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Records of the Philadelphia County Medical Society

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Held at: Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia [Contact Us]19 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

The records of the Philadelphia County Medical Society document the activities of two committees within the Society: the Committee on Maternal Welfare and the Committee on Archives.

The Committee on Maternal Welfare was established in 1930 by George P. Muller, President of the Philadelphia County Medical Society. Muller created the committee after he became aware of the results of a survey conducted by Dr. Haven Emerson; the survey revealed that although Philadelphia had a falling birth rate, the maternal mortality rate had remained the same over a period of ten years. In order to study this problem, President Muller appointed a committee, chaired by Philip F. Williams, to conduct additional research on maternal death in Philadelphia.

In 1934, after a three year survey of 717 maternal deaths, the Committee on Maternal Welfare produced a report of its findings. The impact of this report was so great that the committee became a permanent division of the Philadelphia County Medical Society and began holding monthly meetings. In 1933, Philip F. Williams, chairman of the committee, received the Philadelphia County Medical Society's Strittmatter Award in recognition of his leadership in this project.

In subsequent years, the Committee on Maternal Welfare continued its surveys and began to implement programs designed to reduce the maternal death rate. Its work had a profound impact on the community; as a result of the committee's on going research and innovative programs, Philadelphia's maternal death rate dropped from 6.8 per thousand births in 1931 to .9 per thousand births in 1949.

Mary Agnes Gowdey was born in 1907 and graduated from the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1935. She practiced as an obstetrician and gynecologist in Pennsylvania and later in New Jersey. Gowdey was an active member of the Committee on Maternal Welfare; as recording secretary, she was responsible for maintaining correspondence with hospital representatives and acquiring all reports relevant to the maternal mortality study. As of 1991, M. Agnes Gowdey is retired and living in Mount Holly, N. J.

The Committee on Archives of the Philadelphia County Medical Society was established by the society's Board of Directors in 1912. The committee, under the supervision of its first chairman, Albert M. Eaton, was charged with seeking out and preserving historical records of the society as well as material on its founders and former presidents.

From 1920 to 1924, the archives of the Philadelphia County Medical Society were housed at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. In 1924, the archives were transferred to the society's executive offices. In 1942, the Committee on Archives and the society's Committee on Library merged to form the Committee on Library and Archives. This committee was active until at least 1962.

The records of the Philadelphia County Medical Society document the activities of two committees within the Society: the Committee on Maternal Welfare and the Committee on Archives.

The Committee on Maternal Welfare records consists of records of committee meetings, materials used in conducting maternal mortality surveys, maternal death reports, and correspondence. The records, 1944 to 1973, were maintained by M. Agnes Gowdey, recording secretary of the Committee on Maternal Welfare.

The records of committee meetings, spanning 1944 to 1972, include agenda, minutes, reports, memoranda, and membership lists are contained in Series 1. This series also contains miscellaneous notes, most of which were recorded during committee meetings, and miscellaneous printed material, including maternal mortality reports from other institutions (1958-1964) and the American Medical Association's "Guide for Maternal Death Studies" (1957).

Series 2, spanning 1951 to 1971, includes material used in conducting maternal mortality surveys. Present are procedure forms prepared by the committee to provide guidelines and rules for the proper execution of the maternal mortality study. Also included are samples of forms distributed to the hospitals participating in the survey, as well as explanations of the various codes and symbols used on these forms. This series also contains a record book (1961-1971) providing statistical figures derived from the committee's maternal mortality surveys.

Included in Series 3 are monthly and annual reports, both of which provide statistics on maternal mortality in Philadelphia. Also present are individual case reports (1955-1972); these case reports, which make up the bulk of the collection, provide detailed information about each deceased mother, including her medical history, the nature of her pregnancy, and the cause of death. Also included are medical examiners' reports, mortality summaries, lab reports, and death certificates. The case reports are arranged by code number, a number assigned by the committee as each case report was received.

Series 4 contains correspondence (1945-1973), most of which was received from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These communications provide information used in the committee's study, including Philadelphia Code Numbers and Bureau of Vital Statistics Codes for maternal deaths in Philadelphia.

The Committee on Archives records consists of correspondence, reports, minutes, and newsclippings, 1912-1951, documents the work of the Philadelphia County Medical Society's Committee on Archives and its officers, particularly Albert M. Eaton and William N. Bradley, and of the society's executive secretary, Franklin M. Crispin.

Included are notifications of appointment to the committee; responses to requests for photographs; discussions of the mission of the committee; biographical and genealogical research on the society's founders and correspondence with their descendants; occasional minutes and reports; and a collection of newsclippings, concerned, primarily, with physicians and medicine during World War I. The newsclippings also contain obituaries of physicians Alfred Reginald Allen and Benjamin Lee. There is also a folder of historical reference material containing lists of society presidents and a list of members in 1883-1884.

The records of the Philadelphia County Medical Society document the activities of two committees within the Society: the Committee on Maternal Welfare and the Committee on Archives.

The Committee on Maternal records were donated to the Historical Collections of the Library of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia by the Obstetrical Society of Philadelphia on 16 April 1991. The collection was processed and catalogued in 1991.

The Committee on Archives records were donated as part of a larger gift by Samuel X Radbill in April 1984. The collection was processed and catalogued in 1991.

Subject

Publisher
Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

Collection Inventory

1944 Aug. 18-Dec. 15, 1944.
Box 1 Folder 1
1944 1945 Jan. 19-Dec. 21, 1944-1945.
Box 1 Folder 2
1945 1946 Feb. 15-Dec. 20, 1945-1946.
Box 1 Folder 3
1946 1947 Jan. 17-Dec. 19, 1946-1957.
Box 1 Folder 4
1947 1948 Jan. 16-Dec. 17, 1947-1948.
Box 1 Folder 5
1948 1949 Jan. 21-Dec., 1948-1949.
Box 1 Folder 6
1949 1950 Jan. Dec., 1949-1950.
Box 1 Folder 7
1950 1951 Jan. Dec., 1950-1951.
Box 1 Folder 8
1951 1952 Jan. Dec., 1951-1952.
Box 1 Folder 9
1952 1953 Jan. Dec., 1952-1953.
Box 1 Folder 10
1953 1954 Jan. Dec. 10, 1953-1954.
Box 1 Folder 11
1954 1955 Jan. 21-Sep. 16, 1954-1955.
Box 1 Folder 12
1955 1956 Feb. 17-Dec. 21, 1955-1956.
Box 1 Folder 13
1956 1957 Feb. 15-Oct. 18, 1956-1957.
Box 1 Folder 14
1957 1958 Feb. 21-Dec., 1957-1958.
Box 1 Folder 15
1958 1959 Jan. Sep., 1958-1959.
Box 1 Folder 16
Agenda Slips, 1956-1958.
Box 1 Folder 17
1. Stillbirth Committee Proceedings 1952 Feb. 15, 1952.
Box 1 Folder 18
2. Reports of the Combined Chairmen of the Maternal, Stillbirth, and Neonatal Committees 1952 Jun. 27 and Jul. 11, 1952.
Box 1 Folder 19
3. Notes on a meeting of the Maternal Welfare Committee 1953 Sep. 18, 1953.
Box 1 Folder 20
4. Notes on a meeting of the Neonatal Study Committee 1956 Jan. 30, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 21
5. Stillbirth Study Committee Report [n.d.], undated.
Box 1 Folder 22
1953 Jan. 8-1971 Feb. 22, 1953-1971.
Box 1 Folder 23
1. Maternal Welfare Committee 1952-1968, 1952-1968.
Box 1 Folder 24
2. Hospital Representatives for the Maternal Welfare Committee [n.d.], undated.
Box 1 Folder 25
1944-1949, 1944-1949.
Box 1 Folder 26
1944-1949, 1944-1949.
Box 1 Folder 27
1950-1954, 1950-1954.
Box 1 Folder 28
1955-1959, 1955-1959.
Box 1 Folder 29
1960-1964, 1960-1964.
Box 1 Folder 30
1965-1969, 1965-1969.
Box 1 Folder 31
1970-1972, 1970-1972.
Box 1 Folder 32
undated, undated.
Box 1 Folder 33
1. Philadelphia Pediatric Society's Panel Discussion on Adoption 1949 Feb. 8, 1949.
Box 2 Folder 1
2. By Laws of the Philadelphia County Medical Society 1955, 1955.
Box 2 Folder 2
3. The Philadelphia County Medical Society's Shils Report 1955, 1955.
Box 2 Folder 3
4. A Study of Maternal Mortality Committees: Philadelphia Maternal Welfare Committee Study [Includes two typescript versions of the article] 1956 May 5, 1956.
Box 2 Folder 4
5. American Medical Society's Guide for Maternal Death Studies 1957, 1957.
Box 2 Folder 5
6. Miscellaneous Maternal Mortality Reports 1958 Nov. 1964, 1958-1964.
Box 2 Folder 6
7. Publications of the American Medical Association [pamphlet] [ca. 1958], circa 1958.
Box 2 Folder 7
8. Planned Parenthood Newsletter 1961 Spring, 1961.
Box 2 Folder 8
9. Transcripts of Television Editorials concerning Birth Control Issues 1968 Jan. 15-Jan. 24, 1968.
Box 2 Folder 9
10. Summary of a Study of Social and Psychological Factors Affecting Fertility [n.d.], undated.
Box 2 Folder 10
11. Intensive Care Nurseries for Optimal Care of the High Risk Infant: Their Availability in the City of Philadelphia [n.d.], undated.
Box 2 Folder 11
1. Committee on Maternal Welfare Procedures 1954 Dec., 1954.
Box 2 Folder 12
2. Guide for Maternal Death Studies 1956 Oct., 1956.
Box 2 Folder 13
3. Rules for Obstetrical Department [ca. 1957], circa 1957.
Box 2 Folder 14
4. Maternal Death Outline 1959 Sep., 1959.
Box 2 Folder 15
5. Committee on Maternal Welfare Procedures, undated.
Box 2 Folder 16
6. Maternity Department Rules, undated.
Box 2 Folder 17
7. Philadelphia Department of Public Health: Regulations for the Conduct of Maternity Hospitals, Maternity Divisions of General Hospitals, and Nurseries for the Newborn, undated.
Box 2 Folder 18
1. Codes for the Philadelphia Neonatal Mortality Study 1952 Jun. 27, 1952.
Box 2 Folder 19
2. Maternal Welfare Code Sheet 1954 Dec. 9, 1954.
Box 2 Folder 20
3. Maternal Welfare Code Sheet 1955 Feb. 10, 1955.
Box 2 Folder 21
4. Code Numbers for Philadelphia Hospitals and Institutions 1955 May 26 and Jun. 16, 1955.
Box 2 Folder 22
5. Instructions for Obstetrical Code Sheet 1955 Dec. 13, 1955.
Box 2 Folder 23
6. Obstetrical Code Sheets, circa 1959.
Box 2 Folder 24
7. Codes for Deliveries and Complications of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Puerperium, undated.
Box 2 Folder 25
8. Abortion Codes, undated.
Box 2 Folder 26
9. Key to Using the Records of the Committee on Maternal Welfare, undated.
Box 2 Folder 27
1959 Sep. 1960 Dec., 1959-1960.
Box 2 Folder 28
1959-1960, undated.
Box 2 Folder 29
1958 Feb. 17-Jul. 28, 1958.
Box 2 Folder 30
1958 Aug. 1-Dec. 25, 1958.
Box 2 Folder 31
Subseries 2.5 Notebook of Maternal Mortality Statistics for Participating Hospitals and Institutions 1951-1954, 1951-1954.
Box 2 Folder 32
Subseries 2.6 Record Book 1961-1971, 1961-1971.
Box 2 Volume 33
18 and 19, 1955.
Box 3 Folder 1
36 and 38, 1956.
Box 3 Folder 2
24, 37-42, 1957.
Box 3 Folder 3
1958 [cases unnumbered] Feb. 17-Nov. 4, 1958.
Box 3 Folder 4
Dec. 5-Dec. 31, 1958.
Box 3 Folder 5
1, 4, 6, 8, and 9, 1959.
Box 3 Folder 6
12-15, 1959.
Box 3 Folder 7
16-20, 1959.
Box 3 Folder 8
22-26, 1959.
Box 3 Folder 9
1-5, 1960.
Box 3 Folder 10
6-10, 1960.
Box 3 Folder 11
11-15, 1960.
Box 3 Folder 12
16-19, 1960.
Box 3 Folder 13
1-5, 1961.
Box 3 Folder 14
6-10, 1961.
Box 3 Folder 15
11-15, 1961.
Box 3 Folder 16
16-20, 1961.
Box 3 Folder 17
21-25, 1961.
Box 4 Folder 1
26-29, 1961.
Box 4 Folder 2
30, 1961.
Box 4 Folder 3
1-5, 1962.
Box 4 Folder 4
6-10, 1962.
Box 4 Folder 5
13-15, 1962.
Box 4 Folder 6
16-20, 1962.
Box 4 Folder 7
21-23, 1962.
Box 4 Folder 8
1-5, 1963.
Box 4 Folder 9
6, 7, and 10, 1963.
Box 4 Folder 10
11, 13-15, 1963.
Box 4 Folder 11
16-19, 1963.
Box 4 Folder 12
22-25, 1963.
Box 4 Folder 13
26-30, 1963.
Box 4 Folder 14
31 and 32, 1963.
Box 4 Folder 15
1-5, 1964.
Box 5 Folder 1
6-10, 1964.
Box 5 Folder 2
11-15, 1964.
Box 5 Folder 3
16 and 18, 1964.
Box 5 Folder 4
1-5, 1965.
Box 5 Folder 5
6-10, 1965.
Box 5 Folder 6
11-15, 1965.
Box 5 Folder 7
16-20, 1965.
Box 5 Folder 8
21-23, 1965.
Box 5 Folder 9
1-5, 1966.
Box 5 Folder 10
6-10, 1966.
Box 5 Folder 11
11-15, 1966.
Box 5 Folder 12
16-20, 1966.
Box 5 Folder 13
21-24, 1966.
Box 5 Folder 14
1-5, 1967.
Box 6 Folder 1
6-10, 1967.
Box 6 Folder 2
11 and 12, 1967.
Box 6 Folder 3
16-18, 1967.
Box 6 Folder 4
1-5, 1968.
Box 6 Folder 5
8-10, 1968.
Box 6 Folder 6
1-5, 1969.
Box 6 Folder 7
6-10, 1969.
Box 6 Folder 8
11 and 12, 1969.
Box 6 Folder 9
1-5, 1970.
Box 6 Folder 10
6-9, 1970.
Box 6 Folder 11
11, 12, 14, and 15, 1970.
Box 6 Folder 12
16 and 17, 1970.
Box 6 Folder 13
6-10, 1971.
Box 6 Folder 14
11-15, 1971.
Box 6 Folder 15
1, 1972.
Box 6 Folder 16
1944 Jan. Dec., 1944.
Box 7 Folder 1
1945 Jan. Dec., 1945.
Box 7 Folder 2
1946 Jan. Dec., 1946.
Box 7 Folder 3
1947 Jan. Dec., 1947.
Box 7 Folder 4
1948 Jan. Dec., 1948.
Box 7 Folder 5
1949 Jan. Dec., 1949.
Box 7 Folder 6
1950 Jan. Dec., 1950.
Box 7 Folder 7
1951 Jan. Dec., 1951.
Box 7 Folder 8
1952 Jan. Dec., 1952.
Box 7 Folder 9
1944-1948, 1944-1948.
Box 7 Folder 10
1951-1959, 1951-1959.
Box 7 Folder 11
1960-1971, 1960-1971.
Box 7 Folder 12
1945 Jul. Dec., 1945.
Box 7 Folder 13
1946 Jan. Dec., 1946.
Box 7 Folder 14
1947 Jan. Dec., 1947.
Box 7 Folder 15
1948 Jan. Dec., 1948.
Box 7 Folder 16
1949 Jan. 13-Mar. 15, 1949.
Box 7 Folder 17
1950 Feb. 10-Sep. 27, 1950.
Box 7 Folder 18
1951 Jan. 4-Dec.7, 1951.
Box 7 Folder 19
1952 Jan. 9-Dec. 2, 1952.
Box 7 Folder 20
1953 Jan. 13-Dec. 8, 1953.
Box 7 Folder 21
1954 Jan. 12-Dec. 31, 1954.
Box 7 Folder 22
1955 Jan. 11-Dec. 13, 1955.
Box 7 Folder 23
1956 Jan. 9-Dec. 11, 1956.
Box 7 Folder 24
1957 Jan. 14-Dec. 31, 1957.
Box 7 Folder 25
1958 Jan. 21-Sep. 4, 1958.
Box 7 Folder 26
1959 Jan. 6 and Oct. 27, 1959.
Box 7 Folder 27
1960 Jul. 14 and Aug. 9, 1960.
Box 7 Folder 28
1961 Oct. 4, 1961.
Box 7 Folder 29
1962 Jan. 29 and Dec. 18, 1962.
Box 7 Folder 30
1966 Oct. 10, 1966.
Box 7 Folder 31
1967 Mar. 10-Nov. 21, 1967.
Box 7 Folder 32
1968 Jan. 3-Dec. 6, 1968.
Box 7 Folder 33
1969 Apr. 2-Oct. 14, 1969.
Box 7 Folder 34
1970 Jan. 27-Dec. 3, 1970.
Box 7 Folder 35
1971 Jan. 27 and Feb. 16, 1971.
Box 7 Folder 36
1972 Dec. 8, 1972.
Box 7 Folder 37
1973 Oct. 12 and Dec. 12, 1973.
Box 7 Folder 38
1946 Aug. 13-Oct. 18, 1946.
Box 8 Folder 1
1947 Sep. 22 and Dec. 16, 1947.
Box 8 Folder 2
1948 Jan. 17-Aug. 31, 1948.
Box 8 Folder 3
1949 Jun. 28-Aug. 9, 1949.
Box 8 Folder 4
1950 Jan. 13-Dec. 8, 1950.
Box 8 Folder 5
1951 Jun. 12-Aug. 27, 1951.
Box 8 Folder 6
1952 Jan. 30-Jun. 27, 1952.
Box 8 Folder 7
1953 Jan. 15-Dec. 29, 1953.
Box 8 Folder 8
1954 Jan. 5-Nov. 17, 1954.
Box 8 Folder 9
1955 Feb. 11-Dec. 7, 1955.
Box 8 Folder 10
1956 Jan. 4-Aug. 27, 1956.
Box 8 Folder 11
1956 Sep. 10-Dec. 14, 1956.
Box 8 Folder 12
1957 Feb. 6-Dec. 9, 1957.
Box 8 Folder 13
1958 Feb. 14-Oct. 21, 1958.
Box 8 Folder 14
1959 Jan. 5-Oct. 30, 1959.
Box 8 Folder 15
1960 Jun. 17-1965 Sep. 12, 1960-1965.
Box 8 Folder 16
1966 Oct. 17-Nov. 11, 1966.
Box 8 Folder 17
1967 Oct 18 and Nov. 17, 1967.
Box 8 Folder 18
1968 Jan.5-Oct. 29, 1968.
Box 8 Folder 19
1970 Aug. 31-Nov. 16, 1970.
Box 8 Folder 20
1971 Jan. 25-1972 Feb. 18, 1971-1972.
Box 8 Folder 21
Maternal Mortality Study Records, 1944-1973.
Box 8 Folder 22
1. Correspondence with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1948-1971.
Box 9 Folder 1-2
2. Codes and formats, 1954-1956.
Box 9 Folder 3-6
3. Miscellaneous printed material, 1949-1970.
Box 9 Folder 7-8
4. Correspondence, membership lists, and forms, 1952-1955.
Box 10 Folder 1
5. Correspondence, 1948-1957.
Box 10 Folder 2
6. Procedures, forms, and reprints, 1954-1956.
Box 10 Folder 3
7. 1958 No follow up, 1958.
Box 10 Folder 4
8. Agenda, 1944-1958.
Box 10 Folder 5-11
9. Death certificates, 1972-1973.
Box 10 Folder 12-13
10. Maternal deaths [monthly reports], 1944-1948.
Box 10 Folder 14-18
11. Case reports, 1955-1972.
Box 11 Folder 19-35
12. Statistical record of mortality study, 1961-1971.
Box 11 Volume 36

Series 1. Albert M. Eaton, Chairman, 1912-1919.
Box 12 Folder 1-2
Series 2. Franklin M. Crispin, Executive Secretary, 1925.
Box 12 Folder 3
Series 3. William N. Bradley, Secretary and Chairman, 1930-1951.
Box 12 Folder 4-6

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