About This Object

This is a medical book from the Lilly Library that contains 130 books of medical importance from the collection of J.K. Lilly, Jr. Inside the book, there are descriptions and illustrations of these 130 medical books. The book is currently housed in the Lilly Library Stacks and can be viewed by students and faculty by appointment here at Indiana University.¹

The other books listed in this collection contain information on a variety of topics that include: ancient efforts on anatomy, physiology, geology, and important breakthroughs in both medicine and how the world works.

A Donation of 20,000 Books

A History Harvest Perspective

Josiah Kirby Lilly Jr. and his family donated a large selection of medical importance to the Lilly Library between 1954-1957. The collection consisted of roughly 20,000 books and 17,000 manuscripts that had impacts on the evolution of medicine and science. This donation from the Lilly Family inspired then-IU President Herman B Wells to construct the Lilly Library which opened its doors in October of 1960.²

If you would like to view this extensive collection, which includes writings on blood circulation from 1628, Fracastoro’s poem on syphilis from 1530, and books on plastic surgery from 1597, the link can be found here.

From the Contributor

I’ve, since a very young child, been very interested in how the world works and I learned at some point that you can make a living that way. Very rarely do young children get exposed to the thought that they can do something that they really love to do. —Nelson R. Shaffer