Horst Otto Stoeckel: Collector and Museum Founder

Abstract

As a medical student and during his preacademic time prior to 1958, Horst Stoeckel was interested in the history of medicine and especially history related to anesthesia. After his retirement from Chair of Anesthesiology at the University of Bonn in 1994, Stoeckel received a gift from Professor Richard Kitz of Harvard University (Boston, MA) that encouraged him to develop his collection of 150 artifacts and 350 books and periodicals into a scientific museum and library. The late librarian, Patrick P. Sim, MLS, of the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology in the United States also encouraged and supported Stoeckel with literature concerning anesthesia history. The Horst Stoeckel Museum of Anaesthesiology (Horst-Stoeckel-Museum fur die Geschichte der Anasthesiologie) was dedicated by the University of Bonn and opened to the public on October 9, 2000, and currently has more than 1000 items displayed in 45 themed display cases. A newly themed concept of Incremental Development of Eminent Anesthesia Landmarks to Operational Routine was developed for the display and explanation of the history of anesthesia related to pioneers, equipment, books, and manuscripts. A display concept combining Person, Publication, and Apparatus is used throughout the museum. A well-stocked library currently holds more than 13,000 books and periodicals. The museum's 10-year anniversary was celebrated with a symposium entitled “German Pioneers in Anaesthesia of the first 100 years,” held at the University of Bonn on October 8, 2010. The museum's Web site in German, English, and French is www.anaesthesia-museum.uni-bonn.de.