Hultgren (Herbert) Papers, 1940-1998

Collection context

Summary

Title:
Herbert Hultgren Papers,
Dates:
1940-1998
Creators:
Hultgren, Herbert N.
Abstract:
Papers of Herbert Hultgren, cardiologist, mountain climber, researcher in high altitude medicine, and specialist in the study of high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Hultgren and his colleague, Dr. Warren Spickard, were the first to publish a full account of high-altitude pulmonary edema in an English language publication. The papers contain materials related to Hultgren's work in Peru in the early 1960s on HAPE; drafts and production materials for his self-published textbook entitled HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE; a complete collection of his reprints; and files related to his important journal articles. The bulk of the collection is concerned with Hultgren's research on high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and preparation of the book HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE and contains notebooks, drafts, notes, correspondence, data from experiments and patient observations, and reference articles. Also included are files documenting Hultgren's work on cardiac catheterization and establishment of first catheterization laboratory in Stanford, as well as his observation of cases of severe starvation in concentration camp survivors conducted while he served in Europe with U.S. Medical Corps in the end of the World War II. The papers are arranged in six series: 1) NOTEBOOKS, 2) SUBJECT FILES, 3) JOURNAL ARTICLES, 4) HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE - BOOK MATERIALS, 5) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS, and 6) REPRINTS.
Extent:
4.00 linear feet (11 archives boxes)
Language:
Collection materials in English
Preferred citation:

Herbert Hultgren Papers, MSS 0628. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.

Background

Scope and content:

The papers of Herbert Nils Hultgren (1917-1997), a prominient cardiologist and pioneering researcher in high altitude medicine, document his research in high altitude medicine and cardiac catheterization. The bulk of the collection is related to Hultgren's research on high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and preparation of his book entitled HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE. These materials comprise notebooks, subject files, and drafts of chapters. Materials related to his trip to Peru in 1960-1961 include a notebook and transcriptions of two tapes dictated by Hultgren while he was there. Also represented in the collection are materials documenting Hultgren's observations of severe cases of starvation in Nazi concentration camp survivors.

The papers are arranged in six series: 1) NOTEBOOKS, 2) SUBJECT FILES, 3) JOURNAL ARTICLES, 4) HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE - BOOK MATERIALS, 5) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS, and 6) REPRINTS.

SERIES 1: NOTEBOOKS

The NOTEBOOKS series contains manuscript notes on military medicine and experiments done at the 131st Evacuation and 59th Field Hospitals with the U.S. Army Medical Corps, observations of cases of severe starvation in Nazi concentration camp survivors, laboratory notes on cardiac catheterization and congenital heart disease, and observations of HAPE from a 1961 trip to Peru. The notebooks are organized chronologically.

SERIES 2: SUBJECT FILES

The SUBJECT FILES series, arranged alphabetically, contains research materials related to the study of coronary artery perfusion, high altitude pulmonary edema, hypercholesterolemia, and malnutrition. Included are data sheets, charts, X-rays, correspondence, and figures.

SERIES 3: JOURNAL ARTICLES

The JOURNAL ARTICLES series contains manuscript drafts, correspondence and research materials for selected journal articles.

SERIES 4: HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE - BOOK MATERIALS

The HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE series contains files that were generated during Hultgren's work on his HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE book. The files include correspondence, notes, reference materials, figures, and drafts. The series is arranged in three subseries: A) Research Materials, B) Drafts, and C) Editorial Materials.

A) The Research Materials subseries is arranged by chapter and contains notes, correspondence, and reference articles.

B) The Drafts subseries is also arranged by chapter and contains typescripts for each chapter of the book. Also included are figures, correspondence and reference articles.

C) The Editorial Materials subseries contains correspondence regarding monograph indexing and editorial notes.

SERIES 5: MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS

The MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS series contains Hultgren's curriculum vitae and a list of his publications. Also included are files related to a discussion of Hultgren's contribution to the study of HAPE syndrome, and transcriptions of tapes dictated by Hultgren in Peru in 1960 with his commentary on HAPE.

SERIES 6: REPRINTS

The REPRINTS series contains a complete collection of Hultgren's reprints arranged in numerical order.

Biographical / historical:

Herbert Nils Hultgren was born on August 29, 1917, in Santa Rosa, California. He attended Santa Rosa Junior College and then Stanford University where he graduated in 1939. Hultgren attended the Stanford School of Medicine and graduated in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army in Europe between 1944 and 1945 where he observed starved prisoners from German concentration camps. Before joining the Stanford faculty in 1948, he completed residencies in internal medicine and pathology at Stanford. He attained the rank of professor at Stanford School of Medicine and served as chief of the Cardiology Division at Stanford Medical School and later at the Veterans Administration Hospital, Palo Alto, California. Hultgren designed and established the first cardiac catheterization laboratory in Northern California.

In 1959, Hultgren and his colleague, Dr, Warren Spickard, traveled to Peru and visited the Chulec General Hospital where they encountered high altitude pulmonary edema, known locally as edema of the lungs in newcomers. They reviewed the reports on 41 cases and presented the data in the Stanford Medical Bulletin.

In 1990, Hultgren received the prestigious Albion W. Hewlett Award for excellence in patient care, teaching, and research by his fellow Stanford University faculty members. He served as chairman of the Sub-specialty Board on Cardiovascular Disease of the American Board of Internal Medicine, President of the Association of University Cardiologists, President of the Western Association of Physicians, and was a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation.

After his retirement, he continued part-time teaching and lecturing until his death in October 1997.

Acquisition information:
Not Available

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Mandeville Special Collections Library
Date Prepared:
Copyright 2005
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid derived from database output. Date of source: 2005

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research

Terms of access:

Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.

Preferred citation:

Herbert Hultgren Papers, MSS 0628. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.

Location of this collection:
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept. 0175
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175, US
Contact:
(858) 534-2533