The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 8, February 17, 2002, Article 9

MILITARY MEDICINE

  Bill Murray writes: "Numismatic literature sources often
  surprise.  A case in point occurred recently when I was
  offered the January issue of Military Medicine, the scholarly
  journal of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United
  States, by a neighbor who said he thought it had an article
  of interest to me.  Military Medicine?  But he was right.
  Military Medicine is a journal dedicated to scientific medical
  papers and case reports.  The lead article in this issue, by
  Major General John Pearn, former Surgeon General of the
  Australian Defence Force, carried the title, ?Militares Medici
  in Nummis Repraesentati:  The Heritage of Military Medicine
  in Coins and Medals.?

  Not only did MG Pearn?s article interest me, but his 46
  references, a number not unusual in a scholarly publication,
  included some I consider worthy of  attempting to locate
  (another project!).  Not surprisingly Australian and English
  documentation comprised most of his list, though he quoted
  some United States? sources.  It did surprise that Horatio
  Storer?s Medicina in Nummis did not appear.

  Pearn begins with a discussion of numismatics in general
  to introduce his non-numismatic readers to the value of
  numismatics as an historical source.  Then, relating numismatics
  to the history of medicine, he documents numismatic sources in
 ancient sources, Hygeia the Greek goddess of health and her
  ?Roman successor, Salus? as well other ancient and later
  coin types.

  He tells us, ?One classification of medical numismatics has
  grouped such medals and coins into several classes.  In the
  context of medical numismatics, these can be characterized
  as four groups:

  (1) medals portraying medical doctors;
  (2) medals highlighting the discipline of military health;
  (3) military medical coins; and
  (4) miscellaneous themes in military medicine.?

  The bulk of the article presents examples of the four classes
  with a selection of illustrative photographs.  As indicated at
  the outset, numismatic information appears in strange places,
  but it is good to have friends who know about your interests."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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