Michael:

am interested in the material for the museum here. See link at end of page
and address... here is an early story related by Ivan (aka Jack) Saddler. He
is still alive and remembers things quite well....

The FCC after many hearings reversed it's previous decision and opted for
the NTSC system. And color television started in earnest. One early user of
color television was to be the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP).
This organization was to be the source of pathological information for all
of the armed services as well as the teaching organization for military
pathologists. Plans called for the ability to provide color television views
of pathology and pathological procedures in all class rooms as well as the
ability to transmit such information by normal cable and microwave routes
throughout the world. The building is located on the grounds of the Walter
Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC. It was almost completed when the time
came for selection of a color television system.

Because the television was for the most part closed circuit the
compatibility issue was not paramount. The Colonel who was head of the AFIP
decided to hold a technical conference at the Institute to explore the uses
of color television in pathology and at the same time allow demonstrations
of the competing systems so that a system could be selected for installation
in the building. The schedule called for two days of presentations and
demonstrations. The first day was to be the big one. Dr. Al Goldsmith was to
be the featured speaker in the late morning followed by Dr. Peter Goldmark.
Goldsmith was naturally in favor of the NTSC System having been the inventor
of the shadow mask type of picture tube. Just as avid about the CBS system
was Peter Goldmark. Dr. Goldsmith on hearing the speaking order refused to
appear. After some behind the scenes consultation Dr. Goldsmith and I
obtained sandwiches and soft drink for me and milk for him. We found a
closet almost full of lumber and hid locking the door while we ate lunch.
Sitting on the unfinished splintery lumber was not exactly like a gourmet
restaurant but it did accomplish the purpose. Dr. Goldmark did give his
presentation before lunch. Dr. Goldsmith reappeared at 1 PM and gave his
talk. Later demonstrations by CBS and RCA were useful in allowing the AFIP
to decide which color TV system would be used. RCA went all out by
presentation of an operation for suspected breast cancer in Philadelphia.
The nodule removed from the breast was frozen, microtomed and stained. The
stained sample was shown in color through a microscope. Pathologists in
Baltimore examined the video picture sent by cable and decided the nodule
indicated carcinoma. We in Washington could see the operation and both sides
of the discussion between the surgeon and the pathologists. At the opposite
end of the scale of what can you do with color TV was a film about the
necropsy of a young elephant from the Washington zoo. Necropsy is the same
for animals as autopsy is for humans. The tools though instead of scalpels
are butcher knives and axes. The 28 year old elephant apparently died of a
lung disease. The doctors at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology did
decide that the NTSC system was likely to live longer than the CBS system
and chose to equip their facility with the compatible system.

These stories show that progress is created by humans who are dissatisfied
with the state of things. The Texans have an appropriate saying "Fat dogs
don't hunt." More of the human side of technological progress will be
related in future issues. -IRS


One thing of interest is there was a great  color spread about Walter Reed
television in one of the Early RCA Broadcast Magizines too...
Thanks Ed Sharpe archivist for SMECC

Please check our web site at
 http://www.smecc.org
to see other engineering fields, communications and computation stuff we
like, and by all means  when in Arizona drop in and see us.

address:

 coury house / smecc
5802 w palmaire ave
glendale az 85301



----- Original Message -----
From: "Rhode, Michael G." <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 5:43 AM
Subject: free to a good home


I have 2 boxes of professional television studio instruction manuals and
catalogues.  Walter Reed's TV studio has been cleaning out.  The material
dates from the 1970s-1990s and includes trade lit from Blonder-Tongue,
Amperex, Jerrold, Philips, RCA, Telemation and Tektronix among others.  If
anyone from an appropriate institution is interested, let me know.  Please
reply directly as I'm on digest and won't see the response until tomorrow.

Michael Rhode, Archivist
Otis Historical Archives
National Museum of Health and Medicine
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
Washington, DC 20306-6000
202-782-2212; FAX 202-782-3573
http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum
http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/collections/archives/archives.html

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