Jumbo the elephant : a collection of information gathered concerning the link between the heart of Jumbo the elephant and Cornell University
Scope and content
Copies of articles, newsletters, and web pages regarding Cornell University's connection to Jumbo the elephant.
Dates
- 2001.
Creator
- Cornell University. College of Veterinary Medicine. Flower Sprecher Veterinary Library. Reference Department (Organization)
Biographical / Historical
Cornell University received the heart of Jumbo the elephant about 1889 in association with specimens acquired by Professor Burt Green Wilder. It no longer exists. According to the journal American medicine, Volume 7, 1904, Professor Burt G. Wilder was planning to dissect the heart of Jumbo with a group of students. This article also gives the dimensions of Jumbo's heart as, 28 inches long x 24 inches wide, with walls of the artery 5/8 of an inch thick, large enough to contain an ordinary heart, and those of the ventricle 3 inches thick. The weight was given as around 40 pounds. The specimen jar that housed at least a portion of Jumbo's heart is still stored at the Cornell Veterinary School. It was featured in an exhibition in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. The jar was found empty in the basement of Stimson Hall by Dr. Howard Evans in the 1940s. It had a label attached saying "Jumbo's heart." The jar lid has loops in the glass designed for hooks to suspend the specimen.
Extent
1 folders. (1 folders.)
Language of Materials
English
- Description rules
- Appm
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Repository
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853
607-255-3530
607-255-9524 (Fax)