Joseph H. McNinch Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS C 612

Abstract

Small collection of correspondence, photographs, writings, and speeches related to McNinch's military medical corps career and retirement, Veteran's Administration, American Hospital Association service, and the Army Medical Library/National Library of Medicine.

Dates

1929-1999

Extent

0.21 Linear Feet (1 box + oversize folder)

Creator

McNinch, Joseph H. (Person)

Physical Location

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

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

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.

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Biographical Note

Brigadier General Joseph H. McNinch was born October 5, 1904 in Indianapolis, In. He died in 1994. He received his bachelor's and medical degrees from the Ohio State University. In 1930 he began a distinguished military career first as a medical officer. He served as Deputy Surgeon of the United Kingdom Base in the European Theater (1944); Editor in Chief of the medical history of the Army Medical Department in World War II (1945-1950); Director of the Army Medical Library (1946-1949); Surgeon and Preventive Medicine Officer of the US Forces Far East (1951-1954); Chief of the Personnel Division, Army Surgeon General's Office (1955-1957); Commanding General of the Army Medical Research and Development Command (1958-1960); and Chief Surgeon of the United States Army, Europe (1960-1962). He was holder of the Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star and Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Clusters.

McNinch retired from the military in 1962 and was appointed director of research for the American Hospital Association. From 1962-1966 he was Chief Medical Director of the Veteran's Administration.

Collection Summary

This small collection contributes to the biographical history of McNinch. It consists primarily of disjointed correspondence, photographs, writings, and speeches related to McNinch's military medical corps career and retirement, head of the Veteran's Administration, American Hospital Association service, and the National Library of Medicine. The bulk of the collection contains letters and certificates of thanks for his service upon his various retirements and exits from service to those organizations. There are folders containing a few military records and orders and photographs from his late military career in Germany and Japan in the 1950s. There are also several portraits and head shots. Articles written by McNinch and others cover hemorrhagic fever, military medicine as a social instrument, primates in space flight, and MEDLARS. The topics of four speeches are the role of hospitals in the Georgia Regional Medical Program, the needs of Georgia hospitals and the future of hospitals in America, and the history of space medicine. There are no major sets of records that comprehensively document his military or civilian careers.