Adler Museum celebrates 50 years of exhibiting medical history

The Adler Museum of Medicine situated in the Faculty of Health Sciences Medical School in Parktown, celebrated its 50^th anniversary this month.  The Museum preserves the history of the health sciences in Southern Africa, with special reference to Gauteng. It exists to supplement the educational activities of the University of the Witwatersrand, especially the Faculty of Health Sciences, by means of collections, research, teaching, exhibitions and publications.

The golden jubilee was celebrated with several Witsies and former students and staff members of the faculty of Health Sciences attending a cake-cutting ceremony and the opening of an exhibition depicting the 50 year history and highlights.

Prof. Ahmed Wadee, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences welcomed everyone to the occasion, while Dr Joseph Teeger, a 1951 Medical School graduate and former Adler Museum Board Member, delivered the keynote address.

“Each time I come to the Adler Museum, I see things I have not seen before, such as Prof. Phillip Tobias’ (who passed away earlier this year) stethoscope. It pays tribute to a man who has had a profound influence on the continued existence of this Museum, and I think it is fitting that it pays tribute to him and many others like him in such a way,” said Teeger. 

The Museum collection was established by Dr Cyril and Esther Adler in 1962. Dr Adler (MBBCh 1933) and his wife Esther collected items of medical interest during the time he ran a medical practice, while Esther Adler had majored in history in her BA degree. It was established in April 1962 when the Museum of the History of Medicine was launched in the Wits Great Hall.

In 1964 the Museum was moved to an apartment provided by Wits adjacent to the Medical School in Esselen Street, Hillbrow and, when it outgrew that, the South African Institute for Medical Research (SAIMR), offered the Adlers the Director’s House on its grounds in Hospital Street, Hospital Hill, Johannesburg to where it moved in 1966, where the Museum was generously housed and supported by the SAIMR for nearly 35 years. In June 1974 the Museum was officially handed over to Wits and was renamed the Adler Museum of the History of Medicine as a token of the esteem in which the founders were held by the University.

The Museum was taken over by the Faculty of Health Sciences with the support of the former Dean, Professor Max Price, and opened in August 2002 at the Medical School in Parktown, co-inciding with its 40^th anniversary. An exhibition documenting the History of the Museum is currently on show in the Museum.

Alumnus Dr Keith Heimann recently handed over a silver salver to the Museum, in honour of the late Dr HL Heimann, at the Health Sciences alumni dinner.

“The Adler Museum is a unique feature at Wits. No other medical school in the country has something similar and it is one of the greatest features at our medical school because we have priceless treasures such as this,” said Prof. Joe Veriava, Head of the Board of the Adler Museum then.

Read more about the Museum. 

View some of the exhibition items: 

The Collection 

Dr Cyril and Esther Adler display 

Adler Display