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Benjamin Sonnenblick papers

 Record Group
Identifier: MC-MBL-Sonnenblick-Sci

Scope and Contents

The Benjamin Sonnenblick papers (1950-1996) include pictures of Dr. Sonnenblick at various ages and also some family pictures and news clippings. There are copies of drafts of a number of his published papers and reviews of articles by others. A few personal letters are included as well as a copy of Dr. Sonnenblick’s birth certificate.

Dates

  • 1950-1996

Conditions Governing Access

Open: materials are available for research.

Biographical Information

Dr. Benjamin Sonnenblick was born in New York City in 1909. He was graduated from City College of New York, the University of Michigan, and New York University. He served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946.

Dr. Sonnenblick taught zoology at the Newark colleges of Rutgers University from 1947 to 1966 and was elected Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 1965.

He is well known for two contributions to medicine and public health. In the late 1930s he developed a technique for slicing, staining, and photographing fruit fly eggs, which advanced understanding of cell division and differentiation. He also pioneered radiation protection, important because in the 1950s radiologists and technicians used x-rays and fluoroscopes without an understanding of how much radiation patients were receiving and the effects of such radiation exposure. His study resulted in the establishment of the Commission on Radiation Protection in the State of New Jersey and standards for training of technicians, calibration of machines, and lead shielding. His work also resulted in the removal of fluoroscopes from shoe stores, where they had been used as an aid to fitting shoes. Dr. Sonnenblick also participated in radiation protection on the federal level.

In 1934, Dr. Sonnenblick first came to Woods Hole, and his first full summer of research was in 1952. He continued to conduct research at the MBL every summer from the early 1960s until 1997. Through this many summers at the MBL, he developed a bibliography of 5,400 studies of low-dose radiation effects.

Extent

1 box (one 12.5" x 10.5" x 5" box)

Language

English

Arrangement

The papers were donated in a large box in no particular order. Some papers were in folders and others were loose. They were organized by subject as much as possible. There is also an alphabetical correspondence file and a photograph file.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Benjamin Sonnenblick collection was given to the Marine Biological Laboratory Archives by his son, Mark Sonnenblick, of Leesburg, Virginia.

Related Materials

There is a reprint collection of Dr. Sonnenblick’s work in the special collections at the MBL. There is also a biographical file in the filing cabinet in the Agassiz Room.

Processing Information

Processed by Jean Monahan, July 28, 1998.

Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Marine Biological Laboratory Archives Repository

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