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Myers (Richard O.) papers
Biomed.0422
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Richard O. Myers papers
Creator:
Myers, Richard
Identifier/Call Number: Biomed.0422
Physical Description:
6 Linear Feet
(4 cartons)
Date (inclusive): 1927-1980
Abstract: This collection contains professional and a few personal papers of Dr. Richard O. Myers, a forensic pathologist whose career
included seven years as autopsy surgeon for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, many years teaching forensic medicine
at the University of Southern California, the University of California, Los Angeles, and at several local hospital residency
programs, as well as a thriving practice as a hospital and consultant pathologist. A large part of the papers consists of
notes and lectures on forensic pathology and a collection of important journal articles and clippings covering a broad spectrum
of medico-legal topics. Another collection portion consists of glass lantern slide portraits of a wide array of noted scientists
and physicians from ancient to 20th century times. Dr. Myers also compiled an extensive library of books on forensic and legal
medicine, with special emphasis on toxicology, and ca. 150 of these volumes were added to the UCLA Biomedical Library collection.
A few case studies included in this collection, plus related materials listed in the Related Materials Note, contain named
patient records and are accessible only under restricted conditions.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Series 1-3 are open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request
button located on this page.
Series 4 restricted pending review by campus counsel. Inquire at History and Special Collections for the Sciences, UCLA Library
Special Collections, UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library (speccoll-medsci@library.ucla.edu, or 310-825-6940).
Conditions Governing Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other 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 where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], Richard O. Myers papers (Biomed 422). Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections
for the Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was purchased as part of "Collection of forensic and legal medicine: including toxicology, trials, pathology
and obstetrics" from B & L Rootenberg Fine and Rare Books, 1992.
Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user
interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides
a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive
processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.
Processed by Pat L. Walter, date unknown.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
6481365
Richard O. Myers, M.D., (1920-1995) was a pathologist with special enthusiasm for forensic pathology. He was so active and
renowned in this specialty that a major author of mystery books, Earl Stanley Gardner, dedicated one of his books to him (
The case of the spurious spinster, 1961). Dr. Myers felt very strongly that coroners and those performing postmortem procedures should be well trained specialists,
that the forensic pathologist is "not an advocate but an unbiased scientific friend of the court", and that medical education
needed not only to train more medical-legal experts, but also to teach all physicians their basic duties in relation to potential
legal questions.
Dr. Myers received his M.D. from the University of Southern California in 1944, and held a rotating internship and residency
in pathology at the Los Angeles County Hospital. He was Board certified in pathologic anatomy and forensic pathology. From
1946 to 1948 he served in the U.S. Army as Chief and Commanding Officer of laboratories in Puerto Rico. After his release
he joined the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office for seven years as an autopsy surgeon, and also rejoined the USC Pathology
Department faculty, advancing over the years from Assistant in Pathology to Associate Clinical Professor. In 1949 he helped
to create a teaching program in forensic medicine at the USC Medical School, a program which he later headed; he also lectured
at the University of California, Los Angeles and the College of Medical Evangelists. Dr. Myers served as Director of Laboratories
and Pathologist in several hospitals in the Los Angeles area and instructed residents in forensic medicine.
In the mid 1950's, in parallel with his hospital and teaching duties, Dr. Myers started a practice in private consultation
work and autopsies. At all times he continued his crusade for improving the status of forensic pathology and the education
of its practitioners. He joined local, regional, and national societies of pathology and expended time and energy on committee
assignments. He also fed his interest in the history of pathology and forensic medicine, and his special interest in toxicology,
by amassing a large collection of books, articles, portraits and other illustrations on forensic medicine and true crime.
The collection contains an autobiographical letter to the mystery writer Earl Stanley Gardner, and a few other personal letters.
There are a number of handwritten notes and typed schedules and contents for lectures on general and specific topics in forensic
medicine, as well as some complete texts for presentation. The subject files contain mainly reprints and pages from articles
in medical and public health journals, plus magazines, drug company directives, and newspaper clippings. The topics cover
a wide array of forensics and medical jurisprudence, plus some basic physiology and anatomy. The next part of the collection
consists of circa 150 lantern slides of eminent scientists and physicians, almost all single portraits, plus a few group shots,
cartoons, and objects; there is no guide to how Dr. Myers chose his subjects. The collection's final section on legal cases,
which may be the most interesting is unfortunately also the smallest, but It does provide a few examples of the reports that
Dr. Myers supplied to his clients.
The collection is organized into four series:
- Series 1: Personal and Academic Career Papers (7 folders)
- Series 2: Subject Files (200 folders)
- Series 3. Lantern Slides (188 slides)
- Series 4: Legal Case Reviews by Dr. Myers (7 folders)
History and Special Collections for the Sciences manuscript collections no. 98, 99, and 101 are directly related to this collection.
Ms. Coll. no. 98 consists of six 5x7" bound books containing autopsy reports by A.S. Wagner, M.D. performed for the Los Angeles
County Coroner's Office from November 1, 1913 to December 31, 1915. Ms. Coll. no. 101 contains five similar volumes, for autopsies
performed by Richard O. Myers, M.D., from May 5, 1945 to February 27, 1946. Ms. Coll. no. 99 consists of one 9x15" bound volume
titled
Toxicology Case Book, 1950-1951, Office of the County Coroner, Los Angeles, California; the book lists lab. number, cause of death, date, time, specimen,
name of subject, name of autopsy surgeon, and name for "delivered by".
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Autopsy -- Case Reports
Forensic Medicine -- History