Article by Will Hopper.

Heard of the Museum of Medicine and Health, but never explored the collection before?

As well as the Instruments of Change exhibition currently on display in the foyer of the Stopford Building, the museum is proud to launch a selection of digitised objects from the Beswick Collection as part of Manchester Digital Collections (MDC) The Museum of Medicine and Health which is managed and developed by The University of Manchester Libraries Special Collections.

MDC is reaching out across the University to garner content that reflects the diversity of the organisation, the cultural assets it holds in trust and the research it delivers. The MDC is a growing resource for exploring ultra-high quality images.

The Museum of Medicine and Health has its origins in instruments and equipment from the old Medical School on Coupland Street. The Medical School’s Executive Dean, Dr F B Beswick (1925-2019) decided that any equipment left should be moved to the new Stopford Building. Dr Beswick’s wife, Charlotte Beswick (1926-2013) was curator and she identified and recorded the vast collection of objects, now totalling over 8000. The collection grew rapidly under Charlotte Beswick’s stewardship, until her retirement in 1995.

Penicillin syringe

The Museum of Medicine and Health MDC content will form part of the History of Medicine section in MDC. The carefully selected 24 objects include a unique reservoir penicillin syringe used on the battlefields of the Second World War and a Manchester made amputation set dating from the 1880s. Other notable objects include a 1940’s leucotome and a 1970’s mammography X-ray tube (highly prestigious and rare items), which are key components in advancements of medical technology over the last century. Their inclusion in this high profile digitisation project enables us to highlight the exceptional careers and research impact of individuals like the infant healthcare reformist Dr Catherine Chisholm, and the radiotherapists Drs Ralston and Edith Paterson.

Photograph of Dr Catherine Chisholm taken by Manchester photographer FW Schmidt on occasion of her CBE in 1935, awarded for her work on infant welfare.

Objects from Beswick collection at the Museum of Medicine and Health have been used successfully with MA Art gallery and Museum Studies and also the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. Over 400 students have worked directly with the collection in modules and external exhibitions, as well as 240 widening participation school students between 2016 and 2019. Furthermore, these students have been responsible for showcasing this outstanding collection to over 150,000 visitors. Some notable exhibitions include ‘Instrumental Change’ at the Manchester Central Library in 2019 and a 2016 exhibition on ‘Healing Histories – School of Arts, Languages and Cultures – The University of Manchester’ also at the central library.

The academic lead for the museum is Professor Carsten Timmermann, Centre for the History of Science Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) Professor Timmermann’s Rylands Special Collections blog officially launches the project. Rylands Blog: The Museum of Medicine and Health on Manchester Digital Collections (rylandscollections.com)

So, if you have a passion for the history and advancement of medicine and health, find out more from the comfort of your desk, on what the museum holds, cares for and makes accessible within the Faculty and beyond.

Contact Stephanie.seville@manchester.ac.uk with any questions or enquiries.

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