Script and Production Research Materials for Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet Biomed.0007
Finding aid prepared by UCLA Biomedical Library staff, 2011.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2021 May 4.
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Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Script and production research materials for
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
source:
Belt, Elmer, 1893-1980
Identifier/Call Number: Biomed.0007
Physical Description:
1 unknown
(1 volume, 34 cm.)
Date (inclusive): 1881-1940
Abstract: The collection includes the script, photographs, and research materials gathered to support production of the 1940 Warner
Bros. motion picture,
Dr. Ehrlich's magic bullet, which focused on Paul Ehrlich's work to develop effective chemical cures for diphtheria and syphilis. A bound oversize album
contains many illustrations to guide studio set designers, props, art and costume departments, etc. Articles, many of which
have been excerpted and translated from the original German, include biographies, some of Ehrlich's publications, and commentaries
on his syphilis treatment.
Physical Location: Held at UCLA Library Special Collections. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. All requests to access
special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English, German and French.
Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Script and production research materials for Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (Collection 7). Louise M.
Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections for the Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.
Acquisition Information
The collection was a gift from Dr. Elmer Belt to the UCLA Biomedical Library.
Processing Information
Processed by UCLA Biomedical Library staff.
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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.
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UCLA Catalog Record ID
Scope and Content
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1. The Motion Picture., 1939-1940. 1 album and 6 folders
- Series 2. The Man., 1911-1939. 13 folders
- Series 3. The Science., 1881-1937. 22 folders
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Syphilis - drug therapy
Motion pictures - production and direction -- Archival resources
Ehrlich, Paul, 1854-1915
Diphtheria -- drug therapy
Arsphenamine.
Belt, Elmer, 1893-1980
The Motion Picture. Series 1.
1939-1940
Physical Description: 1 albums
Production album.
General Physical Description note: 11.5 x 14 x 3", buckram and leather bound
Scope and Contents note
materials gathered by the studio's Research Department, led by Herman Lissauer, to support the movie production; most of the
content is pictorial, appropriate for Ehrlich's time; some of the sections are named: the cast, Koch's laboratories, Ehrlich's
laboratories and study, hospitals and laboratories, general props, medical props, cafes, courtroom, chemical factory, home
interiors, makeup stills, production stills, etc.; also included is a listing of sources consulted for Ehrlich's biography
and his work, and references for art and costume research, plus a selected list of his publications
General note
the volume in its present form was probably bound on the order of Dr. Elmer Belt
box 1, folder 1
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet script.
13 October 1939
General Physical Description note: 140 p., 8.75 x 11.5", buckram and leather bound
Scope and Contents note
typed script, with "10/13/39 FINAL" on the first page; interspersed throughout are script pages typed on blue paper, with
various later dates indicated
box 1, folder 2
Program for Press preview showing of
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet.
01 February 1940
General Physical Description note: 6 x 8.5", 4 p.
Scope and Contents note
fold-out pamphlet providing: Cast of Characters; Credits; The Story; Production Notes
General note
the screening took place at the Warner Brothers Hollywood Theatre
box 1, folder 3
"Apropos of "The Magic Bulletin", by E.L. Tuchy.
1940
General Physical Description note: 1 p.
Scope and Contents note
an editorial from "Minnesota Medicine", 23:433-434
General note
Dr. Tuchy gives a favorable review of the movie and urges attendance
box 1, folder 4
Paul Ehrlich's study in Frankfurt.
General Physical Description note: 8 x 10" photographs
Scope and Contents note
four photographs of the study: 1-2. taken at the same time, one with Dr. Ehrlich, the other with Ehrlich and his secretary,
Martha Marquardt; 3. photo taken some later time, with an older Dr. Ehrlich; 4. pencil sketch for the movie set design, based
on the original photographs
box 1, folder 5
Edward G. Robinson as Paul Ehrlich.
General Physical Description note: 8x10" photographs
Scope and Contents note
eight composite photos: six showing Robinson in different costumes and depicting different ages, each with an insert of the
original Ehrlich photograph upon which the pose is based; two show multiple shots, again pairing Ehrlich with the comparable
Robinson impersonation
box 1, folder 6
Portraits of Paul Ehrlich.
Scope and Contents note
two portraits at different ages, one sitting, one standing
The Man. Series 2.
1911-1939
Physical Description: 13 folders
Arrangement note
roughly chronological
box 1, folder 7
"Paul Ehrlich, the Man and the Scientist; recollections of the years 1902-1915, with an introduction by Dr. Richard Koch",
by Martha Marquardt.
1924
General Physical Description note: 79 p. (79 sheets); paper cover
Scope and Contents note
title page dedication reads: "Paul Ehrlich, on the occasion of his 70th birthday, March 14, 1924"; Martha Marquardt was Ehrlich's
secretary for 13 years, and her goal was not to write "...of the great scholar, but of the simple, unassuming man."
General note
typed translation of the German original which was published by Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt Stuttgart, 1924; no indication of
the translator; "Belt Collection" is typed on the paper cover
box 1, folder 8
Materials furnished by the Ehrlich Family.
5 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translated excerpts from three Ehrlich letters: 1. to Prof. Salomonsen, Kopenhagen, Nov. 27, 1899; 2. to Dr. Christian
Herter, Jul. 10, 1909; 3. to Prof. Christian Herter, New York, Feb. 24, 1910
box 1, folder 9
Notes and excerpts from Hedwig Ehrlich's diary.
17 October 1939
General Physical Description note: 8 p.
Scope and Contents note
92 separate translated events, most between two to six typed lines long; very few items are dated
box 1, folder 10
"Personal impressions of Dr. Paul Ehrlich and his work", by B. C. Corbus.
1911
General Physical Description note: 3 p.
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of article in
American Journal of Clinical Medicine, v. 18, 1911
General note
Dr. Corbus, a Chicago physician, visited Ehrlich in Frankfurt to learn about Salvarsan's use in syphilis
box 1, folder 11
"Paul Ehrlich's last illness and death".
31 August 1915
Scope and Contents note
typed translation, photocopy of the original newspaper article, and reprint of the "Letter from Frankfurt a.M." published
in
Münchener medizinische Wochenschrift
box 1, folder 12
"Paul Ehrlich - in memoriam", by Carl Ludwig Schleich.
undated
Scope and Contents note
two slightly different typed translations and a photocopy of the original article
General note
p. 1409-1419, headed "Rundschau"; no other identification
box 1, folder 13
"Recollections of Paul Ehrlich", by Martha Schiff.
General Physical Description note: 11 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed rough translation of an article printed in
Deutsche Revue
box 1, folder 14
"Paul Ehrlich: persönliche Erinnerungen an ihn von einem seiner Freunde".
General Physical Description note: 2 p.
Scope and Contents note
photocopy from unidentified printed source, signed H. [perhaps Dr. Christian Herter ?]; the short biographical description
includes portraits of Ehrlich's mother, father, and Ehrlich as young man
box 1, folder 15
"Paul Ehrlich, 1854-1915", by G.H.F. Nuttall.
1924
General Physical Description note: 7 p.
Scope and Contents note
biographical note, with portrait and transcription of an Ehrlich letter to Nuttall, published in
Parasitology, 16(2): 224-229, 1924
box 1, folder 16
"Paul Ehrlich, 1854-1915", by Robert Muir.
1915
General Physical Description note: 11 p.
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of a review of Ehrlich's life and work from
Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology, 20(2): 350-360
box 1, folder 17
"Paul Ehrlich", by Alfred Lichtwitz.
1915
General Physical Description note: 4 p.
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of obituary from the
Deutsche Monatsschrift für Zahnheilkunde, 33: 433-436
box 1, folder 18
"Paul Ehrlich".
28 August 1915
General Physical Description note: 3 p.
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of an editorial and a death notice from the
Journal of the American Medical Association, 65(9): 803-804, 814
box 1, folder 19
Encyclopedia entries for Ehrlich.
Scope and Contents note
two short biographies from unidentified German sources
The Science. Series 3.
1881-1937
Physical Description: 22 folders
Arrangement note
roughly chronological
box 1, folder 20
"On methylene blue and its utilization in clinical-bacterioscopical work", by P. Ehrlich.
1881
General Physical Description note: 7 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation of an article from the
Zeitung für klinische Medizin, v. 2.
box 1, folder 21
"The organism's need for oxygen: a study in the analysis of dyes", by P. Ehrlich.
1885
General Physical Description note: 17 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation headed "Gist", possibly excerpted from the 167 p. volume
Das Sauerstoff-Bedürfniss des Organismus. Eine farbenanalytische Studie; Berlin, 1885
box 1, folder 22
"The reaction of methylene blue on living nerve substance", by P. Ehrlich.
28 January 1886
General Physical Description note: 1 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation of one paragraph excerpted from an article in
Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift.
box 1, folder 23
Three articles by Max Gruber on Ehrlich's antibodies.
1901-1902
General Physical Description note: 9 p., 2 p., 14 p.
Scope and Contents note
1. photocopy of "Zur Theorie der Antikörper. I. Ueber die Antitoxin-Immunität", by Max Gruber (in two parts), from the
Münchener medizinische Wochenschrift, 48(46-47): 1827-1830, 1880-1884; 2. photocopy of "Ehrlich's theory of haematic antidotes", in
The Medical Press, Dec. 25: 682-683; 3. photocopies of presentation and discussions at several meetings of the Gesellschaft der Aerzte in Wien,
published in
Wiener klinische Rundschau, v.15-16(no.47-51, 2):800-801, 910-912, 931-932, 952, 969-1970, 25-26
box 1, folder 24
"Paul Ehrlich discusses his syphilis specific".
1910
General Physical Description note: 9 p.
Scope and Contents note
photographs of typed translation of an article from the
Frankfurter Zeitung lent by Walter Bertheim
box 1, folder 25
Speech by Dr. Ehrlich presented at the 82nd meeting of the "Deutsche Naturforscher und Ärzte", Königsberg.
20 September 1910
General Physical Description note: 17 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation, taken from the publication of the Proceedings in "Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift", v.36, n.41, 13
Oct 1910
box 1, folder 26
"The treatment of syphilis with the Ehrlich specific 606".
13 October 1910
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of 10 pages of Proceedings of the 82nd meeting of "Deutsche Naturforscher und Ärzte", Königsberg, 20 Sep. 1910,
under the above title; typed translations of three speeches (all with notation "gist"): 1) by Dr. Ehrlich (3 p. - full translation
of same speech in Box 1, Folder 26); 2) by Dr. A. Neisser (2 p.); 3) by Dr. Alt (6 p.)
box 1, folder 27
The Salvarsan trial at Frankfurt.
07 June 1914-10 June 1914
Scope and Contents note
nine typed translations from German newspapers Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich) regarding the libel trial of Karl Wassmann, who,
among other charges, accused the doctors of the City Hospital, including Ehrlich, of using prostitutes as experimental guinea
pigs to undergo toxic Salvarsan treatments
box 1, folder 28
"Le Professeur Ehrlich a l'Hôpital Broca".
07 February 1914
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of account in
Presse Médicale (no. 11) of remarks by Paris doctors and Ehrlich's comments regarding treatment of syphilis with Salvarsan
box 1, folder 29
Excerpts from the Festschrift in honor of Ehrlich's 60th birthday.
1914
General Physical Description note: 5 p.
Scope and Contents note
"Paul Ehrlich; eine Darstellung seines wissenschaftlichen Wirkens", by H. Apolant et al. Jena, G. Fischer. 1. Biographical
Introduction, by A. von Weinberg: a rough translation of the last two paragraphs of the original thirteen-page chapter; 2.
Analytical studies of dyes, by L. Michaelis: translation of the section devoted to methylene blue; 3. The side-chain theory,
by A. von Wassermann, a rough translation
box 1, folder 30
"The Salvarsan question", by Dr. Gennerich
13 March 1914
General Physical Description note: 4 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation of the gist of an article in
Naturwissenschaften, in the journal issue dedicated to Ehrlich in honor of his 60th birthday
box 2, folder 1
"L'ouvre de Paul Ehrlich", par Roux et Metchnikoff.
16 March 1914
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of an article in French, printed in the
Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, no. 11
box 2, folder 2
"Excellenz Geheimrat Dr. Paul Ehrlich".
circa 1914
General Physical Description note: 5 p.
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of text and portrait from an unidentifiable source, possibly a book or review on the role of Jews in science and
medicine
box 2, folder 3
"Salvarsan fatalities and their causes, with reference to the harm done by Salvarsan", by Artur Schmitt.
16 June 1914
General Physical Description note: 5 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translated gist of excerpts from an article published in "Münchener medizinische Wochenschrift"; also two translated
paragraphs quoted from the Salvarsan trial in the same newspaper issue, p. 1373-1374
box 2, folder 4
"Paul Ehrlich", by August von Wassermann.
9 and 16 September 1915
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of the original articles from
Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (nos. 37-38, p. 1103-1106, 1135-1136) and typed partial translations
General note
Wassermann provided both a review of Ehrlich's life and a review of his scientific accomplishments
box 2, folder 5
"Paul Ehrlich", by Albert Neisser.
1915-1916
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of an article from
Archiv für Dermatologie und Syphilis, 121:556-578
General note
Dr. Neisser provides a lengthy review of Ehrlich's scientific work, plus a list of biographical highlights and a three-page
bibliography of Ehrlich's fundamental publications
box 2, folder 6
"Eine sterbende Krankheit: vom Aufstieg und Niedergang der Syphilis", by Gerhard Venzmer. Leipzig: Montana-Verlag.
1929
General Physical Description note: 40 p.
Scope and Contents note
a partial translation, especially of pages 61-89, under the title "A vanishing disease"
General note
the text covers a short history of syphilis in the world, a short biography of Ehrlich, and a more detailed description of
his work leading to Salvarsan and the subsequent decline in the prevalence of syphilis
box 2, folder 7
"Salvarsan -- twenty years after", by Richard Koch.
23 September 1930
General Physical Description note: 14 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation of an article from the "Frankfurter Zeitung
box 2, folder 8
"Men who conquered death: the fate of famous researchers in their battle with microbes. Preparation 606 -- Salvarsan."
27 August 1927
General Physical Description note: 11 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation of an article in "Die Berliner Nachtausgabe", section 3
box 2, folder 9
The work of the State Institute for Experimental Therapy and of the George Speyer House, Frankfurt am Main.
1924
General Physical Description note: 44 typed pages
Scope and Contents note
photographs of a typed translation of the German original, published by Gustav Fischer, Jena
General note
originally published as no. 16 of the series: "Arbeiten aus dem Staatsinstitut für Experimentelle Therapie und dem Georg Speyer-Hause
zu Frankfurt a. M."
box 2, folder 10
"History of the side-chain theory of Paul Ehrlich", by Bruno Heymann.
1 July 1928
General Physical Description note: 9 p.
Scope and Contents note
typed translation of excerpts from
Klinische Wochenschrift
box 2, folder 11
"Paul Ehrlich: a man of genius, and an inspiration to humanitarians", by Herman Goodman.
1937
Scope and Contents note
photocopy of article published in
The Urologic and Cutaneous Review, v. 41: 630-633.
General note
Dr. Goodman reviews Ehrlich's scientific accomplishments