Make your own test tubes for a doll doctor or science lab...

        A test tube, also known as a culture tube or sample tube, is a common piece of laboratory glassware consisting of a finger-like length of glass or clear plastic tubing, open at the top and closed at the bottom.
       We crafted our wooden set of test tubes using: recycled cardboard, wooden dowel pegs, red, black and white papers, white school glue, a hole punch and silver nail polish.

 

These tiny dowel pegs are normally used to seal holes in woodworking
 projects but here we have used them to represent doll sized test tubes.

 

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. First measure and cut lengths of paper in white or red to wrap around the wooden pegs. The white represents an 'empty' tube, the red represents 'blood' samples.
2. Using white school glue, smear a light coating on the stripes of paper and wrap these around the wooden pegs.
3. Punch out from the papers, tiny circular shapes to glue on the tops of the test tubes to indicate these are either empty (white) or full (red).
4. Use the silver nail polish to paint the bottoms of the test tubes.
5. Now make a stand for the test tubes to help keep them upright. Cut stripes for the top of the rack and use the hole punch to indicate where each wooden peg will slide into the rack.
6. Cut and shape, using cardboard, the lower half of the rack (see photo), and attach to the top.
7. Use white paper to cover the entire rack. I painted over this at the top using more silver nail polish and also pasted on a black stripe to decorate the rack all around.

Left, test tubes are usually placed in special-purpose racks. Right, some of our wooden test tubes are shown
here as empty, half full and very full with 'blood' samples. These doll doctor's toys won't shatter like glass
ones would. They look great in a medical cabinet or doll student science lab! 

Craft a Stethoscope For A Doll Nurse or Doctor Doll

18" Our Generation boy doll models
 a chenille stem stethoscope.

       What is a stethoscope? The stethoscope is an acoustic medical device for auscultation, or listening to internal sounds of an animal or human body. It typically has a small disc-shaped resonator that is placed against the skin, and one or two tubes connected to two earpieces. A stethoscope can be used to listen to the sounds made by the heart, lungs or intestines, as well as blood flow in arteries and veins. In combination with a manual sphygmomanometer, it is commonly used when measuring blood pressure.  Read more...

       This version of a stethoscope, just right, is both flexible and modern. I have painted it a traditional black but you could make it any color you like. I have often seen the wires coated in grey, red, or blue in real hospital.

Supply List:

• two long chenille stems
• a shank button with a flat front, preferably silver
• masking tape
• black acrylic paint
• silver tape (optional)
• needle-nose pliers (small)
• two small beads for the eartips or ear plugs

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. You will need to trim down the fuzz on the chenille stems with scissors. 
2. It helps to have the doll on hand to measure the length of the ear tubes. Place the tip of each wire just inside the doll's ear and bend and drape it down alongside the chest of the doll so that you can twist each side of the two wires together where you want them to join in front of the chest. This could be a different length on a variety of dolls.
3. Now the two lengths of chenille are joined with a twist together. The length of the steam at this point is approximately 2 1/2" to 3". Our steam is made of the two chenille wires running side by side and masked together with tape. Twist these two wires together once at the top and bottom of the steam. Tape the steam combining the two chenille stems.
4. Divide the two wires again and thread them through each side of the shank button. 
5. Twist and clip off the ends of the wire with needle-nose pliers.
6. For our example stethoscope, I used the shank buttons that I had on hand, none of which were silver. So I covered my shank buttons with silver tape so that my buttons would look more like the "bell" of a stethoscope.
7. Glue the two tips of the ear stems a small bead that will fit inside your doll's ear cavity snugly. 
8. Cover the remaining wires with masking tape to match the length of covered steam
9. Now paint the masked wires and earbud beads with acrylic black paint.
10. After your project is dry, bend the eartubes into a "heart" shape to make the doll stethoscope look more authentic.
11. If you make more than one stethoscope, the next will look even neater. It takes time and practice to get wrapped wires to look even after joining these together!

More Doll Stethoscope Crafts:

• Froggy makes doll stethoscopes for Barbie
• Miniature doll doctor's kit by East Doll Miniatures

DIY AG doll sized hypodermic needles

        A hypodermic needle  one of a category of medical tools which enter the skin, called sharps, is a very thin, hollow tube with one sharp tip. It is commonly used with a syringe, a hand-operated device with a plunger, to inject substances into the body (e.g., saline solution, solutions containing various drugs or liquid medicines) or extract fluids from the body (e.g., blood). Large-bore hypodermic intervention is especially useful in catastrophic blood loss or treating shock.

I lined the inside of the tin with cut foam so that the needles would stay in place. There are both 'tape'
bandages and real bandages included inside as well.

       You can make a set of these for your doll's medical clinic, surgery, doctor's office or hospital. You will need toothpicks acrylic paints, red, black and white paper, plus white school glue to make a set of these.

I decorated this 3 3/4" x2 1/2" Altoids container with white, red and green printed papers. It now hangs on
the wall of our doll doctor's office, in case of emergency. It contains bandages and hypodermic needles.

       The longest needle I made to fit inside the decorated Altoids tin measures 2 1/4" long but you can make your hypodermic needles any length you like. Paint one set as though they have blood samples inside and another as clean and empty. For the used blood samples paint the tips of your toothpicks red, wrap the next section of the toothpick with red paper, then black for the plug and white for the unused portion of the plunge. I wrapped the white flange with double the length of paper strips and then left a narrower portion white for the end of the plunger flange.

Craft a medical waste can for a doll doctor's office

Left, a real medical waste can for needles only. Center, bioharzard symbols can
have yellow or orange backgrounds too. Right, our doll doctor's medical
waste trash can for: old pills, used bandages and used needles.

       A medical waste trash can is a can designed to hold a biological hazard, or biohazard, is a biological substance that poses a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily humans. This could include a sample of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can adversely affect human health. A biohazard could also be a substance harmful to other animals. You will need a biohazard symbol to paste onto a red waste can for your doll hospital, clinic or doctor's office.

Note. Read how to properly dispose medical waste and why it is important.

Instructions:

1. Recycle a small cup or bottle to make a doll's waste can. Medical waste cans always have a lid and are red.
2. I covered our doll's waste can using white glue and red paper. But you may choose to paint your dolls waste can with red paint.
3. I printed the biohazard symbols above from my home computer using red paper. 
4. You can paste these on top of your decoupaged waste can so that the dolls will know the trash is full of discarded needles, pills, used tissues etc...

Biohazard symbol for medical
 waste, clip art.

Doll-Size Medical Prescription Pads

Left, the pages have been cut apart from the printables below and stacked
and glued together on one edge. Center, the cut covers for the prescription
 pads. Right the covers have been glued onto the pads at the
binding edge and the bottoms.

 

Medical prescription pad - A prescription, often abbreviated ‚Ñû or Rx, is a health care program implemented by a physician or other qualified health care practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. The term often refers to a health care provider's written authorization for a patient to purchase a prescription drug from a pharmacist.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Download and print the printable prescription pages included below. I have included two types, for your doll to play with: prescription pages with a red cross and prescription pages with a pharmacy symbol (mortar and pestle).
2. Cut the pages apart to stack neatly on top of each other. 
3. Use a glue stick to attach them together on one edge only; let them dry.
4. Glue this stack to a small piece of cardstock on the bottom.
5. Cut a small piece of decorative paper to wrap around the top and bottom of the pad.
6. Glue the cover to the binding (outer edge) of the notepad only. Now your doll doctor has a prescription pad to fill out for each patient.
7. Tear off the prescriptions after filling them out as often as your dolls need medicine from their drug store/pharmacy.

Prescription pages printable for a doll play. 
These pages feature a mortar and pestle symbol.

Prescription pages printable for a doll play. 
These pages feature a red cross symbol.

Make a doll-sized hot water bottle...

Left, an actual hot water bottle.
Right, a doll-size water bottle 3 1/2" x 2 1/2"

       A hot-water bottle is a bottle filled with hot water and sealed with a stopper, used to provide warmth, typically while in bed, but also for the application of heat to a specific part of the body.
       "India rubber" hot-water bottles were in use in Britain at least by 1875. Modern conventional hot-water bottles were patented in 1903 and are manufactured in natural rubber or PVC, to a design patented by the Croatian inventor Eduard Penkala. They are now commonly covered in fabric, sometimes with a novelty design.

       The photo on the right shows the difference in scale between our 18" doll-sized hot water bottle and a standard sized real hot water bottle sold in the United States.

 

Supply List:

• craft foam sheet
• ruler
• scissors
• pencil
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• masking tape
• one bead for the "stopper"
• newspaper
  

Left, foam sheets with textured fronts. Center, crushed newsprint in the shape of a hot
water bottle, covered with masking tape. Right, 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" cut shapes for the body of
 our doll's hot water bottle.

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Crush recycled newsprint into the shape of a hot water bottle. 
2. Mask every part of this doll sized accessory with tape: top, bottom, and sides.
3. Cut a small oval from the foam sheet and hot glue this to the top of the bottle.
4. Then cut two identical sheets of foam for the sides of the bottle. Make these approximately 1/2 inch larger than your crushed paper bottle so that when you go the glue the pieces on, these will cover the whole body of the bottle. 
5. Use your hot glue gun to carefully to attach the foam sheets. Squeeze out the glue as you seal the edges of the foam. Don't worry about the mess, this will be trimmed away after the glue hardens. 
6. Clip and cut the corners to give a clean finish to your bottle as you proceed.
7. Cut a strip of foam to cover the neck of the bottle. Glue this piece on.
8. Cut a second narrower strip of foam to glue around the seam at the neck. Glue this piece on.
9. Glue a white bead at the top to represent the stopper of the bottle.

Left, the foam should be cut larger than the paper mache bottle shape. Center, the foam
glued to both sides of the bottle. Right, the bead glued to the top of our doll's hot water
bottle looks like a stopper.

A hot water bottle ad from 1918, as you can see these bottles have been
manufactured for a long time. Note, "Sweetie" hot water baby doll may
have been the very first water baby to exist!

A Printable Eye Chart for Dolls

       This printable eyes sight chart or Snellen eyesight test is for doll play only. A Snellen chart is an eye chart that can be used to measure visual acuity. Snellen charts are named after the Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen, who developed the chart in 1862.

How To Make A Doll Inhaler

Our green eyed, boy doll named Cameron holds his inhaler. He needs it to help him breath!

        Does your child use an inhaler? Perhaps he or she would like to make one for their doll to keep handy? 

       Often times children prefer their dolls to mirror their own physical challenges and health conditions. So, therefore, it is helpful to include crafts that inform the making of those items a child with special needs may rely on.

       This inhaler will be the first of several devices we will include among our larger doll craft collection.  

       If you would like to suggest a craft similar to this one for your doll's special needs, feel free to write a request in the comment section below.  

• Asthma - How to use your inhaler
• Many children with asthma use their inhalers incorrectly, leading to serious complications
• See the paper version of this craft at AmericanGirlideas.com

Supply List for The Inhaler:

• Popsicle sticks
• craft paper
• tacky white glue
• black and grey acrylic paints
• Mod Podge
  

Step-by-Step Directions:

Left, cut the Popsicle sticks and leave them on the inside of the inhaler to give the craft some strength.
 Center, wrap the sides of the inhaler stem in colorful paper. I used green, orange and pink to make 
three different versions. Right, glue paper to both ends of the inhaler(s) Trim these when dry.

1. Cut three segments of a Popsicle stick approximately 1" long. 
2. Glue the wooden pieces together. Then wrap them with a 3" long piece of decorative paper to cover the wooden surface.
3. Then glue both ends with the same paper. Trim off the excess paper so that the stem of the inhaler is completely covered.
4. Now use two Popsicle sticks stacked together to shape both the mouth piece and the top button for mist. These two pieces will be hallow. 
5. Wrap 3" long narrow cuts of paper around themselves with glue between the sides, over and over until the hollow pieces are shaped.
6. Glue one side of each piece closed.
7. Glue the mouth piece with the open end to the bottom side of the inhaler's stem. Glue the top of the medicine mister with the closed end pointing up to the top of the inhaler's stem.
8. Paint the inside of the inhaler's mouth piece with black acrylic paint. Paint the mister top grey.
9. Apply a layer of Mod Podge or white glue to all the surfaces of the inhaler to strengthen it's finish.

Left, cut strips of paper used to make both the mouth piece and the mister of the doll's inhaler.
Center, here you can see that I wrapped them around two stacked Popsicle sticks to give them
 angular shapes. Right the tops and bottoms of the inhaler samples covered in matching colored
 paper.

Left, I sealed one end of every mouth piece and mister top. Right the inhalers are glued together
 and ready to paint.

How To Make a Spacer For Your Doll's Inhaler

Left, suction cup hooks from a dollar store. Center, suction cup
with hook removed and the 1.7" glass bottle. Right, the suction
cup glued onto the bottle plus the masking tape wrapped around
 the parts where blue paint will be applied. 

Supply List for The Spacer: 

• white tacky glue
• masking tape
• blue acrylic paint
• 1.7in glass bottle (A plastic one would be better.)
• one transparent suction cup hook

Instructions for the spacer:

1. Pull the plastic hook from the suction cup and wrap the outside tip with masking tape.
2. Remove the cork from the glass bottle, you will not need it for this craft. 
3. Wrap the open mouth piece with masking tape and also press a piece of tape on the bottom of the bottle. Cut away any excess tape.
4. Now use a generous amount of tacky glue to attach the suction cup to the bottom of the tiny vile. If both sides are wrapped with masking tape the glue will hold these parts together. Let the glue harden over night.
5. Paint the masked surfaces blue.
6. Now you can slip the inhaler's mouth piece into the opening of the crafted spacer for your younger dolls that need it to help them take asthma medicine properly.  

Our little Kendall doll needs extra help to take her asthma medication so her big brother shows
 her how to use a spacer.

Free Printable Food Posters...

       A food pyramid or diet pyramid is a pyramid-shaped diagram representing the optimal number of servings to be eaten each day from each of the basic food groups.

       The first food pyramid was published in Sweden in 1974. The food pyramid introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture in the year 1992 was called the "Food Guide Pyramid". It was updated in 2005 and then replaced by MyPlate in 2011.

       The USDA food pyramid was created in 1992 and divided into six horizontal sections containing depictions of foods from each section's food group. It was updated in 2005 with colorful vertical wedges replacing the horizontal sections and renamed MyPyramid. MyPyramid was often displayed with the food images absent, creating a more abstract design. In an effort to restructure food nutrition guidelines, the USDA rolled out its new MyPlate program in June 2011. My Plate is divided into four slightly different sized quadrants, with fruits and vegetables taking up half the space, and grains and protein making up the other half. The vegetables and grains portions are the largest of the four.

There are six basic food groups:

1. Vegetables. A vegetable is a part of a plant consumed by humans that is generally savory but is not sweet. A vegetable is not considered a grain, fruit, nut, spice, or herb. For example, the stem, root, flower, etc., may be eaten as vegetables. Vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals; however, different vegetables contain different spreads, so it is important to eat a wide variety of types. For example, green vegetables typically contain vitamin A, dark orange and dark green vegetables contain vitamin C, and vegetables like broccoli and related plants contain iron and calcium. Vegetables are very low in fats and calories, but ingredients added in preparation can often add these.
2. Grains. These foods provide complex carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy, especially for a low-fat meal plan.
3. Fruits. In terms of food (rather than botany), fruits are the sweet-tasting seed-bearing parts of plants, or occasionally sweet parts of plants which do not bear seeds. These include apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, etc. Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of natural sugars, fiber and vitamins. Processing fruits when canning or making into juices may add sugars and remove nutrients. The fruit food group is sometimes combined with the vegetable food group. Note that a massive number of different plant species produce seed pods which are considered fruits in botany, and there are a number of botanical fruits which are conventionally not considered fruits in cuisine because they lack the characteristic sweet taste, e.g., tomatoes or avocados.
4. Oils and Sweets. A food pyramid's tip is the smallest part, so the fats and sweets in the top of the Food Pyramid should comprise the smallest percentage of your daily diet. The foods at the top of the food pyramid should be eaten sparingly because they provide calories but not much in the way of nutrition. These foods include salad dressings, oils, cream, butter, margarine, sugars, soft drinks, candies and sweet desserts.
5. Dairy. Dairy products are produced from the milk of mammals, usually but not exclusively cattle. They include milk, yogurt and cheese. Milk and its derivative products are a rich source of dietary calcium and also provide protein, phosphorus, vitamin A, and vitamin D. However, many dairy products are high in saturated fat and cholesterol compared to vegetables, fruits and whole grains, which is why skimmed products are available as an alternative. Historically, adults were recommended to consume three cups of dairy products per day. More recently, evidence is mounting that dairy products have greater levels of negative effects on health than previously thought and confer fewer benefits. For example, recent research has shown that dairy products are not related to stronger bones or less fractures.
6. Meat and beans. Meat is the tissue‚ usually muscle‚ of an animal consumed by humans. Since most parts of many animals are edible, there is a vast variety of meats. Meat is a major source of protein, as well as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Meats, poultry, and fish include beef, chicken, pork, salmon, tuna, shrimp, and eggs. The meat group is one of the major compacted food groups in the food guide pyramid. Many of the same nutrients found in meat can also be found in foods like eggs, dry beans, and nuts, such foods are typically placed in the same category as meats, as meat alternatives. These include tofu, products that resemble meat or fish but are made with soy, eggs, and cheeses.

• Download the complete guide by U. S. Government Food Guide for Students - Healthier You
• Dietary Guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture

       These free pyramid food posters are from the United States government. You may print them out for your doll classrooms or doctor's office. Learn all about the health benefits of food while playing with your dolls! The posters here are only available in English.

The 1992 Pyramid Poster.

The Basic Seven Poster in black and white.

The colorful Food Guide Poster.

The 2005 My Food Pyramid Poster.

Practice Deep Breathing

Animation of deep breathing.

      Deep breathing is breathing that is done by contracting the diaphragm, a muscle located horizontally between the thoracic cavity and abdominal cavity. Air enters the lungs and the belly expands during this type of breathing.

       Some practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine believe that particular kinds of breathing they identify as diaphragm breathing can be used to bring about health benefits.

       Deep breathing exercises are sometimes used as a form of relaxation, that, when practiced regularly, may lead to the relief or prevention of symptoms commonly associated with stress, which may include high blood pressure, headaches, stomach conditions, depression, anxiety, and others.

       Due to the lung expansion being lower (inferior) on the body as opposed to higher up (superior), it is referred to as 'deep' and the higher lung expansion of rib cage breathing is referred to as 'shallow'. The actual volume of air taken into the lungs with either means varies.

Practice deep breathing with Therapist Aid.

Some Kids Have Type 1 Diabetes

       Diabetes mellitus type 1 (also known as type 1 diabetes) is a form of diabetes mellitus in which not enough insulin is produced. The lack of insulin results in high blood sugar levels. The classical symptoms are frequent urination, increased thirst, increased hunger, and weight loss. Additional symptoms may include blurry vision, feeling tired, and poor healing. Symptoms typically develop over a short period of time.

       "Discover how easy it is for you and your family to learn and understand health conditions in a comfortable, friendly and informative environment. Children can watch videos starring Dr. Smarty and his team while parents stay up-to-date on the latest health news, learn new healthy recipes and get everyday tips and tricks with articles posted every week."

What is a Food Allergy?

       A food allergy is an abnormal immune response to food. The signs and symptoms may range from mild to severe. They may include itchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, trouble breathing, or low blood pressure. This typically occurs within minutes to several hours of exposure. When the symptoms are severe, it is known as anaphylaxis. 

 

Kids speak about food allergies in their own words.

Measles, A Contegious Killer

Maurice Hilleman's
measles vaccine is
 estimated to prevent
 1 million deaths
 per year.

       Estimates based on modern molecular biology place the emergence of measles as a human disease sometime after 500 AD. (The former speculation that the Antonine Plague of 165–180 AD was caused by measles is now discounted.) The first systematic description of measles, and its distinction from smallpox and chickenpox, is credited to the Persian physician Rhazes (860–932), who published The Book of Smallpox and Measles. Given what is now known about the evolution of measles, Rhazes' account is remarkably timely, as recent work that examined the mutation rate of the virus indicates the measles virus emerged from rinderpest (Cattle Plague) as a zoonotic disease between 1100 and 1200 AD, a period that may have been preceded by limited outbreaks involving a virus not yet fully acclimated to humans. This agrees with the observation that measles requires a susceptible population of >500,000 to sustain an epidemic, a situation that occurred in historic times following the growth of medieval European cities.

       Measles is an endemic disease, meaning it has been continually present in a community, and many people develop resistance. In populations not exposed to measles, exposure to the new disease can be devastating. In 1529, a measles outbreak in Cuba killed two-thirds of those natives who had previously survived smallpox. Two years later, measles was responsible for the deaths of half the population of Honduras, and it had ravaged Mexico, Central America, and the Inca civilization.

Baby with Measles.

       Between roughly 1855 and 2005, measles has been estimated to have killed about 200 million people worldwide. Measles killed 20 percent of Hawaii's population in the 1850s. In 1875, measles killed over 40,000 Fijians, approximately one-third of the population. In the 19th century, the disease killed 50% of the Andamanese population. Seven to eight million children are thought to have died from measles each year before the vaccine was introduced.

       In 1954, the virus causing the disease was isolated from a 13-year-old boy from the United States, David Edmonston, and adapted and propagated on chick embryo tissue culture. To date, 21 strains of the measles virus have been identified. While at Merck, Maurice Hilleman developed the first successful vaccine. Licensed vaccines to prevent the disease became available in 1963. An improved measles vaccine became available in 1968. Measles as an endemic disease was eliminated from the United States in 2000, but continues to be reintroduced by international travelers.

•  About Measles from KidsHealth
• Artifact: Memorandum On Measles Published by His Majesty's Stationary Office, London, 1911, eight page document
• Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR): Measles, World Health Organization (WHO)
• Measles FAQ from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States
• Case of an adult male with measles (facial photo)
• Clinical pictures of measles
• Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource (ViPR): Paramyxoviridae
• Do children still get measles?
• Visit Doctors Without Borders

Once you turn ten, learn to use your EpiPen

       Epinephrine is another name for the hormone adrenaline, which is produced naturally in the body. An epinephrine injection is the first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions (known as anaphylaxis). If administered in a timely manner, epinephrine can reverse the effects of anaphylaxis.

       Epinephrine relieves airway swelling and obstruction and improves blood circulation; blood vessels are tightened and heart rate is increased, improving circulation to bodily organs. Epinephrine is available by prescription in an auto-injector which is used in the treatment of anaphylaxis.

• When to use a EpiPen for teachers 
• How to use EpiPen - school health

War Against Polio

Child receives Polio drops vaccine.

       Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. In about 0.5% of cases there is muscle weakness resulting in an inability to move. This can occur over a few hours to few days. The weakness most often involves the legs but may less commonly involve the muscles of the head, neck and diaphragm. Many but not all people fully recover. In those with muscle weakness about 2% to 5% of children and 15% to 30% of adults die. Another 25% of people have minor symptoms such as fever and a sore throat and up to 5% have headache, neck stiffness and pains in the arms and legs. These people are usually back to normal within one or two weeks. In up to 70% of infections there are no symptoms. Years after recovery post-polio syndrome may occur, with a slow development of muscle weakness similar to that which the person had during the initial infection. Read more...

American Experience by PBS: "The USA faces the challenge of polio in the 1950's. In 1950 33,000 polio cases, 1/2 under 10 were reported. This doco looks at the impact of increasingly devastating outbreaks, infantile paralysis, the quest for a vaccine under Jonas Salk and the development of government quality  control. Program centres around Wytheville in the US." Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV

       The establishment of The March of Dimes. The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. It was founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to combat polio. It has since taken up promoting general health for pregnant women and babies.

• A Historical Look
• You'll Never Walk Alone by Howard Keel
• Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz for the March of Dimes
• Home of The March of Dimes

Medical Supply Clip Art from 1915

       Below are clip art resources from a medical supply catalogue, 1915, which dates just one year prior to our Mary Frances Helpem doll story. Students may use it for their lapbooks, journals and playtime.

Respirator covers, rubber; for mouth and nose,
protecting from poisonous gases and smoke
with automatic valve at side for exhalation

Doctor's surgical utility bag from 1915.

Patient's bed tray and back rest for the sick bed.

Syringe for needles from 1915.

Medical Supply from 1915: tape measure
 stethoscope, knee-jerk hammer and microscope.

Electric Headband and
 Lamp for doctors in 1915.

Nasal Spray for 1915 medical supply.

Sphygmomanometer for registering
blood pressure from 1915.

What Do Modern Doll Scrubs Look Like?

A white coat, also known as a laboratory coat, is a knee-length overcoat/smock worn by professionals
 in the medical field or by those involved in laboratory work. The coat protects their street clothes
 and also serves as a simple uniform. The garment is made from white or light-colored cotton,
linen, or cotton polyester blend, allowing it to be washed at high temperature and making it easy
 to see if it is clean. The modern white coat was introduced to medicine in the late 1800s as a symbol
of cleanliness. Our doll above is wearing the traditional lab coat, full body scrubs and surgical mask.

American hospital staff wearing scrubs in the United States.

       Scrubs are the sanitary clothing worn by surgeons, nurses, physicians and other workers involved in patient care in hospitals. Originally designed for use by surgeons and other operating room personnel, who would put them on when sterilizing themselves, or "scrubbing in", before surgery, they are now worn by many hospital personnel. Their use has been extended outside hospitals as well, to work environments where clothing may come into contact with infectious agents (veterinarians, midwives, etc.). Scrubs are designed to be simple (with minimal places for contaminants to hide), easy to launder, and cheap to replace if damaged or stained irreparably. In the United Kingdom, scrubs are sometimes known as Theatre Blues. 

       Nearly all patient care personnel at hospitals in the United States wear some form of scrubs while on duty, as do some staffers in doctor, dental, and veterinary offices. Doctors in the United States may wear their own clothes with a white coat except for surgery. Support staff such as custodians and unit clerks also wear scrubs in some facilities. When the physician is not performing surgery, the scrub is often worn under a white coat.  

       White coats are sometimes seen as the distinctive dress of both physicians and surgeons, who have worn them for over 100 years. In the nineteenth century, respect for the certainty of science was in stark contrast to the quackery and mysticism of nineteenth century medicine. To emphasize the transition to the more scientific approach of modern medicine, physicians began to represent themselves as scientists, donning the most recognizable symbol of the scientist, the white laboratory coat.

• Back to First-Aid With Help From Mary Frances

Body Diagrams and Atlas Charts for Doll Physicians

Left, We recommend, "The Body Atlas" for older children by Steve Parker. 
Full of anatomical illustrations for young students interested in learning about human 
anatomy. Right, we cut up the book jacket only, to paste it's clip art onto cardstock 
and to use these small posters in our doll's clinic.

       Print, cut and paste an anatomy chart  or medical illustration onto cardboard for a doll doctor's office using the free clip art below. A medical illustration is a form of biological illustration that helps to record and disseminate medical, anatomical, and related knowledge.

      Below are two diagrams of the body in black and white and one in full color. Gender is not included in the illustrations. 

       Children may print them out and hang them inside their doll hospital rooms, doll doctor's office, patient waiting rooms etc... Illustrations here are for play only. Do not take them and give them away from alternative websites or sell them for profit folks.

Body diagram, includes organs, front view, in black and white

Body diagram includes organs, in black and white, back view.

Body Atlas, frontal view, in full color.

 

The Following Free Topography Coloring Pages Are For Study of Human Anatomy:

• Color topography of Human Abdominal Areas
• Color the Blood Supply from Your Large Intestine
• Color the Human Heart
• Color topography of the Human Head, Neck and Pharynx