Special Programs

Frontier Medicine:
Students will learn about the practice of medicine. They will explore the kind of education doctors received, the role folk and herbal remedies played on the frontier, and will be given the opportunity to observe medical artifacts from the early to mid-nineteenth century.

Medicine in the Civil War:
Amputation kits, ether bottles, and gangrene are just some of the topics students will encounter when they participate in the IMHM’s Medicine in the Civil War program. Students will come away from this program with an understanding that disease caused more deaths during the Civil War than actual wounds.

The Truth About Germs:
This program explores the history of germs and the germ theory by discussing individuals such as Ignazz Semmelweiss, Joseph Lister, Louis Pasteur, and Robert Koch. Students will also learn about how modern science combats germs through the use of antibiotics.

Milestones in Mental Health:
This program discusses how the treatment of the mentally ill has changed over the past 200 years. Beginning with Philippe Pinel and his “moral treatment” philosophy to the real-life experiences of Anna Agnew (a patient at the Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane from 1878-1885) to the advent of psychotropic drugs such as thorazine and lithium, students will gain an appreciation for how far the science of mental health as advanced. (Grades 6-12)

Bones & Brains:
Students will learn “the basics” regarding bone and brain anatomy during this program. Using brain models and real skeletons, we will cover the importance of a strong skeletal system as well as main areas of the brain and what they control. (Grades 3-6)

Scout Programs:
Scout programs include a tour of the museum, copy of a James Whitcomb Riley poem written for Dr. William Fletcher, medical history board game activity, and patch for $2.50. (The special topic presentations listed above are also available to scout groups.)