Portraits, Primary Sources, and Perspectives on Medicine with the Brody School of Medicine Medical Humanities & Ethics Distinction Track

Archivist Mollie Frazier discusses Theodor Billroth Operating by Adalbert Franz Seligmann

This June, Laupus Library History Collections welcomed a new cohort of students from the Brody School of Medicine’s Medical Humanities & Ethics Distinction Track, directed by Dr. Sheena Eagan, for an immersive introduction to the history of medicine and the role archives play in preserving the stories behind health care. The distinction track encourages students to explore medicine through ethical, historical, literary, and cultural perspectives. As part of their summer immersion experience, the cohort visited our archives to examine rare books, manuscripts, and artifacts documenting centuries of medical practice and health care in eastern North Carolina.

The tour focused on visual representations of medicine and the ways images and written sources shape our understanding of the profession. The group examined our Theodor Billroth Operating print depicting a surgical amphitheater alongside their study of Thomas Eakins’s The Agnew Clinic. The group discussed how these scenes reveal changing approaches to medical education, patient care, and professional identity.

Archives on Deans Dr. Wallace “Wally” Wooles, Dr. William E. Laupus, Dr. James Hallock, Dr. Cynda A. Johnson, Dr. Paul R. G. Cunningham, Dr. Mark Stacy, and Dr. Michael Waldrum

Additionally, as part of their curriculum, the group has been analyzing the portraits of the deans of the Brody School of Medicine and considering how portraiture preserves institutional memory and reflects the values and leadership that have guided the school since its founding. Our collections added depth to these works through archival materials documenting the lives and careers of Brody’s leaders. The group explored records, photographs, and biographical information that illuminated the accomplishments and challenges faced by the deans since the school’s founding, demonstrating how historical records can enrich the stories conveyed through portraiture.

Dr. Milton Quigless’ autobiography Looking Back: The Way Things Were was used to examine the “doctor-writer” and his impact on eastern North Carolina medicine.

The tour also highlighted how physicians have documented their own experiences through writing. Dr. Milton Quigless’ autobiography, Looking Back: The Way Things Were, provided an opportunity to discuss the “doctor-writer” and consider how memoirs and personal narratives serve as valuable primary sources for understanding medicine in eastern North Carolina.

We are honored to continue supporting this program and introducing future physicians to the value of historical inquiry. The Medical Humanities & Ethics Distinction Track offers students a unique opportunity to connect the scientific aspects of medicine with the human stories that surround illness, healing, and professional identity.

Interested in exploring our collections? Tours are available by appointment and can be tailored to classes, research groups, or community organizations. Whether you are studying the history of medicine or simply curious about the people and practices that shaped health care in eastern North Carolina, we invite you to discover the stories preserved in our collections.

To schedule a visit, contact History Collections at hslhistmed@ecu.edu or call 252-744-3181.