An exhibition of monographs from the Historical Collection of LSHTM Library Library foyer (Library opening hours)
The London School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), as it was called until 1924, opened its doors to its first students on 2nd October 1899. LSTM began as part of the Seamen’s Hospital Society and was initially located at the Albert Dock Seamen’s Hospital, in London’s East End. In 1924 LSTM became the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and incorporated by Royal Charter on 1st April 1924.
LSTM was founded during a time when Britain was at the height of its empire. Many of the men who went to work in the colonies were dying of tropical diseases which could have been treated if more had been known about these diseases. The proximity of LSTM to the docks allowed for the immediate admission of patients from returning ships for treatment, and for the observation and study of tropical diseases in their acute stages. During its first year, 76 students attended LSTM. There was one course: the Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Health (DTMH), which ran for three months, with a final exam.
It is likely that there was a library, of some sort, almost from the beginning. A catalogue printed in January 1904 shows that at the time there were 373 volumes, including 17 periodicals and 4 yearbooks. The Library still holds 64 monograph titles and 5 periodical titles listed in the 1904 catalogue. This exhibition showcases a selection of these titles. Physical items on display:
- Celli, A. (1899) La Malaria: secondo le nuove ricerche.
- Cobbold, T. S. (1864) Entozoa: an introduction to the study of helminthology, with reference, more particularly, to the internal parasites of man.
- Darwin, C. (1875) The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication.
- Darwin, C. (1888) The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex.
- Laveran, A. and Blanchard. R. (1895) Les Hématozoaires de L’Homme et des Animaux. Pt. 1.
- Markham, C. R. (1880) Peruvian Bark: a popular account of the introduction of chinchona cultivation into British India.
- McWilliam, J. O. (1843) Medical History of the Expedition to the Niger During the Years 1841-2, Comprising an Account of the Fever which Led to Its Abrupt Termination.
- Theobald, F. V. (1901) A Monograph of the Culicidae or Mosquitoes. Vol. 2.
The 3 posters which accompany the exhibition provide further information and insight into the history of LSHTM and LSHTM Library services. The posters are illustrated with images from 20 of the 1904 catalogue monographs and from the LSHTM Archives. All titles are searchable in the current Library, Archive & Open Research Services (LAORS) online search tool, Discover, and held in the Historical Collection.
The catalogue and the resources listed reflect a legacy of colonialism and related power dynamics which still shape global health today. As part of LAORS work to address the historic legacies of colonialism, Collection Services recognises the coloniality of knowledge production and the experiences and impact of legacy systems. Collection Services supports the decolonisation of the curriculum and reading list content, and actively engages with collection and metadata management issues, including the recent revision of the Library’s Barnard classification scheme.
