| RCPI Digital Heritage Collections

RCPI Digital Heritage Collections

Welcome to the RCPI’s Digital Heritage Collections. This platform allows you to search the digitised parts of our unique collections relating to the history of medicine and medical education in Ireland. The digitisation of our collections is a work in progress and only a small portion of our collections are currently available online.

Explore the full extent of our collections using our online catalogues of Archives and Objects and our historic Library.

To contact the RCPI Heritage Centre please email heritagecentre@rcpi.ie or phone +353 1 6698817

Recently added items

Kathleen Lynn Diaries

The collection contains the personal diaries of Dr Kathleen Lynn for the period 1916 to 1955. Two volumes also contain family history notes on the Lynn and Wynne families.

1916-1955

Medical Illustrations

A collection of nineteenth century medical illustrations and photographs, mainly showing cases of skin diseases, but also including some other conditions and some surgical illustrations.

Nineteenth century

Laennec type stethoscope

Long wooden Laennec stethoscope. His kind was the first true stethoscope, which were used until the later part of the Nineteenth century. The stethoscope can be separated into two parts by pulling apart from the central portion of the cylinder.

1800-1850

Brass-bound wooden box of scalpels

Wooden box consisting of 6 ivory-handled scalpels and two loose needles, presented by Dr G Bewley. The 6 scalpels are individually set in the box with metal mounting supporting the base of the handles and the need of the blade. Each scalpel blade is of a different size, with equal sized handles. The blades are set about 20mm into the handles. The inner lid of the box has a hidden compartment that can be lifted to reveal two, now empty, spaces intended to store scissors. The box is brass-bound and intended to be locked.

1850-1899

Enema set in case

Enema set, displayed in a book-like box titled "Morning Exercise", presented by Prof T Henry Wilson. There seems to be a missing part, possibly another nozzle. Present parts include a white metal nozzle, brass and white metal tube, a textile hose,and a brass and ivory syringe. The case is lined and the overall condition of the case is poor. The lock has been broken, including part of the edge of the inner rim.

1850-1899

Croker’s pill box

Cylindrical ivory travelling pill box, belonging to physician Charles Philip Croker, presented by Dr Geoge Peacocke, 10 June 1915. The cylinder is split into 5 unequal parts that can be unscrewed. Excluding the cap, pills can be stored in the remainding four compartments, with each one inscribed with the medication intended to be stored there. They read, from top to bottom: Pil. Submer; Pil Aper (probably referring to laxatives); Pil Hydra (possibly referring to blue mass, a mercury-based medicine); Pil Ant J (possibly antimony) .

1825-1875

RCPI Digital Heritage Collections

Recently added items

Kathleen Lynn Diaries

Medical Illustrations

Laennec type stethoscope

Brass-bound wooden box of scalpels

Enema set in case

Croker’s pill box

Most popular items

1 – Lynn Diary – Volume 1

3 – Lynn Diary – Volume 3

The Lower Landing, Cork Street Fever Hospital

Thomas Percy Claude Kirkpatrick Archive

117 – Bethel Solomons

Cork Street Fever Hospital and Cherry Orchard Hospital