Barney Brooks papers

Collection

Identifier: EBL-0009

Staff Only

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Personal papers of Vanderbilt professor and surgeon Barney Brooks. Materials include: correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, speeches, manuscripts, reprints, and teaching clinics.

Clinics and class rolls included in this collection are from Dr. Brooks' time at Vanderbilt (1925-1948). The collection includes a phonographic recording of a hospital case and an audiotape of a "Clinic" held by Dr. Brooks at the 20th Reunion of Class of 1930. The collection also contains his lectures on surgical pathology from Washington University.

The correspondence in this collection is mostly from Dr. Brooks' time at Vanderbilt University, but there are some letters dating to his time at Washington University. Photographs include pictures of Dr. Brooks as well as photographs of other surgeons, colleagues, former students, and mentors. Illustrations are mostly of medical procedures pioneered by Dr. Brooks.

Dates

1914 - 1952

Creator

Brooks, Barney (Person)

Notes about Access to this Collection

All collections are subject to applicable Vanderbilt University privacy and confidentiality policies. Collection specific restrictions: No Restrictions.

Reproduction Rights

Copyright is retained by History of Medicine Collections, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University or is retained by the authors of specific published items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Historical or Biographical Note

Dr. Barney Brooks (1884-1952) was a surgeon, professor, and researcher. He wrote papers on bone regeneration, intestinal obstruction, Volkman's contracture, and arteriography. Dr. Brooks was the first surgeon to perform arteriography in 1924. As chairman of the Vanderbilt University Department of Surgery he created a strong department of surgery. He was an internationally known and respected medical educator.

Dr. Brooks was born in Jack County, Texas on December 17, 1884. He received his B.S. from the University of Texas in 1905. In 1911, he graduated fifth in his class from Johns Hopkins Medical School and took a surgical internship under Dr. William S. Halsted. Then from 1912-1917, he worked on the staff of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Brooks then became a member of the faculty at Washington University from 1917-1924. In 1925, Dr. Brooks became a Professor and Chairman of the Vanderbilt University Department of Surgery, a tenure that lasted until 1951. At Vanderbilt he organized a strong laboratory of surgical pathology and introduced the Amphitheater Clinic.