I am exploring the National Library of Medicine in my free hour between friend visits today. I just had coffee with my friend, Mark, at AFRRI and right across the street is NIH. In the exhibit that opened yesterday, Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness, I found this beaded stethoscope.

The sign next to the stethoscope reads: 
“The beaded stethoscope symbolizes the integration of the traditional and Western medicine at the Native American Health Center, Oakland, CA. The four colors of the beads – red, yellow, white, black – are symbolic of the Medicine Wheel, that highlights a holistic approach to health and healing used by the Native American Health Center.”

To read more about this exhibit check out: www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices

National Library of Medicine
Bethesda, MD
10/6/11