A Shot in the Arm: New York City Gets Vaccinated
2nd floor, Patricia D. Klingenstein Library Reading Room
The Patricia D. Klingenstein Library is pleased to present an ongoing rotation of installations in the Pine Tree Foundation of New York display cases in the Reading Room. Please note: the Reading Room is open Fridays, 5-8 pm, and Saturdays–Sundays, 12-5 pm.
In New York City, major vaccination campaigns against smallpox, diphtheria, polio, and most recently, COVID-19 have saved countless lives. These efforts, often involving city-wide initiatives, have helped to control and eliminate infectious diseases within the city. Over two centuries, The New York Historical’s rich collections have contextualized a compelling story about healthy cities, underserved populations, and disease prevention.
Highlights from the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library on display include a contemporary copy of Washington's letter to Continental Army doctor William Shippen, explaining his decision to authorize smallpox inoculation for his troops; vaccination documentation for a Polish immigrant and soon-to-be New Yorker who traveled on a French liner to the U.S; a patent medicine pamphlet detailing Ellis Island’s complex inspection and quarantine system; and public health notices produced by the Metropolitan Insurance Company and the Board of Health, urging New Yorkers to vaccinate against smallpox, diphtheria, and the measles. Curated by Anne Garner, curator of manuscripts and archival collections.
Exhibitions at The New York Historical are made possible by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, the Saunders Trust for American History, the Evelyn & Seymour Neuman Fund, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. WNET is the media sponsor.
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