Rabbit pelvis bones, undated

Spanning the years 1925-1991, the medical illustrations, sculptures, and records of Dorothy Brower provide a rare opportunity for the researcher to view medical art from preliminary sketches to impressive finished products. The collection contains a variety of artwork including sketches on tracing paper or sketch pad paper, drawings rendered in charcoal, pen and ink, watercolor, half-tone, wash, combined line and half-tone, and on Ross board and Scratch board. The collection also contains medical sculpture in plaster cast and wax moulage. There are also many photographs and slides in the collection. The materials in the collection are arranged into eleven series.

Series I, Medical Art, is the most extensive series. It contains much of Dorothy Brower’s drawn artwork from throughout her career. The series is loosely arranged by subject, grouping areas of the body together as much as possible. However, there were many drawings that did not fit into this arrangement.

Series II, Non-Medical Art, contains recreational artwork or artwork that was not medical in nature.

Series III, Medical Photography, contains color and black and white photographs and negatives, regular slides, glass slides, and transparencies of medical specimens, treatments, condition, and patients. Miss Brower also frequently took photographs or slides of her finished artwork. Photographs of her medical exhibits are also included in this series.

Series IV, Non-Medical Photography, contains photographs and negatives of colleagues, friends, and places of employment.

Series V, Correspondence, contains a letter written to Dorothy Brower from Max Brödel. It also contains letters written by her as she sought employment after leaving the Jackson Clinic in 1952.

Series VI, Publications, contain writings by Dorothy Brower that have been published in various bulletins, journals, and magazines. The series also includes some writings by others for whom she has illustrated.

Series VII, Personal, contains personal photographs as well as newspaper clippings or articles written about Dorothy Brower.

Series VIII, Association of Medical Illustrators, contains records concerning Dorothy Brower’s involvement with the organization. These records span from 1947 to 1970 and include the Association’s constitution and bylaws, newsletter, and reports from Miss Brower’s trips to A.M.I. conventions.

Series IX, Miscellaneous, contains a large and varied amount of material. The researcher will note that the first two listings in the series are listed as being in Box 14. The items were oversized and were placed in an oversized container. The rest of the material is found in Boxes 23 and 24. The researcher will also note that the series is loosely arranged by subject. Again, an attempt was made to group similar subjects together.

Series X, Reference Material, contains magazines, journals, and examples of commercial medical art that were obviously used by Dorothy Brower as reference materials as she prepared her various drawings.

Series XI, Medical Sculpture, contains some examples of wax moulage and plaster cast. The sculptures are quite fragile in most cases and great care should be taken when removing them from their containers and wrappings. The rabbit pelvis bones in Box 30 are especially fragile. The Thyroidectomy – Step One: Cervical Nerve Block wax moulage found in Box 27 is the first head from her Thyroidectomy exhibit. Photographs of this exhibit can be found in Series III.