Modern (18th-20th Century)

The Blue Baby Operation

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://www.medicalarchives.jhmi.edu/page1.htm

Author:

Marjorie Winslow Kehoe

Excerpt:

On November 29, 1944, a small, frail child was wheeled into an operating room at the Johns Hopkins Hospital for the first attempt to treat tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart malformation that robs the blood of oxygen. This life-threatening condition is often signaled by a bluish or "cyanotic" cast to the skin, hence the term, blue baby. The procedure joined an artery leaving the heart to an artery leading to the lungs, in an attempt to give the blood a second chance at oxygenation. It was the first blue baby operation and came to be known as the Blalock-Taussig Shunt.

Annotation:

This site is the companion to a 1995 exhibit that commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of the first "Blue Baby Operation," a procedure designed to treat a congenital heart defect that deprives the blood of oxygen. The procedure was pioneered by a surgical team that included Alfred Blalock, Helen B. Taussig, and Vivien T. Thomas. The site contains a description of the procedure, an account of the idea, several images, and notes on the three main contributors. A link to further readings also directs visitors to related information as well as the manuscript archives of Blalock, Taussig, and Thomas.

Modern Science and Dialogue Among Civilizations

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/phibalas/dialogue2001/index.htm

Author:

Arun Bala

Excerpt:

The United Nations has declared 2001 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS.

This site is dedicated to increasing awareness of the way modern science grew through the dialogue of civilizations, and the contribution dialogue can make to promoting the growth of science in the future.

Although the dominant view in the past has been that the historical roots of modern science only lie within Europe increasing evidence accumulated over the last fifty years reveals the need for a more dialogical approach to the history of science. Understanding the role played by civilizational dialogue in the growth of modern science would also enable us to take more seriously the emerging realization among many leading thinkers that premodern traditions of science contain reservoirs of knowledge urgently needed to deal with serious problems - like environmental and health concerns -that confront the global community.

Annotation:

This site was designed as a resource for a class at the National University of Singapore. The site brings together a sampling of materials dealing with the history and philosophy of science from a multicultural perspective. The author of the site writes that in many instances western and nonwestern thinkers had difficulty integrating the modernist heritage of science with earlier inherited traditions of knowledge. The information included in the site is not always complete, but browsers will likely find the most useful information by following the link to the section "Science and Civilizations." This section is subdivided by scientific field (i.e. astronomy, chemistry, physics, etc.). After selecting a field, the visitor can choose from a list of civilizations or cultures, each of which has a number of links to historical information and, in many cases, a short essay. The site would be most interesting to those hoping to compare various cultural philosophies of science.

The U.S. Coast Guard: Facts, Images, History, and More

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://www.uscg.mil/general.html

Excerpt:

The United States Coast Guard, one of the country's five armed services, is also one of the most unique agencies of the federal government. We trace our history back to 4 August 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws, prevent smuggling, and protect the collection of the federal revenue. Known variously as the Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service, we expanded in size and responsibilities as the nation grew.

These added responsibilities included humanitarian duties such as aiding mariners in distress. Our law enforcement functions also continued to expand. Congress tasked us with enforcing laws against slavery, piracy, and enlarged our responsibilities to prevent smuggling. We were also given the responsibility to protect the marine environment, explore and police Alaska, and chart the growing nation's coastlines, all well before the turn of the twentieth century.

Annotation:

This site contains a huge amount of information related to the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Fact File offers information regarding the organization today on a wide range of topics. The site also offers photographic images, art, sketches, and insignias. Vessel and aircraft data sheets give stats and specifications for all Coast Guard equipment. A browser should follow the link to the office of the USCG historian to find the largest amount of historical information. This page links to more than 30 sections on topics from lighthouses, to search and rescue, to Coast Guard mascots. This part of the site offers transcriptions of oral histories, more images, several bibliographies, and an expansive number of articles, facts, and trivia. The site is an incredible resource for anyone researching histories of the military, maritime industries, coastal communities, or an almost unlimited number of other topics.

PeopleSoft: The Evolution of Manufacturing

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://www.nytimes.com/ads/peoplesoft/

Author:

New York Times

Excerpt:

This archive combines a series of New York Times archival articles outlining the evolution of manufacturing with an overview of Peoplesoft's role in continuing progress in the manufacturing field.

National Park Foundation Rosie the Riveter Stories

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://www.nationalparks.org/proudpartners/partner_ford_rtrs.shtml

Author:

National Park Foundation

Excerpt:

As part of our effort to preserve our national heritage, we are seeking stories, memories or anecdotes about the wartime home front embodied by "Rosie."

Annotation:

The Ford Motor Company has partnered with the Natioinal Park Service and the National Park Foundation to collect stories and memoirs from women who worked on the homefront during World War II. Visitors are able to submit their story online, and there is one sample submission for viewing. The narratives and materials collected through this online venture will be maintained by the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Site and used by the Park and others studying this period of American history.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers History and Heritage Center

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://www.asme.org/history/

Excerpt:

Since the invention of the wheel, mechanical innovation has critically influenced the development of civilization and industry as well as public welfare, safety and comfort. Through its History and Heritage program, ASME encourages public understanding of mechanical engineering, fosters the preservation of this heritage, and helps engineers become more involved in all aspects of history.

KIPnotes

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://www.kipnotes.com/

Excerpt:

For more than a decade we've been collecting books, films and interviews on the histories of industries, companies, executives, products/services, economics, scandals and business fiction. And we've gathered essential books on management's investing, financing and operating decisions. The result: the largest multimedia collection of business histories and management titles available anywhere. Entries are organized by subject, company, year and author.

Historical Science and Technology Medical Devices at The Bakken Museum

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://thebakken.org/artifacts/categories.htm

Author:

The Bakken Library and Museum

Excerpt:

These are the 18 artifact categories at The Bakken. Items can belong to more than one category. We have roughly 2500 artifacts. An electrostatic kit from the 18th century would be listed as a generator, a storage case, electrodes, a Leyden jar -- whatever was in the box the kit lived in. Here on the Web, we'll list things by their most noticeable attribute. You can learn a lot about a collection by studying the categories it is sorted into.

Annotation:

This website contains a directory and description of the artifact holdings of the Bakken Library and Museum. The Bakken is a not-for-profit educational institute founded by the inventor of the first transistorized cardiac pacemaker. Fittingly, the collection is largely devoted to the use of electricity and magnetism in medicine and the life sciences. The directory is sorted and listed by categories, but unfortunately the collection is not searchable. The entries for each item include an image, a physical description including materials, size, and weight, and a list of remarks that note special features or the condition of the item. The website also features a commentary that supplements the collection directory with a historical overview.

Rosie the Riveter

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://www.rosietheriveter.org/

Author:

National Park Service

Excerpt:

The Rosie the Riveter Memorial: Honoring American Women's Labor During WWII, is the first national monument to celebrate and interpret women's crucial contributions to the World War Two Home Front. It is located in Richmond, CA, in Rosie the Riveter Memorial Park at the site of the former Kaiser Shipyards, which were the largest and most productive of World War II.

Annotation:

The Rosie the Riveter Memorial website provides information about the Rosie the Riveter World War II/Home Front National Historic Park in Richmond, California. The park is on the site of the most productive shipyard during the period and the memorial honors American women's labor during WWII. The website has images, sheet music, and illustrative stories from the time, and articles about the memorial. Most importantly there is a request for stories from women who worked on the home front during the war. Respondents can mail a form and offer papers, photographs, or souvenirs from the war or offer to give an interview. Alternatively, they can email their story directly to the National Park Service.

Remembering Pearl Harbor

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 20:25.

URL:

http://nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/

Author:

National Geographic

Excerpt:

Multimedia Map and Time Line: Photos, footage, firsthand accounts, and narration bring the attack on Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii, to life—moment by moment, target by target.

Searchable Archive of Survivors’ Stories: Read personal tales of heroism and disaster, find a long-lost friend, or submit your own true tale of December 7, 1941.

Pearl Harbor Ships and Planes, World War II Time Line, and More: Get the facts in easy-print form, click to related sites, and review recommended resources.

Annotation:

Remembering Pearl Harbor provides three ways to learn about the attack on Pearl Harbor: a multimedia map and timeline, resources on the history of World War II, and a Memory Book with stories of those who were affected by the attack. The multimedia map incorporates a timeline and personal narratives, while the resources include specific details on the ships and planes involved in the attack and where to look for further information. The Memory Book archive hosts more than 1,000 entries grouped by geographic location of the contributor. The archive is searchable and includes the experiences of witnesses and other involved in World War II, frequently shared by their children and grandchildren.