During fall 1918, in the last months of WWI, PHILADELPHIA HOSTED THE
LARGEST PARADE IN ITS HISTORY. Within days, all city hospitals were
full. In this illustrated presentation, Robert D. Hicks, Director of
the Mütter Museum, will discuss the PANDEMIC AS A SOCIAL CATASTROPHE
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EXHIBIT. The Spit SPREADS DEATH EXHIBIT OF THE
Mütter Museum will be open for this event. Timeline:5:30PM-6:30PM
Lecture 6:30PM-7:30PM Spit SPREADS DEATH EXHIBIT OPEN and Reception
(pretzels & cash bar) ABOUT the Speaker Robert D. Hicks, PhD, is the
Director of the Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library of The
College of Physicians of PHILADELPHIA. He also directs the F. C. Wood
Institute and holds the William Maul Measey Chair for the History of
Medicine. Formerly, he supervised exhibits, collections, and
educational outreach at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in
PHILADELPHIA. He has worked with museum-based education and exhibits
for over three decades, primarily as a consultant to historic sites
and museums. This work led Robert to obtain a doctorate in maritime
history from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. Concurrent with
the museum consulting, Robert worked for the Commonwealth of Virginia
as a senior program manager in criminal justice, providing managerial
assistance throughout the state. Earlier, he performed criminal
justice work in Arizona, and obtained BA and MA degrees in
anthropology and archaeology at the University of Arizona. He also
served as a naval officer with the U.S. Naval Security Group.
ABOUT Spit SPREADS DEATH A century ago, a worldwide health disaster
hit home. The INFLUENZA PANDEMIC OF 1918–19, the global epidemic
often called the “Spanish flu,” killed 50 to 100 million people
worldwide. Here in PHILADELPHIA, the Liberty Loan Parade, a
patriotic wartime effort on September 28, 1918, helped to spread the
disease. Soon, the city was in crisis. Hospitals overflowed and bodies
piled up in morgues. PHILADELPHIA HAD THE HIGHEST DEATH RATE OF ANY
MAJOR AMERICAN CITY DURING THE PANDEMIC. More than 12,000 people died
in six weeks; over 20,000 died in six months. Many of those people
died young. Very few were wealthy or famous. Their names are not in
history books, but their families did not forget them. Spit SPREADS
DEATH explores how neighborhoods in PHILADELPHIA WERE IMPACTED, how
the disease spread, and what could happen in future PANDEMICS.Spit
SPREADS DEATH is an exhibition and artist project that explores both
this devastating historic event and the connections to contemporary
health issues. Join US for an exploration that begins before the
exhibition opens and will continue throughout the life of the
exhibition. Major support for Spit SPREADS DEATH has been provided
by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and the Institute of Museum
and Library Services, with additional support from the Groff Family
Memorial Trust and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,
a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Event
registration is non-refundable, but is transferable to other people.
Student and Individual-level Members may purchase one Mütter Member
ticket. Dual and Family-level Members may purchase two Mütter Member
tickets. To upgrade your membership or if you have membership
questions please contact erins@collegeofphysicians.org.
Questions? Email events@collegeofphysicians.org NOTE: By entering the
event premises, you consent to photography, audio recording, video
recording and its release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to
be used for news, promotional purposes, advertising, inclusion on
websites, social media, or any other purpose by The College of
Physicians/The Mütter Museum and its affiliates and representatives.
ASL interpretation is available for any event upon request. Please
contact Meredith Sellers msellers@collegeofphysicians.org to place a
request for an ASL interpreter or for any other accessibility
accommodations.
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31/01/2020 Last update