Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Collection, Acc. 1992.0023, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Collection, Acc. 1992.0023, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This collection contains materials relating to Milton S. Wirtz, D.D.S., and his involvement in the development of plastic eye prosthesis from 1941 to 1947. It includes news clippings about Dr. Wirtz and several articles regarding the process and the materials used in the manufacture of artificial eyes.
The bulk of the collection consists of graphic displays of the procedures used in the fitting and processing of the prosthesis. There is a series of photoprints of service men with artificial eye prothesis, including a serviceman wearing the first plastic eye made at Camp Crowder in 1943. There are also photoprints of patients before and after being fitted with the artificial eye, as well as photoprints showing other persons involved in the process. In addition, there is a syllabus for the course of instruction in the fitting and manufacturing of the eye developed at the Valley Forge General Hospital, as well as photoprints of the stainless steel dies with descriptive captions.
A booklet entitled An Eye For An Eye, from Fitzsimons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado, has photographic transparencies showing the fitting of an artificial eye, with the complete process only taking two to three days.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Major Milton S. Wirtz, head of the dental section at the U.S. Army base at Camp Crowder, Missouri, was one of the pioneers in plastic eye prosthesis. He became aware of the concerns of people with artificial eyes while working with a dental technician who was very displeased with the glass eye he was wearing. In addition, his interest in plastics and his work with them in dentistry fueled his desire to fabricate an artificial eye.
About the same time, two other army dentists became involved in making artificial eyes of plastic materials. Major Victor Dietz in Atlantic City and Captain Stanley F. Erpf in England. These three dentists were brought together by order of the Surgeon General at the Valley Forge General Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, to pool their knowledge of plastics, science, and medicine and to found the "Artificial Eye Laboratory." In six months they had perfected the technique and developed an instruction program for training technicians. After only one month these technicians were known as opthalmoprosthetists.
Prior to the development of the plastic prosthesis, artificial eyes were made of glass by a manufacturer in Germany, using a closely guarded process. The acute need for artificial eyes at the start of World War Two became apparent when the supply from Germany was curtailed and the existing supply in the United States was rapidly depleted. In addition, glass eyes were unsatisfactory as they broke easily, exploded in acute temperature changes, were not custom fitted, and gave the appearance of staring since they did not move. All these problems were eliminated with plastic artificial eyes.
Major Wirtz received the Legion of Merit Medal from the Army and accolades and awards from the Iowa Dental Association for his wartime contribution. After the war he worked for a short time at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Though he became a millionaire on his royalties, he ultimately returned to Latimer, Iowa, to practice family dentistry.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Milton S. Wirtz, D.D.S., to the Medical Sciences Department of the National Museum of American History in August 1991. It was transferred to the Archives Center in October 1993.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Nevada A hydroplane, the "Bluebird", designed to ride over water. Las Vegas, NV.
Ohio Airflow by doors of Kroger supermarket counteracts weather outside. Saves on heating and air-conditioning bills. St. Louis Air Curtain Co.
Pennsylvania Producing seamless metal pipes. Barium Steel Corp., Phoenixville, PA.
Georgia When city faced an uncertain future, it organized campaign to remove uncertainties by building new schools, playgrounds, and homes. City planning. Georgia Power, Co., Manchester, GA.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Reference copies must be used. Special arrangements must be made directly with the Archives Center staff to view episodes for which no reference copy exists.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees will be charged for reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Industry on Parade Film Collection, 1950-1959, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer AK, Folder 710005-01
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Documents
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer AK, Folder 710010-80
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Photos
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
Phoenix Iron Works ; Phoenix Bridge Co. ; 1855: Phoenix Iron Co. ; 1949: Phoenix Iron & Steel Co. ; 1955: Phoenix Steel Corp. Search this
Notes content:
Trade literature from an iron mill: "Useful Information for Architects, Engineers and Workers in Wrought Iron" (1885) ; "Hand Book of Useful Information, Tables, Rules, Data and Formulae Appertaining to the Use of Steel as Manufactured by the Phoenix Iron Co." (1906, 1908, 1915) ; "Sections of Shapes Manufactured by the Phoenix Iron Co." (1923) ; "Dick and Church Engine Built by Phoenix Iron Works Co." (1893 and 1896) ; catalogs of various steam engines built between 1865 and 1914 ; circa 1893 catalog of boilers ; 1923 boiler catalog ; 1885 illustrated catalog of stationary and portable engines and boilers. http://www.phxsg.org/hspa/iron_works.html ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Iron_Works ; http://invention.smithsonian.org/resources/MIND_Repository_Details.aspx?rep_id=1343
Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu.
Oversize. "Albums of Designs by the Phoenix Bridge Co." (editions from 1885 and 1888): through-span bridges, deck span bridges, draw bridges, viaducts, highway bridges (includes photos of the Harlem River Bridge in NYC ; elevated railroad tracks around the boroughs of NYC ; the Susquehanna River Bridge and the Schukill River Bridge in PA ; the Catskill Bridge
Access to original documents by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens
