Max A. Goldstein (1870-1941) and Central Institute for the Deaf

Dr. Goldstein was a Renaissance man of many visions whose legacies continue at CID and beyond. In addition to being a physician, he was a well-respected scientist, educator and scholar. He studied anatomy, physiology, neurology, genetics, phrenology, acoustics and biology in addition to deaf education. He wrote two books and founded, contributed to and edited some of the major academic journals of the day. He chaired the Otology Department at Beaumont Medical College (now St. Louis University School of Medicine).

American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society Medal Awarded Dr. Goldstein in 1933

Dr. Goldstein started the St. Louis League for the Hard of Hearing (now St. Louis Hearing and Speech Center). In 1933 he received the Gold Medal of the American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, the St. Louis Award, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Washington University.

	Dr. Goldstein Testing the Hearing of Dizzy Dean
	In the fourth game of the 1934 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers, major league baseball pitcher Dizzy Dean was struck in the head with a baseball while pinch-running for a teammate. Immediately after the game, Dean underwent skull x-rays and Dr. Goldstein tested his hearing – no fracture or hearing loss was detected.
© CID – St. Louis

Trailer Built by Dr. Goldstein
Dr. Goldstein had vast interests, talents, and energies. His hobbies included woodworking, fishing, travel, and photography. He built a dollhouse for the children at CID, a chess set, and even a trailer for family excursions.
	© CID – St. Louis

	Chess Set Made by Dr. Goldstein
And he was a collector extraordinaire! He collected antique books, hearing devices, paintings, and lithographs, stamps, mechanical banks, Indian relics, snuff bottles, butterflies, and glass paperweights. His travels, including more than eighteen trips to Europe, were, in part, shopping expeditions to satisfy his collection mania. Sometimes he would resort to surreptitious means to conceal his acquisitions. For example, he arranged for deliveries when his wife was not at home, and was known to send himself “gifts” for his birthday.

Chess Set Made by Dr. Goldstein

And he was a collector extraordinaire! He collected antique books, hearing devices, paintings, and lithographs, stamps, mechanical banks, Indian relics, snuff bottles, butterflies, and glass paperweights. His travels, including more than eighteen trips to Europe, were, in part, shopping expeditions to satisfy his collection mania. Sometimes he would resort to surreptitious means to conceal his acquisitions. For example, he arranged for deliveries when his wife was not at home, and was known to send himself “gifts” for his birthday.

Artifacts Collected by Dr. Goldstein
Dr. Goldstein collected Indian artifacts, including burial goods typical of indigenous Indians of the New World. These samples are from Central Mexico and date from about 1500 B.C. The bulk of the collection is in the possession of the Missouri Historical Society.

Early Photo of the CID-Max A. Goldstein Collection

© CID – St. Louis
Dr. Goldstein was an avid collector of mechanical hearing devices, including the first models of commercially made devices. The CID-Goldstein Historic Devices for Hearing Collection at Washington University School of Medicine Bernard Becker Medical Library, contains more than 400 devices, the earliest dating from 1796. Dr. Goldstein’s intention was to bring a new perspective on the study of deafness by collecting such devices.

Catalog Announcing the Sale of Dr. Goldstein’s Art Collection to Benefit CID

© CID – St. Louis
Dr. Goldstein’s vast art collection, auctioned to benefit the CID school children, included works by Rembrandt, Whistler, Hogarth, and Rodin.

	Books From Dr. Goldstein’s Collection
In addition to collecting hearing devices, Dr. Goldstein collected books dealing with communication and disorders of the ear, nose, throat. The CID-Max A. Goldstein Collection in Speech and Hearing, housed at the Bernard Becker Medical Library, contains over 900 rare books on the fields of otology, deaf education, and speech defects. This remarkable collection of books mirrors Dr. Goldstein’s wide range of professional and personal interests. To ensure its preservation and accessibility to scholars, CID donated the collection to the Bernard Becker Medical Library in 1977.

Rare books from Max A. Goldstein's collection

Books From Dr. Goldstein’s Collection

In addition to collecting hearing devices, Dr. Goldstein collected books dealing with communication and disorders of the ear, nose, throat. The CID-Max A. Goldstein Collection in Speech and Hearing, housed at the Bernard Becker Medical Library, contains over 900 rare books on the fields of otology, deaf education, and speech defects. This remarkable collection of books mirrors Dr. Goldstein’s wide range of professional and personal interests. To ensure its preservation and accessibility to scholars, CID donated the collection to the Bernard Becker Medical Library in 1977.

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