Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green - Interview on 99% Invisible   Podcast from 8 April 2025.

This is a fascinating interview with John Green about TB, "and how the world’s deadliest curable disease still thrives—and why everything, from [Taylor Swift] and cowboy hats to colonial borders, traces back to tuberculosis."

If you want to buy the book:

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

Art in Medicine - August 2025: Medieval Birthing Girdles

Birth Girdle

Early 15th Century, The British Library

Medieval Women in Their Own Words

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.    

  It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

Medieval Birth Girdles

Throughout history and across the globe, people have created talismans, good luck charms, and all manner of comforting items meant to help guide us through hard times. Often these talismans hold a spiritual meaning and are artfully crafted.  In the European Medieval period, religion proliferated every aspect of life and an industry sprouted up around the creation of such aides.

Recently an exhibit at The British Library entitled “Medieval Women in Their Own Words” highlighted the contributions of women throughout this era. One object on display is of note for the health humanities, a highly decorated and rare example of a birthing girdle. Used as protection during the Early 15th century extremely dangerous period of labor and delivery, such items were implemented in England prior to the Protestant Reformation and somewhat into the Modern era of the 16th century. However, a Medieval Women in Their Own Words recent analysis of one such girdle had shed light on just how the girdle was actually used.

“In the medieval era, medical problems that might be considered minor today—such as a breech birth, in which the infant’s feet, buttocks or both are positioned to be delivered before the head—could prove fatal for the mother and child, as Alixe Bovey wrote for the British Library in 2015. According to the Guardian, historians posit that childbirth was the main cause of death for English women between the late 5th and 11th centuries; the study notes that the neonatal mortality rate during this period was between 30 and 60 percent.” (Smithsonian)

With such a high mortality rate for both women and newborns, it is no wonder that for centuries patients, midwives and the religious authorities were desperate to find any way to prevent such outcomes. Where then did the practice of wrapping a girdle around a pregnant woman come from? Like so many aspects of the Medieval era, one needs only look to the Church for answers. In this case, the use of birth girdles stems from a connection to multiple female saints and Marian devotion, a practice of veneration of the Virgin Mary of this era. Specific imagery, colors, and excerpts from scripture used together in everyday items from this time period have their own field of study.

Such a lens can be applied to understanding the origins and development of this girdle.  “In ‘English Birthing Girdles: Devotions for Women in ‘Travell of Childe,’ Mary Morse examines the texts and images deployed of nine English birth girdles produced between the reigns of Richard II and Henry VIII. She sets out the perceived benefits of the objects; ‘In medieval England, women in labour wrapped birth girdles around their abdomens to protect themselves and their unborn children. These parchment or paper rolls replicated the “girdle relics” of the Virgin Mary and other saints loaned to queens and noblewomen, extending childbirth protection to women of all classes.’ The legendary relic of the Belt (or Girdle) of the Blessed Virgin Mary is today divided into three pieces, and is the only remaining relic of her earthly life. According to tradition, the belt was made out of camel hair by the Virgin Mary herself, and at her Assumption, she gave it to the Apostle Thomas.” (Ritual Protection Marks)

Lately, one extant birthing girdle went under the first thorough testing to ascertain if it had actually been worn during labor as well as during pregnancy. What researchers found was fascinating and included a possible lifespan for the tool as well as evidence of multiple uses.

“By gently rubbing the fragile girdle with an eraser, researchers were able to extract preserved proteins without damaging the parchment. Next, they compared their results with samples from a new piece of paper and an 18th century parchment. The girdle contained dozens of additional proteins. "There were traces of honey, milk, eggs, cereals, and legumes—and quite a bit more human proteins," Fiddyment says. Many of those, she adds, are specific to cervico-vaginal fluid, suggesting the birth girdle was used during labor itself, the researchers report today in Royal Society Open Science.” (Science.Org)

How birthing girdles may have been worn 

Drawing, 2021, Smithsonian

This specific girdle (labeled as Manuscript 632 in the above article) was dated to a creation around the late 15th Drawing century, and is comprised of sheepskin parchment. With such findings of human proteins, evidence suggests that the girdle was tied around the women who used it during the moment of childbirth.

As for the foods present, those are attributed to both dedicated diets of the patient as well as medical uses, honey being a common medicinal since ancient times. What can also be discovered from the scroll is how often it was touched, used, even clues as to how the parchment was folded and wrapped around the body.  "MS. 632's severe abrasions implies that it was often touched or kissed, and accords with widespread evidence of medieval votive practices, where an image was kissed or rubbed so frequently the image is worn and blurred [21].  Its narrow width (330.0 × 10.0 cm) suggests that it was intended to imitate an actual metal or cloth girdle that could be wrapped around a woman's body, with the strategic placement of particular prayers against her womb.” (Royal Society Publishing)

This birth girdle is rare. During the reign of Henry VIII the Dissolution of the Monasteries was enacted, the first wave of the Protestant Reformation in England. Such objects associated with Catholicism were appropriated by the crown and often destroyed. That same analysis which discovered the use of the girdle during labor also discovered the lifespan of this particular example, which abuts the Tudor dynasty which would make it illegal.

“The chronological window during which these proteins embedded on MS. 632 is cautiously suggested between 1475 and 1625. The birth girdle dates to the late fifteenth-century, at earliest, providing the first date. The end date is more difficult to determine. In sixteenth-century England, power fluctuated between Catholic and Protestant monarchs, each influencing birthing practices, including the use of birthing girdles [30]. Because birth girdles were targeted during the Dissolution, this girdle may have been quietly stored. If this is the case, the girdle's active years of use extend from roughly 1475 to 1536—only 60 years of use.” (Royal Society Publishing)

References:
Smithsonian Magazine
Royal Society Publishing
Science.Org
Ritual Protection Marks

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

AW Library Newsletter - July 2025: Articles of Interest for Nursing - AORN Guidelines+ - New ed. of Harrison's - NEJM Quick Take Videos - Art in Medicine

Ascension Wisconsin Librarians support your health care decisions with evidence-based research and full text resources.

Contact us for research, articles, training, or online access.

Just ask!

The easiest way to find AW Library Services is to Google "Ascension Wisconsin Library."

Catch up on the latest news from Ascension Wisconsin Library Services:

Q: Why can't I access the pdf of a book chapter in Clinical Key?

      Intermittent Access Issues with Clinical Key in the Legacy Wheaton (WIGLE) Region - Need Volunteers to help Troubleshoot

Ascension selects new point-of-care tool for Nursing

Articles of Interest for Nursing - July 2025

AORN Guidelines + Now Available across Ascension

New edition of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine - 22nd ed.

NEJM Quick Takes: Short video summaries of new research findings

Artwork of the Month - July 2025: "L ' Ange anatomique (The Anatomical Angel) or Dissection of a Woman's Back"

Art in Medicine - July 2025: NLM Collections

• Read the June 2025 Newsletter.
• Update your bookmarks and favorites to the AW Library Website: https://ascensionwi17.tdnetdiscover.com/
• Where to find AW Library Resources in EPIC
• Remote access to AW Library Resources via OpenAthens
• AW Library Services Flier - General Overview
• AW Library Introductory Video

Questions, comments, or search requests,

contact Your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians:

Michele Matucheski & Kellee Selden

Use the Request Form if you need research or articles.

Our AW Library website is available 24/7.

Intermittent Access Issues with Clinical Key in the Legacy Wheaton (WIGLE) Region

We are aware of some access issues for Clinical Key in the legacy Wheaton (WIGLE) region of Ascension WI.  We are currently working with the vendors and AIT to find a solution.

We are looking for volunteers who work in the Wheaton (WIGLE) region who can help us test and troubleshoot.  If you ware willing and able to help us see-what-you-see for the sake of troubleshooting this access, please contact Your AW Librarian, Michele Matucheski.

Thank you for your patience.  

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine - 22nd ed.

We have a NEW edition of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 22nd ed. 

available through AccessMedicine.

Here is the direct link.

You can find an easy link for it on the AW Library home page in the Most Popular eBooks box.

Trouble with access? Try:  Remote Access to AW Library Resources via OpenAthens.

Articles of Interest for Nursing - July 2025

 

Unfortunately, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins is no longer offering Nurses Choice / Recommended Reading.  Because this has been so popular with our AW nurses, I'm going to try to pick "articles-of-interest" from our Top Nursing Journals from the past few weeks. 

Suggest a Nursing Article:  If you read a great nursing article recently and want to share it here with your Ascension WI colleagues, contact Michele.Matucheski@ascension.org to have it included in a future ed. 

Kowalski K. The Future of Questions. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2025 Jul;56(7):267-269. doi: 10.3928/00220124-20250611-04. Epub 2025 Jul 1. PMID: 40591790.  Link to article.

Rodriguez K, Bucco T. Let me hear your body talk: It’s me, menopause! Nursing Made Incredibly Easy!. 2025;23(4):5-15. doi:10.1097/nme.0000000000000115  Link to article. 
 
Cook D, Cullen L, Matthews G, Seabold R, Wagner M. Learning from an "EBP Journey" Using a Choose Your Own Adventure Approach. J Nurses Prof Dev. 2025 Jul-Aug 01;41(4):214-219. doi: 10.1097/NND.0000000000001149. PMID: 40591843.  Link to article.

Pizzamiglio V, Montoya L, Vandekemp A, Bernal R, Scully C, Barton G. Retaining Novice Nurses: Evaluating a Novel Role to Facilitate Safe and Supportive Transition to Practice. J Nurses Prof Dev. 2025 Jul-Aug 01;41(4):240-246. doi: 10.1097/NND.0000000000001131. Epub 2025 Mar 3. PMID: 40067973.  Link to article.

Hancock BJ, Porter-O'Grady T, Start RE. Transforming the full scope of leadership in complex adaptive systems. Nurs Manage. 2025 Jul 1;56(6):24-29. doi: 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000264. Epub 2025 Jul 2. PMID: 40591505.  Link to article. 

 

Holtz H, Schallom M, Sledge JA, Riley TA. Voluntary nurse turnover: An exploratory study of exit survey data. Nurs Manage. 2025 Jul 1;56(6):30-36. doi: 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000271. Epub 2025 Jul 2. PMID: 40591506.  Link to article.

Warshawsky N, Pascale A, Cox J, Capasso V, Edsberg LE. Utilization of Pressure Injury Prevention Interventions in Acute Care Hospitals. Am J Nurs. 2025 Jul 1;125(7):38-43. doi: 10.1097/AJN.0000000000000109. Epub 2025 Jun 26. PMID: 40563185. Link to article. 

Otis E, Reid KB, Sink LK, Scherle PA, Greene-Morris J. Supporting Nurses When a Patient Dies. Am J Nurs. 2025 Jul 1;125(7):44-49. doi: 10.1097/AJN.0000000000000110. Epub 2025 Jun 26. PMID: 40563186.  Link to article.

Chambers S, Boyapati RB, Gagliasso R, Griebenow L, Ayanian S, Kohler C, Pagali S. Improving Hospital Delirium Screening and Documentation. Am J Nurs. 2025 Jul 1;125(7):50-55. doi: 10.1097/AJN.0000000000000103. Epub 2025 Jun 26. PMID: 40563187.  Link to article.

Fowler KR, Robbins LK, Field A, Avitia G 3rd. Role of emotional intelligence in nursing leadership: Enhancing resilience and reducing turnover intent. Nurs Manage. 2025 Jun 1;56(5):19-25. doi: 10.1097/nmg.0000000000000251. Epub 2025 May 29. PMID: 40366852. Link to article.

* These articles are licensed for Ascension Wisconsin, and not otherwise free-on-the-internet.

Brought to you by Ascension Wisconsin Library Services

* Questions about access, contact your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians: 

 Michele Matucheski        Kellee Selden

NEJM Quick Takes: Short video summaries of new research findings

 

NEJM Quick Takes: 

Short video summaries of new research findings.

Artwork of the Month - July 2025: "L ' Ange anatomique (The Anatomical Angel) or Dissection of a Woman's Back"

L ' Ange anatomique (The Anatomical Angel) 

or Dissection of a Woman's Back

by Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty

In addition to the monthly Art-in-Medicine series, Lucinda Bennett, Ascension Medical Librarian at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD, also features a monthly artwork that may be of interest to those who work in medicine.  

“[Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty's] studies began as a pupil of the painter and engraver Jacob Christoph Le Blon, the inventor of the first engraving and printing process that involved the use of colors (blue, yellow and red).  D'Agoty claimed that he proposed an improved method, using black, but was rebuffed by Le Blon. In any event, it was d'Agoty and his sons who popularized the process of color engraving in France. For many years, they published a journal with color illustrations.

He was elected a member of the Académie des Sciences, Arts et Belles-Lettres de Dijon. He is best remembered for collaborating with the physician and anatomist, Guichard Joseph Duverney to produce albums of anatomical charts: the Myologie complete en couleur et grandeur naturelle (1746). The tendons and veins were described as standing out in "horrible precision".

Together with his sons, Jean-Baptiste, Honoré-Louis, Jean-Fabien, Édouard and Arnauld-Éloi [fr], he produced a "French Gallery" and a "Universal Gallery" of portraits of famous men and women, which were published in 1770 and 1772.” (Wiki)

Geography: France

Culture: Western European

Artist: Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty (French, 1716 - 1785)

Medium: Color mezzotint on laid paper

Dimensions: Plate: 61.2 x 46 cm (24 1/8 x 18 1/8 in.)

Credit Line: Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen

Accession Number: 2012.92.47

Source: National Gallery of Art

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Art in Medicine - July 2025: NLM Collections

Collections on the NLM Website, June 2025, Digital Collection Page 

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.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

National Library of Medicine (NLM) Collections

As one of the leading institutions in medical research, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in the United States boasts a formidable collection. NLM is the entity which oversees PubMed,
Medline, MeSH and all government clinical trials. Contained in their holdings are books, journals, technical reports, manuscripts, microfilm, and photos. 

This month we will investigate the collections of the NLM, how they categorize and preserve historic items and what is available for the general public as well as private researchers.

“We create exhibitions to enhance awareness and appreciation of the NLM’s trusted health information resources.  Our exhibitions feature the library’s rich collections, which encompass ten centuries of medical knowledge. As part of a U.S. national library, we seek to advance public understanding of National Library of Medicine how the past informs the present—and can shape the future. Our exhibitions focus on a variety of topics which explore the relationship between medicine and the arts, science and society, patients and practitioners, and the technology of medicine. Subjects of these exhibitions include the history of lead poisoning in America, the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, African American academic surgeons, and the history of women physicians, among others.” (NLM, Exhibitions)

Today, the National Library of Medicine encompasses not only a collection of physical media but a robust selection of online materials. However, that was not always the case as for most of history all knowledge was recorded via hand written or printed documents. As we are a young nation, how did such an institution grow so quickly in so short a time? It was not until after the War of 1812 that the collection which would one day become the NLM began to form. On their exhibitions website, the National Library of Medicine tells the story of its founding, starting with the earliest donation of medical texts in a private assembly.

“When Dr. Joseph Lovell took up his position as the first Surgeon General of the Army in 1818, he filled a few of his office shelves with books, journals, and pamphlets to serve as a reference collection for the Army surgeons under his command. In 1836, the US government for the first time provided funds for “books for the office,” and the growing collection officially became the Library of the Office of the Surgeon General, United States Army. The collection grew measurably after the Civil War, when the Surgeon General’s Library received an infusion of medical books and journals from the Army’s temporary hospitals. To take charge of the burgeoning collection, the Army summoned 27-year-old career Army medical officer and book lover John Shaw Billings. MD (1838–1913), who set out to create a comprehensive collection of medical materials. The relentless Billings wrote letters to physicians, editors, health and government officials, librarians, and society officers requesting donations, exchanges, and outright purchases. He accosted State Department officials traveling overseas, entreating them to bring back foreign medical books and journals.” (NLM, Exhibitions)

The remainder of this history website goes on to describe the growth of the Library throughout the 19th century, both World Wars, the construction of a new building to house the collection and the breadth of topics covered.  

Sagittal Series, Etching, color, 1968, National Library of Medicine 

Moving on, how do the archivists and preservationists keep such important items in good condition? Preservation is a field all to itself, and is highly specialized depending on the materials being addressed. “We use calibrated data loggers to measure and monitor the temperature and relative humidity of the underground collection spaces.  Temperature and relative humidity have an inverse relationship: when the heaters turn on in colder months, they dry the air and the relative humidity gets lower. In the warmer months, the A/C introduces moisture to the air as the inside temperature gets cooler, and the relative humidity increases ...  The NIH Integrated Pest Management team (IPM) supports us in monitoring pest levels. Pests, especially cockroaches, mice, and silverfish, LOVE library materials—they find

them both tasty and a good place to make their nests. And since we are trying to preserve our library collection and not start a new zoo, we work with IPM to prevent pesky critters from getting into the building. This also involves keeping our office areas clean and not bringing any food or drinks into the collection spaces. We also isolate incoming collection materials to make sure they are clean before integrating them into our processing and storage areas ...  The National Library of Medicine has a long history of preserving its collection through reformatting. This includes making photographic copies, like this librarian using a mobile camera in the stacks back in 1969. We also have an extensive microfilm collection. While microfilm might

seem tedious to access, it is actually an important and well-respected form of preservation. Polyester microfilm is rated to last for at least 500 years, if not longer, and all you need to access it is a light source and magnifying glass!” (NLM, Preservation)

What might not immediately come to mind when one considers the NLM is the presence of works of art. However, this Library does address, collect and display a great number of art pieces. In fact, there are databases and webpages dedicated to the various artworks contained in the Library’s holdings. One such exhibition was dedicated to a 20th century artist whose approach to anatomy became of interest to both visual art lovers as well as medical professionals. “Art is a profound medium for storytelling, and May Lesser stands among the artists who have used it effectively to capture the nuances of the medical world. Between 1966 and 1971, Lesser created more than 45 pieces that explore the complexities of medicine and humanity. In 1994, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) displayed her artwork in physical and online exhibitions that showcased her artistic and cultural contributions. Both served to foster dialogue about the complexities of healthcare and the human condition. Through pivotal works such as Sagittal Series, Blood Clot, and The Charity Wait, Lesser demonstrated her skill in capturing the unseen moments of medical practice that ensure her art remains timeless and transformative. In 2013, staff of the library rehoused a collection of thirty-nine Lesser prints which were donated to the Library in 2011, and remain preserved and available for study in its prints and photographs collection. These prints document the artist’s efforts to capture the emotional and physical realities of patients and practitioners.” (NLM, May Lessar)

References:

National Library of Medicine - Exhibitions

National Library of Medicine - Preservation

NLM - May Lesser A Legacy of Medical Artistry

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Ascension selects new point-of-care tool for Nursing

Ascension has selected Elsevier's ClinicalKey [Nursing] and Clinical Skills as our designated point-of-care (POC) tools across all ministries, with the transition planned for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. 

A POC tool is an essential resource designed to help nurses and allied health professionals find the most clinically relevant answers through a wide range of evidence-based content.

Why it matters

Transitioning from NRC+ to Elsevier aligns with our Mission of caring for those in need, 

especially the most vulnerable, to enhance access to care and unify our resources across 

the system. This change empowers our clinical community with robust, evidence-based 

tools and supports our commitment to holistic care.

Key benefits

• Expanded access to resources for allied health and specialty nursing areas
• Over 2,000 nursing and allied health skills and procedures for clinic/ambulatory,                                           acute and post-acute patient care settings

• 500+ topic pages with concise overviews about disease conditions,                                                        paired with links to in-depth content and drug-related information
• 90+ market-leading nursing and allied health books
• 60+ market-leading nursing and allied health journals
• Evidence-based Nursing Monographs and Drug Monographs
• Clinical overviews and updates on many disease conditions and care practices
• Multimedia including images and videos
• Patient Education Handouts
• Core measures, Labs, calculators and more
• Mobile app

What’s next

Look for additional updates over the next few weeks from Ascension Nursing. 

They’ll be providing training sessions and educational resources 

to support you throughout this transition.

Published June 25, 2025 in Good Day Ascension.

*  Note: AW Library Services will be integrating Clinical Key Nursing into the AW Library pages, 

and provide limited support for this new tool, as it is owned by Ascension Nursing, and is not a Library subscription

.