The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, TIRR records

Identity elements

Reference code

IC 017

Level of description

Collection

Title

The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, TIRR records

Date(s)

  • 1950-1996 (Creation)

Extent

119.5 cubic feet (149 boxes)

Name of creator

(1951-)

Administrative history

The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research was opened by William Spencer, MD, as the Southwestern Poliomyelitis Respiratory Center in 1951 at the peak of the US polio epidemic. It officially became The Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in 1959, then just The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in 1978. After the development of a vaccine in the early 1960s, Dr. Spencer shifted the practice to the rehabilitation of the catastrophically injured. As it expanded, the Institute recruited doctors who would become major contributors in specific areas of concern, such as Gunyon Harrison (pediatric cystic fibrosis), Carlos Vallbona (physiology and cardiology), Paul Harrington (orthopedic surgeon and developer of Harrington rods); and Bobby Alford (ENT). TIRR is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and the McGovern Medical School, and joined Memorial Hermann in 2006.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research collection contains slides, Department of rehabilitation annual reports, The Spinal Connection, TIRR year in review, Midweek newsletter, Connection newsletter, TIRR annual report, Southwestern Poliomyelitis Respiratory Center Administrative reports, Scoliosis Paul R. Harrington, issues of Promethean, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center reports, rehabilitation engineering center, regional spinal cord injury center, vocational industrial center, teaching grant, directories, bibliography, nursing manual, total parenteral nutrition protocol, Baylor College of Medicine Department of Rehabilitation annual reports, various serial titles (single issues), administrative policies, telephone directories, Rehabilitation Voice magazine, Kaleidoscope newsletter, brochures, photos, and press packets, TIRR manuals, compendium report of spinal cord injury educational resources audiovisuals and unpublished written materials, TIRR spinal cord injury program, various dissertations, various articles, research info, PR photos, and other related printed materials.

Subjects: Rehabilitation

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

No access restrictions. Open for research.

Physical access

Materials are in good condition.

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

Language and script notes

Finding aids

A rough box-level inventory and inventory of audiovisual materials are available.

Uploaded finding aid

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Custodial history

Deed-3

Immediate source of acquisition

Per correspondence in the control folder, donation was facilitated by Martin Grabois, MD, of the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, which had been storing it, in 2004.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Accruals

Accruals might occur.

Related materials elements

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related archival materials

Notes element

Specialized notes

  • Citation: The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, TIRR records; IC 017; John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library. Please cite the box and folder numbers where appropriate.

Alternative identifier(s)

TARO

00119

Description control element

Rules or conventions

Sources used

Archivist's note

Inventory prepared by Pam Cornell, December 2007.

Archivist's note

Inventory of audiovisual materials provided by TIRR, 2004.

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Accession area