Sunday 24th October: United Nations Day

The 24th of October has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948, to remember the anniversary of the launch of the United Nations on 24 October 1945. At the Official Publications Unit of the National Library of Scotland we collect United Nations publications too. Some items published by the UN during the 70s have recently been added to the NLS on-line catalogue and are now easier to find for our readers. To celebrate UN day and its achievements here is a selection from our “vintage” project…
- “Cultural rights as human rights” (1970) shelf mark UNESCO.90.[3]
- “Apartheid in practice” (1969) UN.XIV.2/3.[1]
- “United Nations population fund: what it is, what it does, how it works, why it concerns you” (1971) UN.XIII.1.[1]
- “Human rights protect refugees” (1973) UN.XV.2.[2]
- “The needs of children: a survey of the needs of children in the developing countries” (1963) UN.I.9/10.[1]
- “Preparations of the child for modernization: skills and intellectual requirements” (1970) UN.IV.19.[70.16]
- “Rural cooperative and planned change in Africa” (1972) UN.IV.17.[5]
…and something for book and library lovers too:
- “Books for all: a programme of action” (1973) UNESCO.1/15.[3]

Image: “Non-violence” by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, United Nations, New York, 1988 (credit: United Nations website www.un.org)

Yes Minister

A fascinating item was added to the OPU collection this week, Working with Ministers. I was particularly impressed with the introduction where it stated “Serving ministers can be exhilarating and rewarding: what more worthwhile work can there be than playing a part in the government?” It goes on to say however, “when roles, relationships and ministers’ requirements are unclear, the environment can become unhappy and unproductive.”
The book explains what civil servants are expected to do, from briefing a Minister to drafting Ministers’ speeches and drafting answers to Parliamentary Questions. The book has short pithy statements, which are then expanded, some of these are :
“While it is helpful if ministers understand the needs of the civil servants, it’s essential that civil servants understand the needs of ministers”;
“It falls to officials to ensure that ministers’ decisions are based on a firm foundation of fact” ;
“Standard paragraphs and standard letters should, however, be used with real caution.”
It is a practical and helpful read, there are supplements to the chapters that are very informative, such as useful phrases and sentences. The best supplement has to be words and phrases to avoid. This made me smile as I still hear these words used but these “are now deemed ugly, imprecise or simply over-used and should be avoided,” such as ball park, customer, growing forward, mission statement, to negatively impact, drivers, vision and so on.
I thoroughly enjoyed leafing through this book.

(Photo credit BBC)

One "therian" a day...

In 130 B.C. a Greek ship sank off the coast of Tuscany, Italy.
How can this be relevant to the history of medicine? It can because in 1974 the shipwreck was found and years later a box full of ancient medicines, prepared by the physicians of ancient Greece, was discovered amongst other objects.
Many of the pills were completely dry and have recently been analysed by Robert Fleisher of the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park (Washington, DC), who reported on his study on Monday 13th September 2010 at the Fourth International Symposium on Biomolecular Archaeology in Copenhagen, Denmark. Analysing the DNA fragments of two of the pills, Fleisher discovered that each tablet is a mixture of more than 10 plants extracts. Carrot, radish, celery, wild onion, oak, cabbage, alfalfa, yarrow and hibiscus are only some of the ingredients.
Alain Touwaide, scientific director of the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions, is studying whether these plants extracts are now known to treat illnesses effectively. He also aims to discover therian, an ancient remedy, and to document exactly the measurements ancient doctors used to manufacture it.

(photo credit : planetaryapothecary.com)

Indian Hemp Drugs Commission

Harding-Simpole is a publishing house which specialises in books which are often difficult to find.Some of these will be reprints that are rare or impossible to obtain through the usual channels.
In association with the National Library of Scotland, they have published a facsimile reprint of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission report of 1893-94.
This report is the most comprehensive study on the effects of cannabis use ever undertaken. 1,455 witnesses were cross-examined in 86 meetings in 36 cities throughout India.

This reprint includes including rare photographs of cannabis cultivation, production and consumption.
There are some fascinating case studies: “[When] he [a soldier in the 13th Regiment] went on leave and lost some relations from cholera … he took to immoderate smoking, which resulted in madness …he was a raving maniac – violent, obstreperous.”
Anyone studying narcotics will find this work compelling, especially as it appears that the same debates still rage now, for example: should the use of cannabinoids for medicinal purposes be approved?

[Quote]:
“It has been clearly established that the occasional use of hemp in moderate doses may be beneficial; but this use may be regarded as medicinal in character.”

This publication is also available on Amazon and at the National Library of Scotland.

Open Sesame!

During every weekend in September many Scottish buildings will open their doors for free. Here is a glimpse of what you could visit in Edinburgh:
- the Art Deco building of the Edinburgh Sports Club
- the Anatomy Lecture Theatre & Anatomy Resource Centre, where historical and contemporary anatomic material is stored for studying purposes
- a brand new Japanese House in Portobello
- the Herbarium and Library of the Royal Botanic Garden

For more information visit the Doors Open Days website.

Image credit: www.doorsopendays.co.uk

Dreamwords

The novel I am currently reading is no ordinary novel: archived by the British Library as the world’s first novel written for podcasting, it is now available in print. I met the author himself, Paul Story, while he was distributing copies at the foot of the Playfair steps on the Mound, as part of many initiatives happening during the Festival. I say “distributing” and not “selling” because in exchange for a copy of the book the reader is not handing over money as it usually happens, but instead an agreement to the “Honesty Deal”. And that’s what I did, I promised the author, on a shake of hands, that:
- I will finish the book within one month
- I will pay for it if I enjoyed it
- I will otherwise pass it to the next honest reader who has to agree to the same “Honesty Deal”
The hope of Story (I can’t help thinking that despite this honest atmosphere he is actually using a fake surname!) is that each copy of the book will find a paying satisfied reader sooner than later. In that case, the second book of the Dreamwords series will be published soon. I took my copy with me, thinking that the courage and original thinking of this writer would be worth the payment, no matter my opinion of the book, but then I’ve started reading it, I couldn’t put it down for hours, and once I did, I was still thinking about it…

Image credit: Paul Story

Shopping spree

Comprehensive and lavishly illustrated,
Scotland's Shops, a Historic Scotland publication, takes the reader on a high street tour from luckenbooths to department stores and arcades. The architecture of retail buildings is something that many take for granted, particularly as shops come and go and styles change.
Written by Dr. Lindsay Lennie, this colourful book examines shop development, types and architecural elements. It also contains conservation case studies of shops and includes a gazetteer showcasing the various shopfronts and interiors across Scotland.
A treat for the eyes, could this be the ultimate window shopping experience?

Scotland's Shops shelfmark in NLS: OP7.210.3/3
(photo credit: Historic Scotland, showing Fiona Hyslop launching the book in Jenners Department Store Edinburgh, in June 2010)

World Humanitarian Day

The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted in its Plenary Session on 11th December 2008, the Swedish sponsored Omnibus Resolution on “Strengthening of the Coordination of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance of the United Nations”, that carried the historic decision by the world body, to designate the 19th August as World Humanitarian Day to honor all humanitarian and the United Nations and associated personnel who have lost their lives in the cause of duty and those who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause. The Resolution invites all Member States, the United Nation system, within existing resources, as well as other international organizations and non-governmental organizations to observe the day annually in an appropriate manner. This is a major historic landmark for the Humanitarian Sphere and a great gain for all victims of armed conflict.

Swine flu pandemic officially over

The influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic has been declared officially over by the World Health Organization. On 10th August the WHO announced that the world had moved out of phase 6 of the influenza pandemic alert. Entering into the post-pandemic phase does not mean that the virus has gone away, however. There are still localised outbreaks plus the usual mix of seasonal viruses.
As the WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan stated, "Pandemics, like the viruses that cause them, are unpredictable. So is the immediate post-pandemic period. There will be many questions, and we will have clear answers for only some. Continued vigilance is extremely important."
So the days of seeing some people in masks are over. For now....

(photo credit (swine flu in Japan): New Scientist)

"The three books of the potter's art"

This 1934 Official Publication, published by the Victoria and Albert Museum under the authority of the Board of Education, relates to a treatise written in 1548 by the Italian expert Cipriano Piccolpasso. It offers the transcription of the original text in Italian and the English translation on the same page, making it particularly easy to explore the 16th century Italian text, for those who are keen to do so. Despite being a modern edition, it still keeps the feeling of a manuscript, thanks to the reproduction in facsimiles of the pages containing illustrations. The reader will be able to easily understand the content because of the modern printing, but also to enjoy the layout of an ancient book, the handwriting of the author, the amended errors and the side notes, as well as the amusing illustrations, that make up the first monograph in an European language on the subject of the art of pottery.
The manuscript remained on Italian soil until 1861, when it was sold to Sir Charles Robinson, an antiquarian. He was made superintendent of the art collections when the South Kensington Museum (now V&A) was founded in 1852. In 1863 the manuscript was added to the collection of the National Art Library at the V&A.
Given the strong tradition of pottery in Scotland, this item may be of interest to artists, art historians but also amateurs and general public. It was also the author’s belief that spreading the knowledge of the art of pottery, until then considered “secret”, would have resulted in improved interest and skills: “To those who deem me presumptuous in publishing this secret I answer that it is better many should know a good thing than few should keep it hidden”. Isn’t this the ultimate reason for every book to be collected, promoted and cared for?

Alas, poor E.T.?

The new exhibition at the Royal College of Surgeons is on now until April 2011. It explores the development of plastic surgery from around 800 BC, including the consequences of warfare and today's growing obsession with enhancing the human body.
I'll be going as there are never before seen pathology specimens on show, including a bound South American skull. Some ancient communities practised skull binding, which is a tantalising anthropological puzzle. While it is most likely that rope, cloth and boards were used to elongate the skull at a young age, there are debates why this was done. Perhaps it was to enhance mental abilities or it was part of a social hierarchy. Or perhaps these conical-headed people were aliens?

(photo credit: Robert Connolly, from www.timstouse.com)

Glad rags…

I went to – and really enjoyed – the exhibition of Grace Kelly’s dresses at the Victoria and Albert Museum a couple of months ago, so I was thrilled to get the chance to re-live it through the book Grace Kelly style. Both exhibition and book chart Grace’s journey from 50’s actress to fairy tale bride, and beyond, capturing her later style as she established herself in her role as princess. I was particularly struck by the exquisite detail and fine workmanship, and surprised by how fresh and up-to-date many of the earlier outfits still are. She truly is an enduring style icon.

(Photo credit: Erwin Blumenfeld, Portrait of Grace Kelly, New York, 1955.© The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld 2009; from the V&A website)

Visiting Edinburgh?

A little display of Official Publications will show you some of the beauties Edinburgh offers: from Scottish modern art to activities in the open air. You'll find it (for free and until the first week of September included) at the National Library of Scotland, in George IV Bridge, taking the main stairs to the floor above.

Image: William Crozier, Edinburgh (from Salisbury Crags), Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

Read all about us!

The Summer 2010 issue of the NLS magazine, Discover NLS, sees OPU staff busy promoting some of our fascinating and varied collection.
In "Professional Practice" Catherine Davies tells how she is cataloguing and promoting our League of Nations material and explains more about the founding of the League.
I have written a four page article about the Medical History of British India, exploring the content of some of our candid and astonishing India Papers.
Meanwhile in the News section, Jan Usher reports back on her latest visit to Kolkata where she continued to forge links with the National Library of India.
The magazine is available in the Library, or by post or online.
Happy summer reading!

Festival time!

Edinburgh's a festival city, and this year is the 6th Festival of Politics from 17th - 21st August. The theme is Changing Politics and, to demonstrate that politics is not just about politicians, features Annie Lennox, comedian Mark Thomas, and journalist Martin Bell, amongst others.

Have a look at the Festival's blog, too, for up-to-date information.

Simple yet stylish!

The coffee table book of the month must go to
V&A Pattern Kimono.
This is a lovely little book, and it has an added bonus that it has a CD-ROM at the back which shows the wonderful designs.
The Kimono was the principal dress for all classes from the sixteenth century. They are straight-seamed garments worn wrapped left side over right and secured with a sash called an obi.
Images, colours and nature play an important part on a Kimono, for example a motif of a crane is a symbol of longevity and good fortune, while a pair of dropped fans suggest lovers disturbed, and the colour red denotes youthful glamour and allure and also is a symbol for passion.
The book is full of colourful illustrations showing kimonos from the early 19th to 20th century. My favourite is on page 58 it is of an outer kimono, blue satin silk with embroidery of a tree and waterfall and a pagoda. The design is very simple but so stylish.
Although this book is about Japanese kimonos, it unfortunately came in after the display on Japanese books was set up, however, it is not too late to see this exhibition outside the Official Publications Unit in Causewayside.
The book is placed at OP5.210.5/5

There are other V&A pattern books covering the museum’s diverse collection; these are intended as an introduction to the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. The books are beautiful but also useful, showing patterns and giving inspiration to new designs.

Sick of football

With the 2010 World Cup football finals in full swing in South Africa there will be many - unlike myself! - who are already tired of football.
However, with around 350,000 people gathering in South Africa there is potential for being really sick because of football.
Mass Gathering Medicine is concerned with large groups of people exchanging diseases at sporting events, conferences and the Haj, and the World Health Organization has published World Cup advice on their website .
The resurgence of H1N1 A influenza and Rift Valley Fever is a particular worry, together with people not being immunised for the variety of infections which they may encounter. The fans will be exposed to more than the drone of vuvuzela horns and players may be swapping more than shirts. Germs cannot be given the red card, but the authorities can make spectators more aware of the health risks.

Antidote to brutality and vice

Anything containing "horror" in the title is of interest to my morbid curiosity, so that's why I took a closer look at Henry Cole and the chamber of horrors by Christopher Frayling.
Published by the Victoria and Albert Museum, this book details the origins and early history of the V&A. Henry Cole's gallery of false principles - which came to be known as the "chamber of horrors" - was the Museum's inaugural exhibition in 1852.
The book contains beautiful colour plates of the known surviving exhibits and explores the relationship between culture and society.
Cole, in his famous 1874 speech, said: "Schools of Art are there to instruct chiefly the young, but Museums are there to instruct the young and old...they are temples where all can worship in harmony; they teach good habits of order, and cleanliness and politeness...Museums are antidotes to brutality and vice."
Just like libraries!

(Photograph of Henry Cole by A J Melhuish, 1870. Museum no. 355-1886, from the V&A website)

Forests and gardens of South India

55 botanical drawings made for the forest conservator Hugh Cleghorn are being exhibited for the first time at Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. The exhibition is part of a series of drawings made by Indian artists for Scottish East India Company surgeons.
It runs until the 4th July; admission is free.

(photo credit: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh website)

Taste of Japan

I don’t know when it first started but it seems for a long time I have become more and more fascinated by Japanese culture. I thought for the month of June that the exhibition outside our office should demonstrate this. The books on display are from the Official Publications Collection, so yet again, it shows what a diverse collection of material we have, not just parliamentary papers and copies of Hansard.
One of the items is the Japanese Foreign Ministry a reference aid from the Central Intelligence Agency, Directorate of Intelligence,
Another item is Japanese art in detail from the British Museum, what an interesting book, it explains about Japanese art and goes into great detail describing Japanese art work in the British Museum.

The Tale of Genji is another book I have chosen and you can see on display the cover of this book. This ranks amongst the world’s greatest works of romantic works, it was written in the early eleventh century and had an enormous impact on Japanese literature, not just the wording but also the visual art.
The last book I want to point out is the British Museum book on Haiku poetry. Haiku poetry is short only seventeen syllables which normally consist of three phrases a five syllable phrase followed by a seven syllable phrase followed by another five syllables. When the strictest rules are followed there are three requirements, these are brevity, seasonal feeling and a cutting word, and this word can be placed at the end of any of the three lines.
.

Why not try making up a Haiku or have a competition with your friends and colleagues.
I hope that you will enjoy this small exhibition and you will become as fascinated as myself on Japanese culture.

Britain needs more babies

When your baby is coming
A Kitchen Front Broadcast prepared for the Ministry of Health and the Central Council for Health Education by the Ministry of Information.
Shelfmark GII.1/1

“The care of the young and the establishment of sound, hygienic conditions of motherhood have a bearing upon the whole future of the race which is vital”
The Prime Minister March 21st 1943.

When browsing on the stacks I came across this wonderful pamphlet, it is split into 5 chapters and is a fantastic read.
The first chapter starts with “Britain needs more babies.”
It explains that the birth rate has gone down due to the later age of marriage, the selfishness of young people who are said to prefer a baby car to the real thing!
The second chapter is about the building of the baby.
There are no special foods or drinks or pills, and you don’t need a bottle of stout or a life of leisure, however, you should eat eggs and liver and the eggs can be borrowed from your husband’s ration.
The third chapter is entitled facts and fables about pregnancy.
One of the fables is “the baby will be marked if you get a fright.” It also discusses morning sickness, it usually disappears in a month or so, a tip to help is to have a cup of weak tea and a dry biscuit or a piece of toast taken before you get up, this is a job for the father if he’s at home!
The fourth chapter is advice to mother – and father.
It states don’t be afraid of the stares of those nosey neighbours whose gaze starts at your face and rapidly descends with a measuring eye to your waist line. You are doing a job worth while and you’ve nothing to fear. It explains about a proper snooze after lunch, not one ear to the forces programme, you fingers busy with a piece of knitting, your eyes skimming across a book, you should put your feet up and snooze.
The chapter also explains what you can do to prepare your breasts for breast feeding. "It states to wash your nipples daily with plain soap and water, then gently pull out the nipple about half a dozen times, then dry it and smear on a little lanoline or cold cream if you have got it. But that’s not essential."
The father’s advice is “in the latter months some women feel depressed at their appearance. He must understand that.”
The final chapter is about after the baby is born.
The baby needs to be protected from the kisses of relatives from father downwards due to salivary bacteria, and he can wait for his first smell of father’s tobacco, and the less he is handled the better, don’t try and tickle a smile out of him.
This pamphlet is a wonderful read of a bygone time and it is full of priceless information. One final comment it was written by a man!

A man of wide interests

Andrew Duncan Senior: physician of the Enlightenment, edited by John Chalmers.

Dr Andrew Duncan (1744-1828) is best known for his founding role in the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum. When Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was built in 1738, twelve rooms were set aside for care of the insane, but these had been abandoned to other uses. A Charity Workhouse Bedlam and private "mad houses" existed, but were overcrowded or costly, thus excluding pauper lunatics.
Duncan attended a mentally ill poet, Robert Fergusson, who was forcibly locked up in the Edinburgh Bedlam, and after Fergusson's early death he wrote, "His case, however, afforded me an opportunity of witnessing the deplorable situation of Pauper Lunatics even in the opulent, flourishing, and charitable Metropolis of Scotland."
In 1790, when he became President of the Royal College of Physicians, Duncan started the campaign for a lunatic asylum in Edinburgh.
The foundation stone was laid three years later in 1809 and the first patient admitted in summer 1813. Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum was sited in Morningside, but it proved financially impossible to admit pauper patients. Duncan tried to raise more funds to complete the building, and died in 1828, with the asylum admitting only 40 fee-paying patients annually. Lack of money in his lifetime proved to thwart his ambition of a facility open to all.
In the following years the asylum thrived, and pressure to admit pauper patients increased until fee-payers were turned away. In 1869 it was reported that 7,144 patients had been admitted since opening, and in the 1920s the "Royal Ed" became a renowned academic and therapeutic centre.
The original Craighouse complex is now part of Napier University and has been renamed the Thomas Clouston Clinic.
This book explores Duncan's wide interests, organisational vigour and his commitment to public health. It contains some fascinating drawings of Edinburgh 19th century medical institutions and includes an extensive bibliography.