The history of medicine holdings at the Huntington are one aspect of the holdings of one of the world's largest and busiest research libraries. We are primarily a rare book and manuscript repository, with reference material typically only used by scholars working on site. The printed collections which relate to the history of medicine include approximately 500 incunables (books printed before 1501) relating to the history of medicine; approximately 4,000 rare printed works in the field; and a number of important medical manuscripts including William Hunter's manuscript for his "Two Lectures on Anatomy", for instance, and more. See the Huntington online catalog for details on the printed holdings, and contact the curator of the history of science for details on the manuscript holdings. They typically relate to British and American medicine between 1500 and 1900. SERVICES: We provide comprehensive reference and photo-duplication services for scholars working locally, and will provide copies for researchers by mail, email and other digital media.

A large percentage of the printed materials are from the holdings of the Los Angeles County Medical Association Collection, which came to the Huntington in the 1980s. We carry only the standard history of medicine journals. The history of medicine during the U. S. Civil War is particularly well-represented in both printed and manuscript sources, both for Confederate and Union hospitals, physicians and practices. SERVICES: Photographic material related to the history of medicine is negotiable.