Turning a new Leaf on an Old Face

Changing the Pages on Medieval Medical Texts

Blog post by Digital Projects Intern O. Cade Simon. To read  more posts by and about interns click HERE.

Beyond Chicken Soup: Jews and Medicine in America has been an exhibit at the JMM for quite a few months. The medical textbooks from Israel displayed in the front of the exhibit have been turned on the same pages for that duration. The exhibitions interns and the collections manager Joanna took on the task of opening up the temperature controlled cases and turning the frail pages of books that are far older than anything else in the exhibit.

The procedure for flipping these pages is delicate, plastic cradles must be used to preserve the spine of the book. The pages are held with clear light plastic bands that are taped together. Pages are turned with extreme care by bare hands because the gloves are considered clumsy and it is harder to tell if you are inflicting damage to the pages without full sensory feedback from your fingers.

These books are all made of organic materials such as leather, so the padding and cautionary handling are instrumental in preserving their condition.

In order to prevent humidity and overall weather tampering there are gel capsules stored beneath the display case that absorb the moisture inside the cases. The glass and seals on the cases help to keep the conditions dry for the books. The HVAC in the museum also does a pretty good job of making sure there is a cold air flowing, sometimes it does its job too well in my humble opinion as someone who shows up in a t-shirt to work every day. The job is slightly tedious as the displays must be lifted and put into place, and trust me they have some weight to them! Once they are in the right spot a series of screws need to be put into place to ensure a tight enclosure.

Overall it was a really fun and interesting experience that will keep people informed and captivated by the exhibit.