Title
Medical Protozoology and Helminthology (Revised 1965)
Author
U.S. Naval Medical School, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
Image
Description
Military teaching manual (1965 revision) covering human‑relevant protozoa and helminths. Heavily illustrated with diagnostic notes and life‑cycle figures (e.g., Entamoeba histolytica). Produced for Navy physicians/trainees to prepare for deployments where parasitic disease burden was high.
Condition
Blue paper cover; three‑hole‑punched; light edge wear. Text/diagrams crisp; binding intact. Very good for a 1960s gov’t issue.
Gallery
Historical context
During the Cold War, tropical disease readiness was central to U.S. military medicine. Bethesda (now Walter Reed National Military Medical Center) trained clinicians in field parasitology and preventive medicine for global postings.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
E. histolytica was a frequent cause of dysentery among deployed personnel.
• The manual’s visual style reflects mid‑century “see‑and‑do” instruction—clear line drawings for quick recognition.
Excerpt
“Ingestion of mature cyst… excystation in the terminal ileum… trophozoites penetrate the intestinal epithelium causing dysenteric amebiasis.”
Why it is in the Cabinet
Representative of mid‑20th‑century military parasitology education, blending public health, diagnosis, and field practicality.
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