Fantus, Bernard. Collection, 1874-2009

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Medicine

This collection is open for research.

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Fantus, Bernard. Collection, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Bernard Fantus was born in 1874 in Hungary, and came to the United States in 1889. He began working in a drugstore, and by 1899 he had received an M.D. from the University of Illinois, College of Medicine. In 1902, Fantus moved with his family to Chicago and began to teach at the University of Illinois college of Medicine. He was in charge of the Medical Dispensary at the University of Illinois from 1902 to 1913, and was appointed Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Illinois in 1903 until his death in 1940. From 1924 to 1932, he worked as Associate Professor of Medicine at Rush Medical College.

Fantus worked primarily in therapeutics, and with many pharmaceutical companies. He also wrote two important textbooks: “Text-book of Prescription-Writing and Pharmacy” and “Essentials of Prescription-Writing.” In 1937, while Director of Therapueutics at Cook County Hospital, Chicago IL, Fantus brought together the technologies and processes for collecting, storing, and distribution of blood in a hospital or clinical setting and coined the term “blood bank” to describe it.

The Bernard Fantus Collection primarily consists of correspondence, photographs, professional documents, biographical materials and newspaper clipping focused on the life and death of Bernard Fantus. Also contained within the collection are articles and newspaper clippings about blood banks and the Cook County Medical Center.

The collection is organized into seven series. Series I Correspondence; Series II Academic and Professional; Series III Biographical; Series IV Writings by Others; Series V Photographs; Series VI Artifacts; and Series VII Oversized. Originally, most of the collection was contained within two large scrapbooks created by Emily Fantus, the wife of Bernard Fantus, and Maurice Fulton, his niece. While some of the materials contained within the scrapbooks were created during his lifetime, many of the documents were articles written after his death and referenced his life and accomplishments.

Series I, consists of the correspondence of Bernard Fantus and his family. The letters written to Bernard Fantus after his death are form letters requesting information. Also included are photocopies of letters Bernard Fantus wrote to Emily Fantus during their courtship.

Series II, consists of material of Bernard Fantus that pertains to his professional and academic career.

Series III, consists of newspaper clippings, articles and other documents summarizing the life and honoring the achievements of Bernard Fantus. The distinction between the obituaries and tributes folders and the posthumous honors, retrospectives and anniversaries folders is that obituaries and tributes occurred near the time of the death of Fantus, while the posthumous honors, retrospectives and anniversaries occurred sometime after the death of Fantus.

Series IV, contains writings by others that relate to Fantus, his medical discoveries, or the organizations he was involved in. This series contains several folders of newspaper clippings; effort was made to distinguish between the dated and undated articles.

Series V, contains various photographs of Bernard Fantus and his family. Series VI, consists of artifacts from Bernard Fantus’s life and various artifacts from memorials and other events honoring Fantus. Series VII, Oversized, consist of oversized documents and artifacts from other series within the collection.

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

• NamesFantus, Bernard, 1874-1940
• Subject
  • Biomedical Research
  • Blood Banks