New Exhibit Shows You All The Ways NYC Was And Is Covered In Germs

Typist wearing mask, New York City, October 16, 1918. (Courtesy of The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

Typist wearing mask, New York City, October 16, 1918. (Courtesy of The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

86ead128fgermcity_15-jpg.jpeg

Typist wearing mask, New York City, October 16, 1918. (Courtesy of The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

Gothamist

Laboratory mouse infected with mites, 1946. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1546-Ph)

Laboratory mouse infected with mites, 1946. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1546-Ph)

5198f01c5germcity_10-jpg.jpeg

Laboratory mouse infected with mites, 1946. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1546-Ph)

Gothamist

New York Hospital-Cornell Medical College Association Buildings, n.d. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

New York Hospital-Cornell Medical College Association Buildings, n.d. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

90db6b603germcity_14-jpg.jpeg

New York Hospital-Cornell Medical College Association Buildings, n.d. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

Gothamist

"Untitled [Stereoscopic image of an eye Inspection at Ellis Island]," c. 1913. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

"Untitled [Stereoscopic image of an eye Inspection at Ellis Island]," c. 1913. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

49a4fc5adgermcity_17-jpg.jpeg

"Untitled [Stereoscopic image of an eye Inspection at Ellis Island]," c. 1913. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

Gothamist

Fleming penicillin medallion, presented to Ruth Draper at St. Mary's Hospital in London on November 28, 1946. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

Fleming penicillin medallion, presented to Ruth Draper at St. Mary's Hospital in London on November 28, 1946. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

502b00e5dgermcity_5-jpg.jpeg

Fleming penicillin medallion, presented to Ruth Draper at St. Mary's Hospital in London on November 28, 1946. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

Gothamist

D. Appleton and Company, Sanitary and Social Chart of the Fourth Ward of the City of New York to Accompany the report of the 4th Sanitary Inspection District Made to the Council of Hygiene of the Citizens' Association…, c. 1865. (Museum of the City of New York, Gift of the University of Western Ontario, 37.152.8)

D. Appleton and Company, Sanitary and Social Chart of the Fourth Ward of the City of New York to Accompany the report of the 4th Sanitary Inspection District Made to the Council of Hygiene of the Citizens' Association…, c. 1865. (Museum of the City of New York, Gift of the University of Western Ontario, 37.152.8)

1cf639c8dgermcity_2-jpg.jpeg

D. Appleton and Company, Sanitary and Social Chart of the Fourth Ward of the City of New York to Accompany the report of the 4th Sanitary Inspection District Made to the Council of Hygiene of the Citizens' Association…, c. 1865. (Museum of the City of New York, Gift of the University of Western Ontario, 37.152.8)

Gothamist

Microscopic image of the rickettsialpox organism, c. 1946-50. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1553-Ph B)

Microscopic image of the rickettsialpox organism, c. 1946-50. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1553-Ph B)

933355d80germcity_11-jpg.jpeg

Microscopic image of the rickettsialpox organism, c. 1946-50. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1553-Ph B)

Gothamist

e8eb32994germcity_12-jpg.jpeg

0162a0c17germcity_13-jpg.jpeg

2680c673bgermcity_16-jpg.jpeg

New York City Health Department diphtheria pamphlet (Spanish), early 20th Century. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

New York City Health Department diphtheria pamphlet (Spanish), early 20th Century. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

d774468acgermcity_3-jpg.jpeg

New York City Health Department diphtheria pamphlet (Spanish), early 20th Century. (Courtesy of The New York Academy of Medicine Library)

Gothamist

Blood Mirror by Jordan Eagles, 2015-present. (Photo by Leo Herrera)

Blood Mirror by Jordan Eagles, 2015-present. (Photo by Leo Herrera)

d18b09017germcity_6-jpg.jpeg

Blood Mirror by Jordan Eagles, 2015-present. (Photo by Leo Herrera)

Gothamist

"At The Gates: Our safety depends upon official vigilance," Harper's Weekly, September 5, 1885. (Courtesy of U.S. National Library of Medicine, 101435663)

"At The Gates: Our safety depends upon official vigilance," Harper's Weekly, September 5, 1885. (Courtesy of U.S. National Library of Medicine, 101435663)

3733cec71germcity_7-jpg.jpeg

"At The Gates: Our safety depends upon official vigilance," Harper's Weekly, September 5, 1885. (Courtesy of U.S. National Library of Medicine, 101435663)

Gothamist

Smallpox quarantine poster, early 20th Century. (Courtesy of Lyman Maynard Stowe Library, UConn Health)

Smallpox quarantine poster, early 20th Century. (Courtesy of Lyman Maynard Stowe Library, UConn Health)

8ba4f4bddgermcity_8-jpg.jpeg

Smallpox quarantine poster, early 20th Century. (Courtesy of Lyman Maynard Stowe Library, UConn Health)

Gothamist

Microscopic view of the mouse mite, c. 1946-50. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1545-Ph)

Microscopic view of the mouse mite, c. 1946-50. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1545-Ph)

03fbd6fbdgermcity_9-jpg.jpeg

Microscopic view of the mouse mite, c. 1946-50. (Courtesy of NIH Stetten Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, 1545-Ph)

Gothamist

Covered ewer presented to Dr. N. Edson Sheldon by the Board of Health of New York City for professional services gratuitously rendered to the poor of the Second Ward during the prevalence of the Cholera A.D. 1832. (Silver, made by Joseph Moseley and William Gale Museum of the City of New York, 74.155)

Covered ewer presented to Dr. N. Edson Sheldon by the Board of Health of New York City for professional services gratuitously rendered to the poor of the Second Ward during the prevalence of the Cholera A.D. 1832. (Silver, made by Joseph Moseley and William Gale Museum of the City of New York, 74.155)

26a73d6c7germcity_1-jpg.jpeg

Covered ewer presented to Dr. N. Edson Sheldon by the Board of Health of New York City for professional services gratuitously rendered to the poor of the Second Ward during the prevalence of the Cholera A.D. 1832. (Silver, made by Joseph Moseley and William Gale Museum of the City of New York, 74.155)

Gothamist