New Medical Room featured at Seneca County Museum

By Theresa Sullivan, Seneca County Museum Executive Director 

Make sure to visit the Seneca County Museum during this weekend’s “Be a Tourist in Your Hometown” as the museum has a new Medical Room. This area has been transformed from a moderate-sized, unfinished storage room to a “wow-factor” historic display of mid-19th century to mid-20th century medical equipment and medicine.

The creation of the Medical Room came about as the result of the numerous medical items already existing in the museum, including a 1905 x-ray machine.  A plan was laid out for restoration of the space, and The Barnes-Deinzer Seneca County Museum Foundation received a $10,000 grant from the Robert G. Teach Fund through the Tiffin Community Foundation last year, making the project possible.

After the project began, many people approached the museum about donating their Seneca County medical items that were passed down through their families.  The museum received a collection of  Dr. Edmund Ley’s medical items from his grandchildren, Dale W. Griffis II, Lynn Frankart and Lisa Griffis, and from family friends, Dr. John & Maureen Vela.

The museum also received a 1930s nurse’s cape & uniform worn by Kathryn Frary from her niece Martha Chwalik; a large collection of Seneca County-related drug store items donated by Margaret Dorner; medical advertising items given by John Huss; and an apothecary cabinet gifted by Mimi Lange Johnston.

The Seneca County Museum is grateful for all the funding and donations that helped to create this new space.  The Medical Room helps to convey part of the 200-year history of medicine in Seneca County and the reality of today’s medical advancements.