The Smithsonian Institution Archives and Manuscripts hold photographs, postcards and films relating to leprosy. Their Division of Physical Anthropology Photographic Collection holds National Anthropological Archives (1850s-1960s), Human Studies Film Archives, and photographs from individual collections and postcard collections.
There is a black and white cyanotype print, taken by Henry Fassett Clifford of a View of North Shore of Molokai Island Showing Location Of Kalaupapa Leper Colony 1902, and an undated hand-coloured photoprint View from Water of Culion Leper Colony Showing Masonry and Frame Buildings.
The postcard collection show the Mission Protestante Française de Madagascar, the “Diaconesses Distribuant le Riz aux Lépreux; Léproserie de Manankavaly” and the “Léproserie Catholique” at Fianarantsoa.
As part of the Division of Physical Anthropology Photograph Collection, there are two photographs (1872) and (1914) taken in China and Burma Pegu/Lower Burma Rangoon. There is a slide collection taken by Eliot Elisofon (1911-1973) of Dr. G.W. Harley at the Ganta Methodist Mission doing research on leprosy for the Liberian Institute of Tropical Medicine(1959). In addition, as part of the photographic collection, there are two black and white photoprints of a View of Leper Hospital at Foot of Mountain 1891 and 1892, taken at Venezuela Miranda Caracas/La Silla de Caracas.
A silent black and white film created by Carolyn Loring Anders, a nurse, in 1928, shows footage shot in the Yoruba town of Ogbomosho, Nigeria including hospital patients with leprosy.
A silent black and white film made by Captain Roger Hilsman in 1929 documents leprosy victims in the Culion Leper Colony, Culion, Philippines. During the time that Captain Hilsman was Commandant of Cadets at the Ateneo de Manila (1928-1930), he was commissioned by the Philippine government to make this documentary about how people with leprosy come in from hiding in the jungle to seek treatment. Authorities toured this film around the islands in an effort to encourage victims of leprosy to seek treatment.
A sound colour film by Marshall !Kung Expedition VIII, 1978, a film shot during an expedition to the Nyae-Nyae region of the Kalahari Desert in Namibia shows discussions concerning a medical clinic.
Entry made December 5, 2005