Respiratory Disease: A Photographic History 1845-1945, this four-volume series is the first photographic work documenting respiratory tract disease and its impact on the practice of medicine. The rare photographs in this compilation are from private albums and sources now in the Burns Archive. Many are either published here for the first time or have not been published since their original presentation. The book begins with the earliest known photographs related to respiratory tract disease. It ends in 1945, at the close of World War II, when penicillin and other antibiotics became generally available and put an end to thousands of years of deadly respiratory tract infections.
Photography was presented to the world in 1839 and its use was immediately adopted by physicians to document unusual cases, portraits of medical pioneers, and the everyday practitioners of medicine. The compilation of photographs within this book reflects medicine’s preoccupation with respiratory tract disease. It is not only a history of the major achievements, however, but emphasizes the struggle of physicians and their patients. In addition to presenting the images of professional photographers, the book includes vernacular photographs, those taken by, of, or for physicians. These photographs follow the changing nature of the practice of medicine. They are a testament to the effort of the health care practitioners to heal and comfort their patients in an era of medical ignorance.
The Pioneer Era 1845 -1870
The Antiseptic Era 1871 - 1895
The X-Ray Era 1896-1920
The Serology Era 1921-1945
256 pages | 4 Hardcover Volumes in Slipcase | 11.5 x 8.5 inches | ISBN: 978-0-9764495-6-0 | 2003