The bullet that killed Abraham Lincoln (National Museum of Health and Medicine)
Many of the scientific, medical, and technological innovations of the past two centuries have had their roots in military medicine. Spend a day led by science and history communicator Steve Lonker and Civil War medical historian Dr. Jon Willen visiting two museums that promote the history of military medicine and its impact on our present and future healthcare.
The first stop is the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring. The museum was founded in 1862 as the Army Medical Museum with a mission to better understand and improve the care of soldiers. During the Civil War, the museum became a center for the collection of specimens used for research in military medicine and surgery. Today, NMHM cares for more than 25 million objects that preserve the past, present, and future of American military medicine. Docent-led tours offer views of objects such as the bullet that killed President Lincoln, the amputated tibia and fibula of Civil War General Daniel E. Sickles, and a skull of a soldier from the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, as well as examples of contemporary innovations in modern military care.
In the afternoon, explore the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in historic Frederick, Maryland, a town that was transformed into a vast hospital center in the aftermath of the nearby battles of South Mountain and Antietam. The museum is the center for the study and interpretation of the medical history of the Civil War. Volunteers guide visitors through the five galleries that highlight the challenges faced by Civil War doctors and surgeons, correct long standing misconceptions, and show how Civil War medicine continues to impact us today.
Enjoy a 3-course lunch in historic Frederick.
