The Medical Illustration Service
In much the same way as the activities of the American Registry extended beyond the strictly military aspects of the Institute into fields of civilian medicine, so the Medical Illustration Service had responsibilities which were broader than the limits of the Institute. These responsibilities were placed on the Illustration Service by the Surgeon General's Office in August 1947, when "certain functions of The Surgeon General's Office pertaining to the preparation and coordination of all Medical Department exhibits were transferred to the Army Institute of Pathology," and all "Medical Department installations and individuals invited to prepare or desiring to prepare an exhibit for a medical meeting, convention or other similar gathering" were called upon to "coordinate the matter with the Director, Army Institute of Pathology, prior to taking any action on a given project." The purpose and effect of the order was to "improve the appearance of all exhibits [of Medical Department functions and activities], eliminate duplication and prevent the presentation of activities and materials not approved by The Surgeon General." 21 [1]
In 1947, the first year in which this broader concept of the Institute's Medical Illustration Service was in effect, 25 exhibits were constructed and shown at a like number of meetings. In 1948, the number of exhibits built was 47, for showing at the same number of meetings. The number of exhibits built increased to 81 in 1954, the last year in the old building. In the same year, there were 267 showings of Medical Department exhibits at 121 meetings. In the 8 years ending with 1954, the Illustration Service of the Institute constructed 457 exhibits; attended 393 meetings at which exhibits were displayed; and showed its exhibits 1,217 times. Medals, awards, and official commendations received numbered 52. 22[2]
The first exhibit which expressed the triservice character of the Institute was one representing all United States hospital services (fig.104)——Army, Navy, Air Force, Veteran's Administration, Public Health Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs— shown at the 1951 annual meeting of the American Hospital Association in St. Louis, Mo. 23[3]
Illustrative of the way in which "mileage" was made by multiple showings of the exhibits, as well as the way in which the various departments of the
- ↑ 21 (1) Circular Letter No. 127, Surgeon General's Office, U.S. Army, 8 October 1947. (2) Whitehurst, E. R.: The Evolution of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and Related Problems of Administration. The Military Surgeon 106: 302, April 1950.
- ↑ 22 Compiled from Annual Reports, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.
- ↑ 23 Annual Report, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 1951, p. 57.
