University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Medical Museum
UIHC Medical Museum
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer
Reviewed
The Museum serves as an educational resource focusing on the progress of medicine and patient care and emphasizing the major role of University Hospitals in these advances. In this way, the study of health in Iowa illustrates the history of medicine and the health sciences. Through rotating and traveling exhibits of photographs, artifacts, and "hands-on" activities, visitors can view the advances in patient care from the time of the ancients to the present day. The Museum also sponsors a lecture series open to the general public on topics related to current exhibitions, on the history of health care, and on medical and ethical issues.
The makeup of the human body and the facts of disease and injury have remained basically unchanged over thousands of years. However, scientific understanding of the body and of pathological mechanisms has gradually improved, leading to remarkable advances in medical care. Major revolutions in medicine--from antibiotics to robotics--as well as rapidly changing notions of health and health care are documented by the Medical Museum. Our exhibits offer a glimpse into the structure and functions of the human body, and acquaint visitors with some of the most common disease and injuries. They also show how the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has met these challenges and continues to find new answers as we head into the twenty-first century.
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Medical Museum is pleased to present "Facts of Life: Examining Reproductive Health," an exhibition that explores this many-sided subject through historic artifacts, images, and a display of the newest medical technologies. The purpose of this exhibition is to provide straightforward and accurate information to visitors of all ages on a variety of reproductive issues. As we approach a new century, reproductive problems and solutions to those problems are emerging that were undreamed of only a generation ago. "Miracles" of science (which some find questionable)--the implantation of embryos, genetic therapies, and in utero surgeries, among many others--are performed daily in medical centers around the world. However, the enduring problems of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies remain and seem unaffected by scientific leaps. The best protection against them may be to arm ourselves with the facts about disease transmission and prevention.
Visitors to "Facts of Life" are able to view anatomical charts--some of them from earlier generations--that name and describe the reproductive organs. More than 25 scanning electron micrographs magnify the structures of specialized reproductive organs as many as 6,000 times. In these photographs the phrase "form follows function" assumes a new meaning. We learn that a girl is born with a million eggs in her ovaries; by the time she reaches puberty, about 300,000 remain. Sperm production is every bit as abundant; every day, a healthy, young male produces nearly 100 million sperm. In utero photographs track the release of an egg from an ovary through conception and the development of a fetus. Seven early twentieth-century plaster models on loan from the St. Louis Science Center illustrate fetal growth. Of special interest is an incubator used to keep one of the Dionne quintuplets alive in 1934. The Dionne girls, of Ontario, Canada, were the first set of quintuplets known to have lived more than a few hours.
Current and historic birth control and disease prevention devices and methods, including abstinence, condoms (both male and female), "the Pill," foams, Depo-Provera, and fertility awareness are displayed; the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed.
Self-examinations are thought to be important in the detection of at least two types of cancer - breast and testicular. Take-home instructions for these self-exams and a model of a breast with simulated lumps are on exhibit.
Remarkable as the latest reproductive technologies seem, there is every reason to expect more astonishing developments in the near future. For example, the use of cadaver ovaries to obtain eggs and ovarian transplants may soon be a reality. However, scientists who participate in these developments, as well as their critics, agree that these technologies are raising different social, ethical, and legal problems which have no technological solutions.
The University of lowa Hospitals and Clinics
The first University Hospital was opened with 100 beds in a
three-story brick building on the University's east campus in 1898.
By 1914, the hospital had grown to 240 beds and also cared for nearly
2,000 ambulatory clinic patients annually. In 1915 and 1919, two
historic laws, the Perkins Bill and the Haskell-Klaus Act, extended
University Hospitals' mission to offer health care to all Iowans,
regardless of their ability to pay. The Hospital also served as a
clinical training site for doctors and nurses and as a center for
medical research. By 1919, significantly expanded health care
facilities were needed. The Children's Hospital (renamed the
Steindler Building in 1983) and Psychopathic Hospital (now
Psychiatric Hospital) were constructed on the west campus and began
serving patients in 1919.
Even with these additions, the increased patient care requirements exceeded the capacity of the main hospital. More space was needed. A new 700-bed General Hospital with its landmark Gothic tower was opened at the current site in 1928. Since then, the physical plant and the number of patients served have continued to expand.
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) now cares for nearly 500,000 hospital and ambulatory patients each year in 251 medical specialty clinics. As a teaching hospital, The UIHC serves as the prime clinical training base for the University of Iowa's health science education programs. These programs prepare the professionals necessary to staff Iowa's community-based health care delivery systems in the future. More than 2,500 students are trained each year in 35 different educational programs; on any given day there are more than 1,200 students training in the University Hospitals. The UIHC also serves as a base for clinical research conducted by faculty from the University of Iowa's health science colleges. Intensive research efforts have enabled the University Hospitals to be an innovator in developing and implementing many new patient care procedures. UIHC's modern facilities, state-of-the-art medical technology, and over 7,500 specialized patient-care professional and support staff, are a solid foundation for providing Iowans with high-quality health care now and in the future.
Location
The Medical Museum is located in the Patient and Visitor Activities
Center, eighth floor, John W. Colloton Pavilion. Take elevator F at
the first floor atrium of the Colloton Pavilion.
Hours and Tours
The Medical Museum is open from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, 1
pm to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday. Tours and special arrangements may be
made by contacting Adrienne Drapkin, Director, at 319/356-7106.
Gifts and Donations
Much of our collection has come as a result of the generosity of
University Hospitals physicians, physician and nurse alumni of the
University of Iowa, their families, and other health professionals.
We welcome your gifts and donations. Contributions can be made to:
All programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Next Page | Previous Page | Section Top | Title Page