The Bjoring Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry is one of just three centers devoted to nursing history in the world, and 2022 marks its 30th year.
February 5, 2022

Object Lessons

written by: Maura Singleton

The Bjoring Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry had humble beginnings in McLeod Hall 30 years ago ...

—a few bookshelves, a table and chairs, and a new sign and name that people grumbled was “quite a mouthful.”

But its vision was big and its founders had indefatigable energy. Then doctoral students Arlene Keeling (BSN `74, MSN `87, PhD `92) and Sylvia Rinker (PhD `95), together with UVA nursing professor Barbara Brodie, set about acquiring original documents, photographs, and other material related to nursing and healthcare history, promoting scholarly research, and disseminating findings.

The center today is an active research enterprise with archived collections that cover the breath of nursing history. A special “30 Years in 30 Objects” publication from January 2022 celebrates this milestone; we highlight several of those contents here.

1880s fever chart from the Bjoring Center
An original 1880s fever chart and nursing notes accompany a diagnosis of typhoid fever in this 13-year-old patient.
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Original mercury thermometer from the Bjoring Center archives
An 18th century mercury thermometer and wooden holding case.
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Public health nursing bag
Belonging to Edna Lois Pilch (DIPLO `34), a public health nurse in D.C., the hypodermic needles, syringes, and medicines nestle aside other items, like chicken wire - its exact purpose unknown.
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Wills' diary
Camilla Louise Wills (DIPLO `17) sailed to France in July 1918 to serve in the American Red Cross. Her diary, correspondence, and photographs relay her experiences during the 1918 influenza outbreak.
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Wills' bracelet
Wills - who served at base hospital 41 in France - cared for hundreds of wounded soldiers.
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A pelvimeter, used to measure a pregnant woman's pelvis.
Invented in 1789 and used to measure a pregnant woman's pelvis to determine whether a baby in utero was too large to negotiate the birth canal, and whether a C-section would be required.
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