(Aug. 31, 2017) The opportunity to purchase items from a museum exhibit is not an everyday occurrence, which is why it may be surprising the Julia A. Purnell Museum is currently entertaining offers for medical equipment and furniture belonging to Dr. Robert LaMar, Snow Hill’s town doctor for roughly 60 years, beginning in the 1940s.
The museum opened its “Community Medicine: The Art and Science of Healing” exhibit in April, in honor of the longtime community figure.
At that time Dr. Cynthia Byrd, Purnell Museum executive director, spoke about the ongoing connection between LaMar and numerous residents of Snow Hill.
“He was here so long there were multiple generations of families that he delivered,” she said. “Also, there were people where he was there when they were born and he was there when they died.”
LaMar, who practiced medicine in Snow Hill into the 1990s, died in 2005 and was survived by his wife, Freda, who died in 2014.
In addition to items from LaMar’s tenure, Byrd said the museum exhibit includes equipment and furniture that were bequeathed from his predecessor, Dr. John Riley.
The collection runs a wide gamut, as LaMar worked during an era before the predominance of medical specialists, Byrd said.
“He was the last general family doctor who was certified to deliver babies at Peninsula Regional Medical Center,” she said. “That was back when a general practitioner was general. He had to do everything.”
Byrd said interested parties could visit the museum to view items in the exhibit, which will remain on display until the end of October.
“It kind of gives this huge overview of everything the doctors were doing at the time,” she said. “All reasonable offers will be considered.”
The Julia A. Purnell Museum, on 208 West Market Street, is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The cost for adult admission is $3 and children can attend for no cost. Yearly memberships are available at $15 for individuals and $25 for families.
The museum opened its “Community Medicine: The Art and Science of Healing” exhibit in April, in honor of the longtime community figure.
At that time Dr. Cynthia Byrd, Purnell Museum executive director, spoke about the ongoing connection between LaMar and numerous residents of Snow Hill.
“He was here so long there were multiple generations of families that he delivered,” she said. “Also, there were people where he was there when they were born and he was there when they died.”
LaMar, who practiced medicine in Snow Hill into the 1990s, died in 2005 and was survived by his wife, Freda, who died in 2014.
In addition to items from LaMar’s tenure, Byrd said the museum exhibit includes equipment and furniture that were bequeathed from his predecessor, Dr. John Riley.
The collection runs a wide gamut, as LaMar worked during an era before the predominance of medical specialists, Byrd said.
“He was the last general family doctor who was certified to deliver babies at Peninsula Regional Medical Center,” she said. “That was back when a general practitioner was general. He had to do everything.”
Byrd said interested parties could visit the museum to view items in the exhibit, which will remain on display until the end of October.
“It kind of gives this huge overview of everything the doctors were doing at the time,” she said. “All reasonable offers will be considered.”
The Julia A. Purnell Museum, on 208 West Market Street, is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The cost for adult admission is $3 and children can attend for no cost. Yearly memberships are available at $15 for individuals and $25 for families.