Poetry Inspired by the Chevalier Jackson Foreign Body Collection of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia

The Foreign Body Collection has acted upon the imaginations of numerous poets, some of whom have shared their work with me.

The Chevaliers Jackson Home Movie Collection

Over 60 home movies dating from the 1930s to 1960 include incomparable footage of Chevalier Jackson, Sr., writing and drawing at his home and workspace at Old Sunrise Mills in Schwenksville, PA.

Artistic Collaborations with Bay Area Artist, Lisa Wood

Mary Cappello and San Francisco-based artist Lisa Wood collaborated on an illustrated reading at Observatory in Brooklyn, N.Y. Wood's series of assemblages, called "The Swallowing Plates," were also inspired by Jackson's career.

Co-curating the newly-improved Chevalier Jackson Foreign Body exhibit with Anna Dhody, Curator of the Mütter Museum

Since writing Swallow, I’ve happily served as a research consultant, copy writer, and contributor to the re-furbished foreign body exhibit in Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum.

Meeting the Descendants of “Joseph B.”

Through a series of serendipitous connections, the daughter of one of Dr. Jackson's patients contacted me. She had read an excerpt of Swallow in ProTo magazine, and was reminded of her father’s case. Our correspondence has been astonishing

Newly Discovered Illustrations by Chevalier Jackson

Since the appearance of Swallow, I have learned of two wonderful medical illustrations made by Chevalier Jackson, Sr.

12,000 Mile Trip Saves Lad's Life

Following my meeting with Joseph Burke’s family in the Mutter Museum in September 2011, I received an astonishing and moving account of a five year old boy who traveled with his missionary family on a 24 day trek from India to Philadelphia after the boy had gotten a glass bead stuck in his trachea.

Getting to Know a World-Renowned Sword Swallower

I never thought my career would bring me into dialogue with a sword swallower. Dan Meyer, head of Sword Swallowers Association International, let me interpret his work, and in the process has taught me things long past Swallow's presumed completion.