Professional Medical Film

The Professional Medical Film (PMF) series was a series of technical motion pictures produced by the U.S. Army from the late 1940s through the late 1960s. The series covered psychiatric, surgical, and tropical medicine, radiation health effects, and other health topics in an American military medicine context.

List of films

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• PMF 5000 (1947) - Preparation and Staining of Blood Slides, demonstration of laboratory equipment; preparation of stains; preparation of thick films for diagnosis of malaria (18 min; color).
• PMF 5001 (1947) - Colostomy Closure (End-to-End Anastomosis), surgical repair of left upper abdominal colostomy (13 min).
• PMF 5002 (1947) - Abdominal Colostomy Closure — Pauchet Method, case of well-functioning colostomy of double loop type located on left side in sigmoid colon; method used to accomplish closure; precautions (9 min; color).
• PMF 5003 -
• PMF 5004 (1947) - Intra-Abdominal Closure Descending Colon Colostomy (Herniations and Multiple Openings), colostomy of descending colon midway between umbilicus and anterior iliac crest with four separate openings resulting from damage to exteriorized loop of bowel; technique used to effect repair (15 min; color).
• PMF 5005 (1947) - Simple Closure of an Abdominal Colostomy, incomplete colostomy of transverse colon; relatively simple closure procedure; advantages of intraperitoneal approach (7 min; color).
• PMF 5006 -
• PMF 5007 (1947) - Intra-Abdominal Colostomy Closures (Right and Left Side), series of right sided colostomy cases; factors essential to adequate closure (9 min; color).
• PMF 5008 (1947) - Management of Abdominal Colostomies (Intraperitoneal Closure), experience record of cases encountered during WW II; factors essential to evaluation of each type; methods of approach (22 min; color).
• PMF 5009 (1947) - Operation for Varicocele, case of painful left varicocele involving anterior group of veins; surgical treatment similar in principle to ligation of saphenous vein for varicosities of lower extremity; technique (5 min; color).
• PMF 5010 -
• PMF 5011 (1945) – Psychiatry for the General Medical Officer, originally developed by the British and redeveloped by the U.S. Army.
• PMF 5012 (1945) – Combat Exhaustion, developed in the 312th Station Hospital in England by Col. Lloyd J. Thompson, MC, Col. Ernest H. Parsons, MC, and Maj. Howard D. Fabing, MC.
• PMF 5013 -
• PMF 5014 -
• PMF 5015 (1946) - Convalescent Care and Rehabilitation of Patients with Injury to Spinal Cord (Surgery and Physical Medicine), Diagnostic, surgical, nursing, and physical medicine techniques and practices (41 min; color).
• PMF 5016 (1946) - Thoracic Surgery — Part I: Hemothorax with Consideration of Specific Remedial Breathing Exercises (Surgery and Physical Medicine), Pathologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of hemothorax and other disorders of the pleura and pleural cavity (39 min; color).
• PMF 5017 -
• PMF 5018 - Thoracic Surgery — Part III: Foreign Bodies in the Pericardium and Heart, Diagnostic planning, surgical, and postoperative techniques (50 min; color).
• PMF 5019 (1946; unreleased until 1981) – Let There Be Light (58 min; b&w); Maj. John Huston's classic documentary on military neuropsychiatry; developed at Mason General Hospital; use of narcosynthesis, hypnosis, and group psychotherapy; Walter Huston narrates. In 1948, this film was remade with professional actors and retitled Shades of Gray (PMF 5047).
• PMF 5020 (1946) - Removal of Magnetic Foreign Bodies from the Eye, acceptable technique; handling of detached retina case (14 min; color).
• PMF 5021 -
• PMF 5022 -
• PMF 5023 -
• PMF 5024 -
• PMF 5025 -
• PMF 5026 -
• PMF 5027 (1947) – Schistosomiasis, three types of schistosomiasis (snail fever); Geographical habitat, epidemiology, symptomatology, and general control measures; technical, clinical, and laboratory procedures for diagnosis and treatment of Schistosomiasis japonica (27 min; color).
• PMF 5028 (1947) - Sandfly Control, symptoms, methods, and treatment of skin diseases transmitted by sandfly; environmental sanitation principles essential to control (33 min; color).
• PMF 5030 (1946) - The Preparation and Insertion of Tantalum Plate (Cranium Insert), preliminaries essential to preparation and placement of tantalum plate; individual cases; salient operational features (30 min; color).
• PMF 5031 (1946) - Below Knee Amputation, Amputation method useful immediately after injury and in secondary repair of stump (14 min; color).
• PMF 5033 (1946) - Technique of Open Amputation, Procedure on below knee open amputation case; revision and final plastic repair performed six weeks later; through explanation of each specific step throughout two operations (11 min; color).
• PMF 5034 (1947) - Therapeutic Exercise, Introduction, Use of planned therapeutic physical movement for specific purpose (17 min).
• PMF 5037 (1947) - Abnormal Involuntary Movements, Activating and inhibitory influences on motor centers at various levels of nervous system; involuntary movement caused by losing control of ability to relax after certain types of lesions (24 min).
• PMF 5039 (1947) - Disorders of Gait, Coordination of motor power; motor power from muscles controlled by peripheral nerves originating in spinal cord; motor impulses from brain through pyramidal tract (27 min).
• PMF 5044 (1947) - Facial Palsy, Anatomy of facial nerve; detailed description of course of upper and lower neuron; results of lesions in some characteristic sites; treatment of facial palsy; spasm during regeneration of facial palsy differentiated from tic twitchings of other etiology (22 min).
• PMF 5047 (1948) – Shades of Gray (65 min, 51 sec); summary of experience in prevention and treatment of neuropsychiatric cases in WW II; mental disorders which may be experienced during training and combat; mild anxiety states; obsessive-compulsive neuroses; psychosomatic disorders; severe depressive reactions; paranoid psychoses (partly a re-dramatized version of U.S. Army Film Bulletin FB #184 ["Psychiatric Procedures in the Combat Area"], partly a remake [with actors] of PMF 5019).
• PMF ???? (1945) – Your Job and the Psychiatric Patient, a three-part film, was not completed until after V-J Day and then released in 1947.
  • Part I: The Psychiatric Patient
  • Part II: How the Patient May Affect the Attendant
  • Part III: The Attendants Help the Patients
• PMF 5048 (1947) - Arthropod-Borne Virus Encephalitides; Differential diagnostic measures; diagnosis, treatment, and control of Japanese B encephalitis; proper approach to investigation of problem (34 min).
• PMF 5051 (1947) - Therapeutic Exercise, Orthopedics (28 min).
• PMF 5052 (1947) - To Hear Again; General principles of rehabilitation for patients with impaired hearing (38 min; Film Reference).
• PMF 5053 (1947) - Therapeutic Exercise, Peripheral Nerve Injuries (16 min).
• PMF 5056 (1947) - Therapeutic Exercise, Thoracic Surgery; Physical examination; determining specific remedial activity; characteristic deformities; preoperative exercises; general surgical aspects; postoperative treatment routine; coughing; posture; progressive stages of exercises; heat and ultraviolet; measurements of range of motion; overcoming a definite weakness or loss of function; heavy resistance phase (29 min).
• PMF 5058 (1950) - The Medical Effects of the Atomic Bomb: Part 1, Physics, Physical Destruction, Casualty Effects; Nuclear fission and general reaction; thermal energy and mechanical force; nuclear radiation and ionizing effect; physical destruction; casualty effects (32 min; color).
• PMF 5061 (1947) - Peripheral Nerve Surgery — Part I: Sciatic Nerve; Management of typical peripheral nerve injury case of WW II; follow-up treatment at neurosurgical centers of the Veterans Administration (33 min; color).
• PMF 5062 (1947) - Cineplastic Operation; Attaching cords to selected muscle and then to prosthetic appliance so that patient can operate appliance by contracting muscles in amputation stub (18 min; color).
• PMF 5063 (1946) - Anterior Acrylic Bridgework; Fitting dental bridges in which acrylic is used to replace porcelain; procedures and techniques (39 min; color; from Navy Film MN 4352A, B, and C).
• PMF 5065 (1947) - Management and Technique of Pulmonary Lobectomy; Bronchiectasis of left lower lobe of lungs; extirpation of diseased lung tissue (31 min; color).
• PMF 5068 (1947) - Repair of Recto-Urethral Fistula; Case of injury to large and small bowel, bladder, urethra, and rectum caused by bullet wounds; exploratory laparotomy scar, cystostomy, colostomy, and abdominal fistula wounds; closure of complete fistula by use of Whitehead principle of advancement of rectum (3 min; color).
• PMF 5069 (1947) - Simple Anterior Closure of Transverse Colostomy (Right Side); Right side colostomies less frequent than left side colostomies; similarity of procedures followed in anastomosis; typical problems and applicable surgical techniques; some WW II developments in surgical management of colostomies (23 min; color).
• PMF 5070 (1947) - Simple Anterior Closure of Colostomy (10 min; color).
• PMF 5071 (1948) - Pinta; Various stages of chronic, disfiguring skin disease; diagnosis; spirochetal etiology; good results with arsenical and penicillin therapy (18 min; color).
• PMF 5073 (1947) - Construction of Screw Lock Sectional Splint; Case of facial injury including fracture of mandible, comminuted, compound, requiring additional bone to restore contour of mandible; all phases of fixation, grafting, and replacement (17 min; color).
• PMF 5075 (1947) - Reconstruction of the Lower Lip and Chin; Case of destruction by shell fragments of two-thirds of lower lip, chin, and mandible; method and phases of restoration (20 min; color).
• PMF 5076 (1948) - Lumbar Sympathectomy (Ganglionectomy); Various applications; types of conditions likely to be benefited; procainization of structure to be removed; operative procedure; details of removal of sympathetic chain; anatomic and physiologic defects produced by removal of certain portions of chain; ordinary anatomic demonstration on cadaver (33 min; color; Film Reference).
• PMF 5077A (1949) - Inside the Cell, Part I: Enzymes in Intracellular Chemistry; Concept of intracellular enzymatic action; biochemical phenomena illustrated by animation; laboratory technique of several Nobel prize winning scientists (40 min; color).
• PMF 5077B (1952) - Inside the Cell, Part II: Regulation of Enzymes; Factors regulating enzyme action (43 min; color).
• PMF 5081 (1948) - Transplantation and Anastomosis of Radial Nerve; Case of severed left radial nerve which was sutured but recovery failed to ensure; clinical findings; technique used to accomplish repair (9 min; color).
• PMF 5088 (1948) - Peroneal Nerve Anastomosis at the Knee; Case of peroneal nerve severed at bend of knee with evident foot drop and loss of sensation on dorsum of foot; technique used to effect repair; necessity for gently curving incision to prevent later keloid formation or contracture by avoiding flexion creases in popliteal space (7 min; color).
• PMF 5148 (1950) – The Medical Effects of the Atomic Bomb: Part 2, Pathology and the Clinical Problem (37 min, color).
• PMF 5149 (1950) – The Medical Effects of the Atomic Bomb: Part 3, Medical Services in Atomic Disaster (27 min, color).
• PMF 5315 (1957) – Radical Retroperitoneal Node Dissection in the Treatment of Testicular Tumors; Dissection of germinal tumors; seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratocarcinoma, and choriocarcinoma; clinical and microscopical analysis (20 min; color).
• PMF 5316 (1957) - The Effect of Ionizing Radiation on Domestic Animals; Development of symptoms in burros; radiation and physiological changes in biochemistry, hematology, histopathology, and radiometric laboratory (22 min; distribution primarily to distribution to Central Film and Equipment Exchanges).
• PMF 5318 (1958) - Management of Burns — Part I, Supportive Care; Rule of Nines method of diagnosing burns is defined; minor, moderate, and critical injuries; initial hospital procedures for treating burns; importance of building patient's morale is emphasized (18 min; color).
• PMF 5319 (1958) - Management of Burns — Part II, Local Care; Local care of burned patients in dressing and operating rooms; essentials of supportive care; cleansing wound; debridement of skin; occlusive dressing treatment; skin grafting; air treatment; importance of preventing contamination of wound and changing dressings (15 min; color).
• PMF 5320 (1959) - Management of Burns — Part III, Skin Grafting; Skin grafting of limbs, hands, and body areas; autografting and homografting techniques; sheet method and postage stamp method of grafting (21 min; color).
• PMF 5321 (1959) - Management of Burns — Part IV, Rehabilitation; Optimum nutrition, hydrotherapy; infrared and ultraviolet light treatment; massage; exercise; functional retraining; occupational therapy (9 min; color).
• PMF 5322 (1958) - Animals for Research; Methods and factors in maintaining a disease free colony; techniques and equipment used in breeding; procedures in transporting the animals to research laboratories (28 min; color).
• PMF 5323 (1960) - Early Care of the Patient With a Spinal Cord Injury; Placement on litter and evacuation; traction for fractures; surgery for wounds; physical medicine and care; use of Stryker Frame; occupational therapy (17 min).
• PMF 5324 (1958) - A Method of Teaching Combat Surgery; New method of teaching principles and technique of traumatic surgery in combat; old didactic method of instruction; new method applied to debridement; actual combat conditions are simulated in laboratory (16 min; color; distribution to Central Film and Equipment Exchanges in CONUS and overseas).
• PMF 5325 (1958) - Electromyograph Procedures; Discusses the clinical application of electromyography in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of neuromuscular disorders, and demonstrates the technique of operating the machine; treatment of lower motor neuron and spinal cord pathology, myotonia congenita and acquisita, and hysterical paralysis (18 min; distribution to Central Film and Equipment Exchanges in CONUS and overseas).
• PMF 5326 (1960) - Hearing Evaluation and Rehabilitation, physical and emotional rehabilitation at Audiology and Speech Center, Walter Reed Hospital; hearing loss and speech evaluation tests; hearing aid evaluation and training; speech training (24 min).
• PMF 5327 (1960) – Nephroureterectomy, clinical diagnosis of ureter infection; surgical procedure used in a nephroureterectomy; removal of left kidney with infected ureters shown (26 min; color).
• PMF 5328 (1960) – Gingivectomy, clinical aspects of a gingival condition of the gums; surgical technique used in performing a gingivectomy (16 min; color).
• PMF 5329 (1960) - Three-Quarter Anterior Crown, clinical technique for preparing and fitting a three-quarter crown on a maxillary anterior tooth (38 min; color).
• PMF 5330 (1960) - Correction of Mandibular Prognathism by Vertical Sliding Osteotomy, clinical manifestations and surgical techniques and procedures used to correct the condition (29 min; color).
• PMF 5331 (1960) - Technique of Biceps Cineplasty, clinical diagnosis; surgical technique; physical therapy, fitting of the prosthesis, and prosthesis training after surgery (26 min; color).
• PMF 5332 (1960) - Transperitoneal Bilateral Lymphadenectomy for Testis Tumor, surgical techniques for making incision and performing dissection; advantages and technique of the midline transperitoneal approach (12 min; color).
• PMF 5339 (1961) – Basic Autopsy Procedure.
• PMF 5371 (196?) – Surgical Excision of Cyst from the Mouth.
• PMF 5397 (196?) – Mammaplasty.
• PMF 5415 (1968) – Army Medicine in Vietnam.
• PMF 5416 (1968) – Filariasis; With Dr Donald L. Price, MD.