Announcements and featured resources for Library Users of Ascension Wisconsin Health Intranets (including legacy Affinity/Ministry/Fox Valley, Columbia-St. Mary's, and Wheaton-Franciscan).
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In Recommended Reading for Nurses, we offer access to the hottest topics in nursing and healthcare, as well as other “must-read” content. |
| October 2024 See what your fellow nurses are reading! Browse this month's round-up of 10 top articles from Lippincott's prestigious list of nursing journals. |
Ascension Wisconsin Library Services
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Michele Matucheski Kellee Selden
Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD, publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.
With the arrival of the Halloween season, it is not uncommon to find the works of Edgar Allan Poe being recited or celebrated by those who adore the macabre. As one of the most influential American authors in the class canon, Poe heavily relied on the fears of the average reader - and himself. Illness and disease, both of mental and physical nature, factor often in his poems and short stories. Such topics would later appear vividly personified in the illustrations which would accompany the many posthumous printings of his work. Through his writing, visual artists can creatively depict the morbid visions such as Lenore or the Raven, but also give insight as to the mental state of the author himself.
“Edgar Poe was born in Massachusetts, on January 19, 1809, to parents Elizabeth and David Poe, who were traveling actors … In 1811, Elizabeth Poe passed away from tuberculosis, which she contracted while pregnant with Edgar; David Poe followed in death a mere 3 days later. Following the death of their parents, the Poe children were separated. Edgar was adopted by the childless John and Frances “Fanny” Allan of Richmond, Virginia; he was later christened as who we now know as “Edgar Allan Poe.” Though Frances Allan was known to dote on Edgar, John Allan was often cold and unaffectionate, resulting in high tensions between him and his adoptive son…Though Poe was inarguably a prolific author, he was known to have suffered from regular bouts of severe depression. … Likely the most traumatizing death for Poe however, was the loss of his beloved cousin and wife Virginia Clemm Poe in 1847. Like his biological mother and older brother, Virginia succumbed to tuberculosis, a bacterial disease of the lungs that causes its victim to cough up blood and struggle to breathe.” (Deep Into That Darkness Peering)
In the 19th century, certain illnesses became entwined with popular culture, with their effects impacting art, literature and even fashion. It comes as no surprise that with such a personal history of disease and fairly common exposure to other ailments of the era, that Poe would then incorporate these conditions into his writing. Some of these have become so synonymous with the author that they form the framework for entire courses of study branching into various disciplines. “Various works by Poe contain references to epileptic seizures, an example being the short story The Pit and the Pendulum. In other stories, such as Berenice and The Sphinx, there are also references to episodes that resemble complex partial epileptic seizures.
In the famous story The Fall of the House of Usher, Roderick Usher and other members of his family suffer from a hereditary disease that presents as pallor (anemia), hypersensitivity to light and weakness of the extremities together with behavioral disorders. This very detailed description led authors to the conclusion that Poe was describing 2024 porphyria, which had yet to be described in the literature.” (Poe & Neurology)
Continuing from the observations of real life suffering and how it contributed to his art, no few scholars and medical experts have attempted to diagnose the author based upon surviving records. With the circumstances of his death still considered a mystery, such endeavors take on the detective role he once pioneered. “Poe's behavior, with recurring episodes of depression and behavioral changes, together with abuse of alcohol and other drugs, such as opium, laudanum and morphine, could suggest a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder with periods of depression and hypomania. Undoubtedly, the episodes of depression could also have been triggered by countless environmental factors related to his family, including disease, death and financial hardship. Reports that Poe was extremely sensitive to alcohol, with exacerbated behavioral changes, resulted in a diagnosis of pathological intoxication being suggested.” (Poe & Neurology)
With such a plethora of potential conditions the lasting power of Poe is often attributed to these factors on top of his vivid imagination and unique style of writing. Aestheticism, a process of thought which places emphasis on emotional response and setting, was just coming into fashion during the Romantic Era, the time in which he lived. “Poe’s theory of literary creation is noted for two central points: first, a work must create a unity of effect on the reader to be considered successful; second, the production of this single effect should not be left to the hazards of accident or inspiration, but should to the minutest detail of style and subject be the result of rational deliberation on the part of the author.” (Poetry Foundation)
The stories and poems practically illustrate themselves. One fine example of this would be in the work of Harry Clarke. Many readers might recognize his iconic images. The illnesses given humanoid form, like the Red Death, are chillingly accurate to the source material. “He brilliantly captioned the fear and insanity the main characters were going through. Doubtless, you can clearly see the uncertainty the characters experience in the horror scenes. Besides, Harry Clarke created odd and haunting creatures. Creatures with geometrically stylized bodies and unnaturally long slim hands, and with otherworldly, non-human appearances. Therefore, his depictions just added to Poe’s stories.” (Daily Art Magazine) .png)
Michele Matucheski, a Librarian for Ascension Wisconsin, wants to help associates learn about different groups in hopes of decreasing disparities in healthcare.
Michele, the 2023 Wisconsin Health Science Library Association Librarian of the Year, sees reading as central to this work.
“[Reading] is the closest thing you can get to being in someone else's shoes,” Michele said. “Reading can open a whole new world of understanding and empathy for someone. Imagining interactions with people from other groups can help enhance understanding, which in turn can decrease prejudice and negative responses toward those groups.”
Michele has displayed a collection of books that highlight the ABIDE framework in the window of the library at Ascension Mercy Hospital in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She also writes a blog to help associates learn more about diversity and equity in relation to patient interactions. Michele publishes five to ten articles each month.
One blog post highlighted “The Legacy of Freedom House: The Black Men who became America’s First Paramedics.” She included video resources and recorded zoom conversations in addition to book recommendations for associates to learn more.
More recently, she highlighted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health equity video series.
Michele said she believes deeper understanding of patients’ perspectives can help physicians and providers to offer more compassionate care.
“It can also help them understand why a patient won't follow their medical advice,” Michele said. “Maybe they can’t afford it or it gives them a nasty side effect. If the provider can understand where the person is coming from, then they can have a conversation about how they can make it better.”
'Go Deeper" Team Reflection Questions
1. How has a book or movie allowed you to better understand someone whose life experience differs greatly from your own?
2. How can that deeper understanding impact everyday interactions at work?
Read more on Good Day Ascension's ABIDE microsite ... and watch a short video of Michele.
The media is filled with misleading ads and stories--especially during election season.
Don't be fooled!
How to Spot Fake News - by FactCheck.org
See Also:
Evaluating Sources with the CRAAP Test
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Your Ascension Wisconsin Medical Librarians work tirelessly to support healthcare providers, nurses, rehab professionals, researchers, and patients for evidence-based medical knowledge.
The month of October is recognized as National Medical Librarian Month (NMLM) to celebrate and highlight these dedicated professionals and their achievements.
Behind the scenes of healthcare and hospitals, Medical Librarians play a pivotal role in facilitating research and quality health information.
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In Recommended Reading for Nurses, we offer access to the hottest topics in nursing and healthcare, as well as other “must-read” content. |
Answer: Yes, Krames Patient Handouts are available outside of EPIC.
Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD, publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.
