated his entire personal archive to that institution. The Ransom Center's collection contains four autograph manuscripts by Pasteur's son-in-law, René Valléry-Radot (1853-1933), totaling four hundred thirty-two pages, of the first published study of Pasteur's life and work. The manuscripts contain numerous autograph corrections and additions by Louis Pasteur himself.
Also in the collection are books from Pasteur's library, with annotations and notes by him; books inscribed to him, including one from the Russian bacteriologist and Nobel laureate Elias Metschnikoff relating to his lecture on Phagocytosis and Immunity; books by and about Pasteur from his family's libraries; fifteen mounted photographs and prints, many of them with autograph notes by Pasteur, relating to the founding of L'Institut Pasteur; and a pen-and-ink portrait of Pasteur's associate, Dr. Roux, signed by the artist and subject. (from Guide to the Collections)
Early and Medieval Manuscripts: A substantial number of the texts are religious in content, though a number of other general subjects-including alchemy, architecture, astronomy, botany, cartography, classical literature, diplomacy, drama, genealogy, government, heraldry, history, kings and rulers, law, literature, mathematics, medicine, monasticism and religious orders, music, philosophy, poetry, science, and war-are also represented.
A complete index with identified names of authors of texts or signers of documents in the collection is included in the online finding aid.
Eustace Chesser (1902-1973): Subjects: psychology; medicine; 5 boxes; collection is partly catalogued. Typescripts of books, lectures, published articles, notes relating to Reich and sexual freedom, and material for proposed books, list available.
Oliver St. John Gogarty (1878-1957): Subjects: literature; medicine; Joyce, James; 10 boxes; accessible via card catalog. Material includes poems about medical topics from the Irish poet, author, otolaryngologist, athlete, politician, and well-known conversationalist who served as the inspiration for Buck Mulligan in James Joyce's novel Ulysses.
Robert R. Citron (1910-1972): Subjects: medicine; science; 1 box; collection not catalogued. One box of material consisting of correspondence (1943-1973) between Robert Citron and various doctors and officials from many countries, mostly regarding his cancer research but also addressing other Citron ideas and patents such as his high voltage electrostatic process for the purification of sea water.
Ranuzzi Family
In 1968 the Ransom Center purchased 620 volumes of manuscripts and printed matter collected by the Ranuzzi family of Bologna, Italy, that reflect some 400 years of Bolognese political, religious, and cultural life. While the collection dates from a group of medical manuscripts gathered by Antonio Ranuzzi, a physician and scholar, it was Count Vincenzo Antonio Ranuzzi (1658-1726) who was largely responsible for the formation of the Ranuzzi Library.
Ph 12546: Cinquino, Lelio. Il cavallo amaestrato. Ams/copy [folio, 358 leaves], nd. Divided into 4 books, index at end. A treatise on horsemanship and veterinary medicine. Bound in vellum.
Ph 12752: Medicine. Italy.
Ph 12527: Medicine. Italy. Poretta.
Ph 12769.xi, 12915: Medicine.
Ph 12546, 12979: Veterinary Medicine.
Ph 12857, folder 4: Dal Trattato delle medicine dell'Indie Orientali composto dal Dott. Monardes di Siviglia. 1 leaf.
Magnum Photos, Inc. Collection
Magnum Photos’ New York bureau photograph morgue consisting largely of black-and-white gelatin silver prints dating from 1929 to 2004. The photographs show the world and its people, events, issues, geography, and personalities as captured through the lenses of Magnum members.
Box 340-353: Medicine
Box 575: Mauritius. Medicine.
Box 545: Sudan. Medicine.
Box 572: Macau. Medicine.
Gloria Swanson Papers
The papers of this well-known American actress encompass her long film and theater career, her extensive business interests, and her interest in health and nutrition, as well as personal and family matters.
Boxes 282.7-323: Subseries B. Health and Nutrition, ca. 1950-1983; 42 Boxes. This section of material is comprised of correspondence, photographs, organizational records (minutes, by-laws, articles of incorporation), legal documents, and legislation, but chiefly consists of publications collected (clippings, articles, pamphlets, flyers, newsletters, reprints, reports, brochures, catalogs, order forms, price lists) concerning a number of health and nutrition topics, ca. 1950-1983. Her interest focused particularly on the part that proper nutrition through organic foods can play as a preventative or a treatment for cancer and other diseases.
The organizations in which Swanson was active included the Independent Cancer Research Foundation, Inc. (later called the Citizens Research Foundation for the Study of Degenerative Diseases, Inc.), the Committee for Independent Cancer Research, and the Patients' Aid Society, Inc. Also prominently represented is Swanson's involvement in food additive legislation introduced by Congressman James J. Delaney. Sugar and its various ill effects is also a substantial topic in this subseries, chiefly in the context of William Dufty's book Sugar Blues.
Correspondents in this section include Henry G. Bieler, James J. Delaney, James F. Donnelly, Gianni A. Dotto, William Dufty, Allan Jay Friedman, Dr. Andrew C. Ivy, Michio Kushi, Roland V. Libonati, William Coda Martin, Dorothea Seeber, and Strom Thurmond.
The Popular Imagery Collection
The Popular Imagery collection comprises 822 European prints, paintings, and drawings, most of which date from the 16th through 18th centuries. Almost half of the works have German titles and/or text; other predominant languages are French, Latin, Dutch, and Italian. There are a few works with English or Spanish text.
Item numbers: 118; 123; 127; 135; 136; 209; 318; 330; 333.18; 365; 428; 551 (Medicine)
Book Collection
Under the subject heading “Medicine,” the Ransom Center has 1458 entries. Please see the University of Texas Online Library Catalog