Genetic Studies of Infant Behavior
name: label: Collection Creator
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Medical Sciences
label: Collection Creator
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Medical Sciences
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medical Sciences Film Collection
label: See more items in
content: Medical Sciences Film Collection / Series 3: Public Health and Nursing Films
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The films gathered together under this heading were listed in previous inventories under a variety of titles (see below) that gave scant indication of their contents. They relate to the work of Martin A. Couney, who pioneered in the development of incubators for premature infants and exhibited both the infants and the apparatus in fairs and amusement parks early in the twentieth century.

The films themselves are not self-explanatory; in fact, they are difficult even to summarize. Furthermore, they may have been cut for reuse. There are no records of provenance or use. Most of the information in the Archives Center on these films comes courtesy of Martin Pernick (Department of History, University of Michigan). Particularly useful is an article in Pediatrics (August 1979), "Incubator-Baby Side Shows," by William A. Silverman, M.D.  (Some of the films appear to have come to the Museum from Dr. Silverman).

Mr. Pernick also was responsible for obtaining a grant for the preservation of Genetic Studies of Infant Behavior. As part of this project prints were borrowed from the Gesell Institute of Human Development in New Haven, Connecticut, for comparison to NMAH's copy. Additional details, including detailed viewing notes, can be found in Audiovisual Collections administrative files.