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Henry Nelson Harkins Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS C 263

Abstract

Dr. Henry Harkins was with the Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Washington from 1947. The collection contains correspondence, biographical data, research studies, typescripts of talks and lectures, operative records and case reports, memoranda, diaries, reprints and printed matter, certificates and diplomas, and photographs.

Dates

  • Creation: 1912-1971

Extent

37.47 Linear Feet (89 boxes + oversize)

Creator

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Access Restrictions

Collection is restricted. Portions of the collection are restricted according to HMD's Access to Health Information of Individuals policy. Contact the Reference Staff for information regarding access. For access to the policy and application form, please visit https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/manuscripts/phi.pdf.

Copyright and Re-use Information

Donor's copyrights were transferred to the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.

Privacy Information

Archives and manuscript collections may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in any collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications for which the National Library of Medicine assumes no responsibility.

Biographical Note

Henry Nelson Harkins (1905-1967) was born in Missoula, MT, and was the son of another well-known chemist, William Draper Harkins who chaired the University of Montana's chemistry department. Henry Harkins was raised in Chicago, IL. He attended the University of Chicago, ultimately graduating in 1926 with a Ph.D. in chemistry. He then obtained his medical degree in 1930 from Rush University. During medical school, he was awarded the Douglas Smith Fellow in Medicine where he studied physiological chemistry under Albert B. Hastings. Another postdoctoral research program under Dallas Phemister captivated his interest in surgery as well, and throughout his career he promoted and developed his interests in chemistry, surgery and teaching.

He served as Instructor in Surgery at Wayne State University and Associate Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University before coming to the University of Washington in 1947 as Professor of Surgery and the first Chairman if the Department. He was also the first chairman appointed to a clinical department in the new Medical School. He created one of the first surgical residency programs, recognized throughout the world for its excellence. He exerted an important influence in many of the Department's subsequent appointments and helped guide the initial development of the School of Medicine. He retired in 1964 in order to return to his research interests. He spent the year 1965-1966 as a Guggenheim Fellow, traveling throughout world, but in Scandinavia and Europe particularly, studying gastrointestinal surgical techniques.

Hasting's major areas of research included shock and burns, gastrointestinal surgery and physiology of gastric secretions. His interest on shock and burns was largely a outcome of World War II experiences, the result of which was his classic book The Treatment of Burns (1942). Hasting turned his focus to gastric physiology and surgery, particularly surgical treatments of the duodenum and for ulcers. Dr. Harkins also served as a consultant and advisor to the Public Health Service throughout his career and also served on the National Library of Medicine's Board of Regents (1962-1966).

Harkins was a well-liked lecturer and held several visiting professorships, partially in conjunction with his Guggenheim Fellowship, in places such as Australia, Kuala Lumpur, South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand, and Sweden. While there the Swedish Surgical Society honored him as the Acrel Medalist. He served on several editorial boards and was an active member in many professional societies. He was also the author of over 340 articles, 9 books, and contributed chapters to many others. Dr. Harkins represented the classic academic surgeon, being at once a teacher, an investigator, a student, a scholar, and an important contributor to worldwide medicine. The Henry N. Harkins Surgical Society is named for him.

Collection Summary

Includes personal and general papers, and extensive correspondence pertaining to Dr. Harkins' publications, research projects, travel and meetings. Contains numerous photographs. Collection has some material relating to Dr. William D. Harkins.

Abstract

Dr. Henry Harkins was with the Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Washington from 1947. The collection contains correspondence, biographical data, research studies, typescripts of talks and lectures, operative records and case reports, memoranda, diaries, reprints and printed matter, certificates and diplomas, and photographs.

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Provenance

Gift from Jean T. Harkins, 1971.

General

Processed by
HMD Staff
Encoded by
Dan Jenkins

General

Photograph Index (* indicates photo album, Sweden, 1965)

  1. Adams, W.
  2. Allison, P.
  3. Anderson, R. *
  4. Artz, C.
  5. Agerholm-Christensen
  6. Bailey, P.
  7. Barrett, N.
  8. Beardsley, J.M.
  9. Bennett, E.
  10. Blalock, A.
  11. Brooks, V. *
  12. Bruce, J.
  13. Carlson, A.
  14. Chambers, J.
  15. Churchill, E.
  16. Colcq, J.
  17. Coe, H.
  18. Cole, H.
  19. Cope, O.
  20. Dahn, I. *
  21. Dam, H.
  22. Davis, L.
  23. Daw, H.
  24. Dierto, R.
  25. Dillard, D.
  26. Dinsmore, R.
  27. Dragstedt, L.
  28. Drew, C.
  29. Dudley, H.
  30. Dunlop, S.
  31. Ekman, C.A. *
  32. Forssell, C. *
  33. Fraser, J.
  34. Fredlund, E. *
  35. Garmer, C. *
  36. Gerbode, F.
  37. Gerron, J.
  38. Girvin, G.
  39. Glenn, F.
  40. Griffith, C.
  41. Hallbook, T. *
  42. Hansson, K. *
  43. Hjorth, N. *
  44. Huldt, B *
  45. Jackson, R.
  46. Jensen, A.S. *
  47. Jesseph, J.
  48. Jones, T.
  49. Jonsson, G. *
  50. Kiriluk, L.
  51. Korntalt, S.A. *
  52. Lamson, O.
  53. Lenninger, S. *
  54. Leopold, F.
  55. Lewisohn, R.
  56. Lindstedt, E. *
  57. Lingardh, G. *
  58. Listerud, M.
  59. Livingston, H.
  60. Luckhardt, A.
  61. McGuire, R.
  62. Martinis, A.
  63. Matas, R.
  64. Metheny, D.
  65. Neildoff, G.
  66. Nystrom
  67. Ochsner, A.
  68. Ohsawa, T.
  69. Pack, G.
  70. Peacock, A.
  71. Phemister, D.
  72. Post, A.
  73. Ravdin, I.S.
  74. Ravitch, M.
  75. Rheault, M.
  76. Rhoads, J.
  77. Reinhoff, W.
  78. Rubin, S. *
  79. Sandblom, P.
  80. Sauvage, L.
  81. Schneiden, V.
  82. Seiron, V.
  83. Schumacker
  84. Silerth, H.
  85. Stevenson, J.
  86. Strauss, A.
  87. Thomas, G.
  88. Trueblood, D.
  89. Vang, J. *
  90. Vetto, R.
  91. Volhard, F.
  92. Wangensteen, O.
  93. Ward, G.
  94. Whipple, A.
  95. Winterschied, L.
  96. Wykoff, H.
  97. Zeck, R.
Title
Finding Aid to the Henry Nelson Harkins Papers, 1912-1971
Status
Unverified Partial Draft
Author
HMD Staff
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English
Edition statement
Version 1.0

Collecting Area Details

Part of the Archives and Modern Manuscripts Collections Collecting Area

Contact:
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