Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital, in conjunction with the Marengo County Historical Society, is working to preserve an oft-forgotten part of the county’s lineage: medicine.

The hospital is currently working to collect artifacts from the medical field put to use in Marengo County for an exhibit they hope to showcase next month.

“What we’re really wanting to do is preserve this history,” Chrissy Brooker, director of public relations for hospital said. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”

Many of the pieces that will be put on display, Brooker said, have been donated by the community.

“We’ve got enough to put on display right now,” she said, “but we’re wanting to have lots of different items so it will continue to be fresh.”

Among the items Brooker is looking for are photos taken of employees while they’re on the job. Photos from families in the hospital are also welcome and encouraged.

“Even though this is a hospital, good things happen here,” she said. “We want the pictures of babies, or getting your cast removed, group photos from a Nurse’s Day from 19-whenever. We want it all.”

And while much of the display will be centralized around healthcare’s history, Brooker said they welcomed items both old and new.

“Nothing is too new and nothing is too old,” she said.

Among the items sought are photos, admittance bracelets, old medical bills and any old equipment. Brooker added that all items unique to the Marengo County medical field are welcome, not just items from the hospital.

Brooker said all items can and would be returned and photographs can be scanned and returned immediately.

For more information, please contact Chrissy Brooker at 334-287-2626 or email submission to brookerch@bwwmh.com