Bernard Becker Reprints

Description

Reference code

FC101

Level of description

Collection

Title

Bernard Becker Reprints

Date(s)

  • 1948-1985 (Creation)
  • 1948-1985 (Creation)

Extent

0.65 cubic feet (1 box, 5 volumes)

Name of creator

(1920-2013)

Biographical history

Bernard Becker was born in New York City in 1920. He graduated from Princeton University in 1941 and from Harvard Medical School in 1944. After an internship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps before completing his training in ophthalmology at the Wilmer Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He then briefly served on the faculty at Johns Hopkins before coming to Washington University, where he served as Head of the Ophthalmology Department from 1953 until 1988.

Dr. Becker dedicated his research and clinical practice to glaucoma, and he was instrumental in establishing the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the world's leading organization for ophthalmology research. He served as president of that group and also as director of the American Board of Ophthalmology. In addition, he was a founding member of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology, and played a vital role in establishing the National Eye Institute, where he served in many leadership positions.

Dr. Becker chaired the committee that oversaw design and construction of the Washington University Medical Library, which was completed in 1989. The building was renamed the Bernard Becker Medical Library in his honor in 1995. Dr. Becker was also an avid book collector who accumulated over 600 volumes of rare medical books on the sciences of the eye and light. He generously gave his collection to the medical school, where they are housed in the Archives and Rare Books Department of the Becker Library. The Bernard Becker Collection in Ophthalmology and Optics span some five hundred years and include works such as Georg Bartisch's 16th century monograph Opthalmodouleia, which was the first comprehensive work on eye diseases and their treatments; two incunabula (books printed prior to 1500), and works by key scientific figures such as Antonio Scarpa and Francesco Redi.

Scope and content

5 bound volumes of reprints. Articles on glaucoma and other ophthalmologic topics originally published in various scientific and medical journals.

Bernard Becker papers acquired by rare book librarian in Rare Book Accession 2008-001 and accessioned as Archives Accession 2010-004:
1) One bound volume of congratulatory letters given to Dr. Becker on the occasion of his 25th anniversary as chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, April 27th, 1979.

2) Two 5x7 inch silver gelatin photographs of the staff of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, the first dated circa 1954, the second dated circa 1979.
3) One pamphlet for the occasion of the 25th anniversary including a list of contributors toward an endowment fund in honor of Bernard Becker, April 27th, 1979.

System of arrangement

Conditions governing access

The collection is open and accessible for research.

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Users of the collection should read and abide by the Rights and Permissions guidelines at the Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives.

Users of the collection who wish to cite items from this collection, in whole or in part, in any form of publication must request, sign, and return a Statement of Use form to the Archives.

For detailed information regarding use of this collection, contact the Archives and Rare Book Department of the Becker Library (arb@wusm.wustl.edu).

Preferred Citation:

Item description, Reference Code, Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives, Washington University in St. Louis.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

Finding aids

Custodial history

Gift, Bernard Becker papers to Rare Book Librarian; Becker Library copy: Bernard Becker MD: Rare Book Accession 2008 (2010-004).

Immediate source of acquisition

Gift, Bernard Becker Reprints; Becker Library copy: Bernard Becker, MD; 1991; (91-056).
Transfer to Archives , Bernard Becker Papers: Becker Library copy: from Rare Book Librarian, (2010-004)

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Accruals

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related archival materials

Specialized notes

Alternative identifier(s)

Rules or conventions

"Describing Archives: A Content Standard, Second Edition (DACS), 2013."

Sources used

Archivist's note

© Copyright 2019 Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives. All rights reserved.

Place access points

Accession area