At the first workshop of the DFG-funded THIMO (Thesaurus of Historical Medical Objects) network, experts from medical history collections, vocabulary projects, and research infrastructures discussed how object names can be recorded more consistently and linked across collections. SCC contributed its expertise in technical infrastructures and the sustainable provision of controlled vocabularies and has now joined THIMO as a network partner.
Medical history collections preserve a wide range of historic objects, including surgical instruments such as bone saws, diagnostic devices, and instruments used in obstetrics (s. Figure). Many of these objects are described differently from one collection to another, making it more difficult to search across collections, exchange data, and digitally connect their holdings. THIMO is therefore laying the foundations for a shared thesaurus. The thesaurus will bring together different terms, place them in their subject-specific context, and make objects held by different collections easier to find and compare.
Based on the workshop results, the next workshops will focus on combining existing lists of object names and defining requirements from both the collection and technical perspectives. SCC will continue to contribute to this work.
Image sources: Erlangen Medical Collection (Quellen: http://objekte-im-netz.fau.de/med/id/5a86ac5fb62bb, http://objekte-im-netz.fau.de/med/id/5c87c4223a5d8, http://objekte-im-netz.fau.de/med/id/5a86ac539d691, http://objekte-im-netz.fau.de/med/id/5a86ac3a4685d)