Thomas S. Cullen Collection

Biography

Thomas S. Cullen was born in Bridgewater,Ontario. He received his Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1890 from the University of Toronto, and came to Johns Hopkins in 1891 to study under William Welch in the pathology laboratory before beginning an internship in gynecology with Howard Kelly. In 1893, Cullen studied for six months in Germany at Johannes Orth’s laboratory at the University of Gottingen. From 1893-1896 he was in charge of gynecological pathology at Johns Hopkins. In 1896, he served a residency with Howard Kelly. He was appointed associate in gynecology in 1897, and rose through the academic ranks to become professor of clinical gynecology in 1919 and professor of gynecology in 1932. Cullen was a pioneer in the development of gynecological pathology as a speciality. His research focused on cancer of the uterus, adenomyoma of the uterus, hyperplasia of the endometrium, diseases of the umbilicus, fibroid tumors of the uterus, and extrauterine pregnancy. Cullen’s publications were extensively illustrated with drawings and photographs. He became an ardent advocate of using the visual arts to enhance biomedical publishing. He proposed a new department at the school of medicine, the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine, and persuaded Henry Walters, a wealthy businessman and art collector, to endow the new department, which was established in 1910.

Scope and Content

The Thomas S. Cullen Collection covers the latter part of his career at Johns Hopkins. Series include correspondence, manuscripts, addresses, illustrative materials, memorabilia, and reprints. The manuscripts primarily pertain to gynecological subjects, with titles such as “Myoma of the Uterus,” “Cancer of the Uterus,” and “Gynecology of Yesterday and Today.” Along with the Howard Kelly Collection, the Cullen papers provide a comprehensive view of the department of gynecology at Johns Hopkins during its formative years.

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