Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Rocky Mountain Laboratory Records, 1910-1966
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- National Institutes of Health (U.S.) Rocky Mountain Laboratory.
- Title
- Rocky Mountain Laboratory Records
- Dates
- 1910-196619101966
- Quantity
- 2.4 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Collection 2096, MtBC, us (collection)
- Summary
- The Rocky Mountain Laboratory Records consists of correspondence between Ralph R. Parker, a special expert at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory and R.R. Spencer, a surgeon at the Hygienic Laboratory of the U.S. Public Health Service from 1923-1931, published papers of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, United States Public Health Service, Hamilton MT, 1923-1966, miscellaneous reports and papers of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, 1910-1925.
- Repository
-
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
- Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Rocky Mountain spotted fever was first recognized in 1896 in the Snake River Valley of Idaho and was originally called "black measles" because of the characteristic rash. It was a dreaded and frequently fatal disease that affected hundreds of people in this area. By the early 1900s, the recognized geographic distribution of this disease grew to encompass parts of the United States as far north as Washington and Montana and as far south as California, Arizona, and New Mexico. In response to this severe problem, the Rocky Mountain Laboratory was established in Hamilton, Montana, 1902 by the State of Montana for the Montana State Board of Entomology and the United States Public Health Service. In 1928, a new building was constructed serve the expanded work being done on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Prior laboratories had been in a shack and an abandoned schoolhouse. The U.S. Public Health Service first leased and then purchased the building. In 1948, after a successful vaccine for the fever had been developed at the laboratory and the introduction of antibiotics made a cure possible, the laboratory became a part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the National Institute of Health. It has continued to be active in research of the interrelationships of disease agents, wild and domestic animals and man. Its location makes possible extensive animal experiment quarters and facilities for work with highly transmissible agents. The laboratory continues to study Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, diseases in nature, the medical entomology of ticks, chronic viral diseases, the molecular biology of microorganisms, allergy antibodies and immunologic aspects of diseases.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The records in this collection include: correspondence between Ralph R. Parker, a special expert at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory and R.R. Spencer, a surgeon at the Hygienic Laboratory of the U.S. Public Health Service from 1923-1931( they developed the first vaccine for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever); Published papers of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, United States Public Health Service, Hamilton MT, 1923-1966; Miscellaneous reports and papers of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, 1910-1925. In 16 bound volumes. An additional file, consisting of a typed copy of an original court proceeding prepared by Dr. Jellison, was added to the collection on July 30, 2004. This transcript documents the hearing held in the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District of the State of Montana on July 27, 1927. The hearing, held in Ravalli County, concerned an effort by local landowners to prevent the establishment of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory due to concerns regarding the spotted fever research.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Series 1 Published Reports, 1923-1966
Series 2 Ralph Parker-R.R. Spencer Correspondence, 1923-1931
Series 3 Reports, 1910-1917
Acquisition Information
The Rocky Mountain Laboratory records were donated to Special Collections by Dr. William L. Jellison in 1981-82. Dr. Jellison was a parasitologist at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory from 1929-1962. An additional file, consisting of a typewritten court transcript formerly accessioned as Collection 4, was added on July 30, 2009.
Processing Note
This collection was processed 2009 July 30
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Published Reports, 1923-1966Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1-4
Papers of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory published between 1923-1966 in various government publications and scientific journals. In 8 bound volumes including the index for papers No. 1-751, 1923-1961.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
box-volume | ||
1/1 | Index - Papers 1-751 |
1923-1961 |
1/2 | Papers 1-300 |
1923-1949 |
1/3 | Papers 301-500 |
1949-1955 |
2/1 | Papers 501-600 |
1955-1958 |
2/2 | Papers 601-700 |
1958-1960 |
3/1 | Papers 701-786 |
1960-1962 |
3/2 | Papers 787-880 |
1962-1963 |
4/1 | Papers 881-890 |
1963-1966 |
Series 2: Ralph Parker-R.R. Spencer Correspondence, 1923-1931Return to Top
Container(s): Box 4-5
Correspondence between Ralph R. Parker and R.R. Spencer during the development of a vaccine for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, 1923-1931, in 5 bound volumes.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
box-volume | ||
4/2 | Correspondence between Parker - Spencer |
1923-1924 |
4/3 | Correspondence between Parker - Spencer |
1925 |
5/1 | Correspondence between Parker - Spencer |
1926 |
5/2 | Correspondence between Parker - Spencer |
1927-1929 |
5/3 | Correspondence between Parker - Spencer |
1930-1931 |
Series 3: Reports, 1910-1917Return to Top
Container(s): Box 6
Miscellaneous early reports and papers of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in 3 bound volumes.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
box-volume | ||
6/1 | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Reports - Bitterroot
Valley |
1910-1914 |
6/2 | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Bitterroot Valley,
early papers and reports |
1914-1917 |
6/3 | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever- miscellaneous papers,
U.S.P.S. |
1921-1925 |
Box/Folder | ||
6/1 | District Court of the Fourth Judicial District. G.A.
Gordon, et. al, vs. the State Board of Entomology, et. al |
July 27, 1927 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Medical laboratories-Montana-Hamilton
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Personal Names
- Parker, R. R. (Ralph Robinson), 1888-1949-Correspondence
- Spencer, R. R. (Roscoe Roy), 1888-1982-Correspondence