New Exhibit: Lifeblood: A Historical Examination of Hematology

Published Dec 12, 2025 by
Filed under:

A glass display case containing historical hematology artifacts, including old medical books, a red hardcover titled “Hematology,” diagrams of blood cells, and vintage instruments.

The exhibit I curated, Lifeblood: A Historical Examination of Hematology, explores how the modern practice of blood work developed from the late 19th century to the late 20th century. Each artifact represents an important tool for examining and collecting a person’s blood for medical and educational purposes.

I chose to research and curate this exhibit because of inspiration from my mother. She currently works as an emergency room nurse and regularly performs tasks such as drawing blood, administering blood transfusions, and cleaning up blood from patients in dire need. She often tells me about the tools she uses, such as the sphygmomanometer and infusion pump, which sparked my interest because I remembered seeing several hematological tools and books in Laupus Library’s History Collections archives room. I thought these materials would be interesting to investigate, given hematology’s long history and evolution.

Tyrell Wilson standing next to a display table with various items arranged on it, including books and documents.

 

Many of the books in the exhibit were created to teach the next generation of students and practitioners of their respective time periods, promoting a growing understanding of blood pressure, blood-related diseases, and their treatment.

In conclusion, I have greatly enjoyed researching and designing this project on my own terms. It has expanded my knowledge of the history of hematology and, most importantly, given me valuable professional experience in curating my own exhibit as a future archivist or librarian. I am also proud to present this exhibit for those who are interested or are already in the medical field that study hematology since they can learn a bit about its roots.

Tyrell Wilson wearing an ECU graduation cap and gown with a yellow stole that reads ‘First Generation’.Tyrell Darrell Wilson is a graduate student in the Master of Library Science Program. He was originally from Baltimore Maryland before he moved to Warren County, North Carolina in 2011. Tyrell came to ECU to earn his Bachelor of Arts in History because he was drawn to the culture of ECU, it was closer to home, and he had always been fascinated learning about history, particularly, the World War II and Vietnam eras. He has been working for the History Collections department of Laupus Library since August 2024 and details his experience in our Student Spotlight blog post.