Society of Medical History of Chicago. Records, 1830-1982

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Medicine

Chicago and Illinois

The collection is open for research.

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Society of Medical History of Chicago. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

In 1909, the Society of Medical History of Chicago was founded in "to secure and preserve matters pertaining to the history of medical institutions, organizations and individuals particularly of Chicago and the adjacent country; and to stimulate interest in medical history in general." Original members of the society's council included George H. Cleveland, Henry T. Byford, Nathan S. Davis, John Edwin Rhodes, George H. Weaver, and Ludvig Hektoen.

In its early development, the society's explicit purpose was the collection and preservation of material documenting the history of medicine in Chicago. These historical collections were built during the early 1910s through early 1920s, and included print and manuscript material, primarily related to medicine in Chicago in the mid- to late-nineteenth century.

Beginning in the mid-1930s, the society shifted the focus of its activities to publishing, public programs and social events. The organization sponsored lectures, meetings and other events, including the annual Morris Fishbein Lecture; it published the Bulletin of the Society of Medical History of Chicago and internal newsletters. Key members of the group during the mid- to late-twentieth century included Ilza Veith, Frederick Stenn, Leo M. Zimmerman, Morris Fishbein, Allen G. Debus, James B. Herrick, William A. Pusey, Arthur F. Abt, H.W. Kienast, Joseph H. Kiefer, Walter L. Necker, George H. Coleman and William K. Beatty. In 2005, the organization was renamed the Society of Medical History and Humanities of Chicago to reflect its broader research interests.

The records of the Society of Medical History of Chicago include the organization's administrative documents, as well as its collections of historic material on the history of medicine.

Series I: Administration, contains material related to the activities and operation of the society from 1909-1982. Material in this series includes correspondence, minutes, reports, announcements, membership lists, proceedings, newsletters and broadsides.

Series II: Historical Collections, contains materials that the society compiled for research in the history of medicine. In this series are collections of organizational records, personal papers, publications and photographs. This series is divided into subseries by type of collection or format. While the collections primarily document medicine in Chicago and Cook County in the mid- to late-nineteenth century, this series also includes material relevant to the medical history of other regions such as Indiana, New York and Philadelphia.

The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections:

• Names
  • Cleveland, George Henry
  • Davis, N.S. (Nathan Smith), 1817-1904
  • Debus, Allen G.
  • Hektoen, Ludvig, 1863-1951
  • Le Count, Edwin Raymond, 1868-1935
  • Senn, Nicholas, 1844-1908
  • Stenn, Frederick
  • Weaver, George H. (George Howitt), b. 1866-
  • Chicago Medical Club
  • Chicago Medical College
  • Chicago Medical Society
  • Cook County Hospital (Chicago, Ill.)
  • Rush Medical College
  • Society of Medical History of Chicago
• Subject
  • Great Fire, Chicago, Ill., 1871
  • Medical colleges -- Illinois
  • Medical colleges -- United States
  • Medical education -- United States
  • Medicine -- History
  • Medicine -- Illinois -- Chicago
  • Medicine -- Societies, etc.
  • Temperance