John Field collection of history of medicine course syllabi and lecture notes, 1952-1967
Processed by UCLA Biomedical Library staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections for the Sciences
History and Special Collections Division for the Sciences
UCLA
12-077 Center for Health Sciences
Box 951798
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1798
Phone: 310/825-6940
Fax: 310/825-0465
Email: biomed-ref@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/biomed/his/
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The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: John Field collection of history of medicine course syllabi and lecture notes,
Date (inclusive): 1952-1967
Collection number: 440
Creator: Field, John 1902-1983
Extent:
1 document box
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections for the Sciences
Los Angeles, California 90095-1490
Abstract: Materials pertaining to "History of Medicine," Anatomy 201 and later Anatomy 240, a one-unit elective course emphasizing the
historical development of concepts relating to basic medical sciences, presented to UCLA sophomore medical students. Included
is correspondence relating to the development of the course, course syllabi, reading lists, and lecture notes, mainly by Dr.
Field. The correspondence also discusses the creation of the Division [later, Department] of Medical History at the UCLA David
Geffen School of Medicine.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection.
Language of Material: Collection materials in English
Restrictions on Access
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.
Publication Rights
Property rights in the physical objects belong to the UCLA Biomedical Library. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish if the Biomedical Library does not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John Field collection of history of medicine course syllabi and lecture notes (Manuscript collection
440). Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections for the Sciences, University of California, Los
Angeles.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Acquisition Information
The collection was given by the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, which had absorbed the Department of Medical History,
to the UCLA Neuroscience History Archives, which subsequently transferred it to the UCLA Biomedical Library.
Biography
John Field (known as Jack) was born in Philadelphia in 1902. After high school he moved with his family to Palo Alto, entered
Stanford University, and received B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry. He remained at Stanford until 1948, rising from
Assistant Professor to Professor of Physiology, performing research in the biochemistry and physiology of muscle, oxidative
and glycolytic metabolism, and general thermoregulatory mechanisms. After leaving Stanford Dr. Field held appointments in
the Office of Naval Research and directorial posts in the National Science Foundation. In 1951 he became the first chairman
of the Department of Physiology at the new UCLA School of Medicine and staid there until his retirement in 1969, serving also
as Associate Dean of the Medical School for many years..
Dr. Field's achievements in physiology, in addition to research, teaching, and administration, included the herculean task
of editor-in-chief of the first section of the "Handbook of Physiology" published by the American Physiological Society in
1959. His broad intellectual interests also encompassed medical education and medical history, and he lectured widely and
published in both these fields.
Scope and Content
This file from Dr. Field's office illustrates his deep interest in medical history and belief in the necessity of including
the subject in contemporary medical education. It documents how he joined with like-minded colleagues to fashion a course
on the historical development of basic medical concepts, and to organize it for the Medical School's first class. The file
also provides a little information about the creation of the Division of Medical History in the School of Medicine and its
development.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Medical History
Field, John, 1902-1983 -- Archives
History of Medicine --education --United States
box 1, folder 1
Anatomy 201: History of Medicine.
1952-1956.
Scope and Content Note
memos and correspondence, course schedules, lecture notes, class handouts, reading lists; notices of related courses in other
campus departments
Note
items of special interest: 1953. communications re. course development and need for a Division of History of Medicine; 1955.
outline for a proposed History of the Clinical Specialties course for 4th year medical students [was never presented]
box 1, folder 2
Anatomy 240: History of Medicine.
1957-1958.
Scope and Content Note
same contents as earlier years, above
Note
the course remained the same - just the number was changed
box 1, folder 3
Division of Medical History.
1958.
Scope and Content Note
memo: "Five year report of activities of the Division of Medical History", from Prof. Magoun, Dept. of Anatomy, to Prof. Sawyer,
Chair, Dept. of Anatomy and Division of Medical History
box 1, folder 4
Lectures on the history of medicine.
1959-1967.
Scope and Content Note
Professor Field's notes for lectures on history of medicine presented to medical, dental, and graduate students at UCLA and
to other audiences
