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Print Article: KA-04222

How can I identify older medical journal articles?

To identify articles published from:

  • 1946 - present, search PubMed®. Your retrieval will include both MEDLINE® and OLDMEDLINE records, as well as some other citations not indexed with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®).
  • Before 1946, there are a small number of citations included in PMC: PubMed Central, searchable via PubMed.  Otherwise, there are no online sources from NLM except for IndexCat™. You need to use Index Medicus® and the other print sources that are described below. These sources can be found at many medical and large university libraries. Note: Index Medicus® ceased hard copy publication with the Dec 2004 edition (Volume 45).
Index TitleYearsCall NumberNumber of VolumesPublisherDescription
Index Medicus (IM)1879-1926ZW1 I38345 volumes in 3 series; 1879-1899, 1903-1920 including war supplement 1914-1917, 1921-1926Edited by John Shaw Billings, Robert Fletcher, et al.; Published by F. Leypoldt, Carnegie Institution, etc.Journals, books, pamphlets indexed; Subject arrangement with author indexes; intended to supplement the Index-Catalog, contains some material not in the Index-Catalog.
Bibliographia medica1900-1902ZW1 B58363 volumesEdited by Marcel Baudouin; Published by Institut de Bibliographie, ParisPublication of Index Medicus was suspended from 1899-1902. In the interval, a similar index was issued in Paris by the Institut de bibliographie. In French.
Index-Catalog of the Library of the Surgeon-General's Office (ICLSGO)
IndexCat		1880-1961Z 675 .M4 I3861 volumes in 5 series; 1880-1895, 1896-1916, 1913-1932, 1936-1955, 1959-1961Library of Surgeon-General's Office, Army Medical Library, Armed Forces Medical Library, and GPO (Government Publishing Office)Journals, books, pamphlets, theses indexed; Journal articles listed only under subject; Subject-author arrangement each series A-Z, except Series 4 which is A-Mn only. Series 5 excludes journal articles and was published in 3 volumes: Volume 2 is in A-Z subject arrangement.
Quarterly Cumulative Index to Current Literature (QCICL)1916-1926ZW1 Q412 volumesAmerican Medical AssociationJournal articles indexed; lists of new books, publishers, new gov't pubs; aimed at English-speaking, clinical, American doctors; alphabetical dictionary arrangement.
Quarterly Cumulative Index Medicus (QCIM)1927-1956ZW1 Q360 volumesAmerican Medical Association; Carnegie Institute helped finance 1927-1931Journal articles indexed; list of books and publishers; dictionary arrangement.
Current List of Medical Literature (CLML)1941-1959ZW1 C96936 volumesArmy Medical Library; Armed Forces Medical LibraryJournal articles indexed; table of contents arrangement with author, subject indexes; use jointly with QCIM since indexed Journals not the same; 1957-1959 the ONLY index.
Index Medicus/ Cumulated Index Medicus (IM/CIM)

1960-2004

ZW1 I3841960-2004, 45 volumesIndex Medicus: NLM ;
Cumulated Index Medicus: American Medical Association (1960-1964), NLM (1965- 2004) [GPO]		Searchable on PubMed. Monthly issues with annual cumulations; subject, author indexes with complete entry under each. Publication ceased with December 2004 edition (Volume 45).