Dental mixer

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Date

c. 1970

Description

The onset of the AIDS epidemic was met with fears about the new disease, and how it could be spread. Without good scientific information, the public worried about contagion through low to no-risk activities, including holding hands or using a public toilet. These fears led to denial of medical care for many HIV+ patients and for the broader gay community, including dental and eye care. In New York’s Capital Region, services for the HIV+ community, including access to medical care, was provided through a patchwork of non-profit and community organizations, including Whitney Young Health. This ophthalmic chair, dental chair, and dental casting mixer were donated to the NYS Museum by Whitney Young Health in 1989, at a time that they were expanding their services to better provide for this population.

Type

Artifact

Region

New York State, United States

Era

Contemporary United States

Topic

LGBTQ+

Repository

New York State Museum

Identifier

H-1989.18

Source

New York State Museum, H-1989.18

Rights

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