Research, 1925-1988

The Research Series consists of files concerning various research projects undertaken by Dr. Adriani and others between the 1930s and the 1980s. For the most part, these projects were executed without sponsorship.

The first subseries consists of research undertaken by Adriani himself. Most significant are his introduction of saddle block anesthesia in the late 1940s, his comparative studies of topical analgesics in the 1950s, and his work on nitrous oxide exposure in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The series also contains projects carried out in the 1930s under the supervision of Emery A. Rovenstine at Bellevue, as well as a typed list of "Research in Progress or Contemplated" dated January 1, 1951. Much of the Research Series consists of informal handwritten notes, tables and graphs. Some of the files contain specific case records of named patients and have been marked [RESTRICTED PHI POLICY]; consult the manuscripts curator for access to these files. Also included in this series are files containing research of other physicians and a few "quacks," including a negative report by Dr. Adriani on a ganglionic block developed by a Dr. Soresi (1947) and correspondence on a drug which allegedly "dissolved" atherosclerosis (1968-1969). A separate subseries has been established for Adriani's investigations into acupuncture in the early 1970's and his efforts to begin a research clinic on acupuncture at Charity Hospital. Fully half the material deals with his relations with James Ching-Hwa Chang, who ran an acupuncture clinic at Charity for five months in 1974. A third subseries consists of research performed by others.