NLM's "Old" Books Spark New Wave of Press
Attention
Exhibit Featuring Returned Latin Manuscript and Web Site
Featuring Islamic Medical Manuscripts Garner
Publicity
The Washington Post, Lancet, Science, USA Today, and Physician's
Weekly: These estimable publications have one thing in common. In a
world that seems smitten by the latest in technology, and which
harbors predictions of the demise of the book altogether, they were
fascinated by the Library's recent exhibition of ancient books and
manuscripts.
The Washington Post wrote an in-depth story on the returned Latin
manuscript (titled Treatises on Medicine), under the headline,
"Long-Lost, 855-Year-Old Medical Book is Back." That May 22nd story,
in turn, was picked up by various newspapers all over the country.
USA Today and Science also wrote about the exhibit.
In addition, Cancer Letter, the Journal of the American Medical
Association and the prestigious British medical journal Lancet
covered the launching of the Library's new web site on Islamic
Medical Manuscripts. Why all this press interest in the Library's
ancient manuscripts?
"People are fascinated by this tangible link with such a distant
past. I think you feel a real connection when you can see the
smudges left by fingers and the notes scribbled in the margins by
people 800 years ago, " said exhibit curator Carol Clausen of the
History of Medicine
Division. | 
