Search

Back to top

Search Constraints

Start Over You searched for: Formats Medical records. Remove constraint Formats: Medical records.
Number of results to display per page
View results as:

Search Results

Collection

Amos A. Evans collection, 1812, 1813, 1833

3 volumes

The Amos A. Evans collection is comprised of 3 volumes: a "Prescription book of the U.S. Frigate Constitution," also known as "Old Ironsides" (1812); a "Daily Report of Cases in the Marine Barracks at the Navy Yard" at Charlestown, Massachusetts (1813); and a "Reefer's Log" written by Evan's son, Alexander Evans, during a trip from Maryland to Boston in 1833. These volumes provide an overview of the health of seamen aboard an American warship in 1812, along with the medical treatments of the day.

The Amos A. Evans collection is comprised of 3 volumes: a 266-page "Prescription book of the U.S. Frigate Constitution" (March 26-August 27, 1812); a 17-page "Daily Report of Cases in the Marine Barracks at the Navy Yard" at Charlestown, Massachusetts (1813); and a 33-page "Reefer's Log" written by Evan's son, Alexander Evans, during a trip from Maryland to Boston in 1833. The collection also contains 8 loose documents, located in the back of volume 1, including hospital expenditures, a medical supply inventory for the Constitution, and notes on the crew of the Independence.

Volume 1, entitled "The Daily Prescription Book on Board the Frigate Constitution," contains records of the daily treatments Evans prescribed for his patients, providing an overview of the health problems of seamen aboard a United States warship on the Atlantic coast during the War of 1812. Evans listed both in-patient and out-patient visits for each day, and recorded their names, complaints, diagnoses, and treatments. The most common entries relate to sexually transmitted diseases (often gonorrhea and syphilis), with diarrhea (gastroenteritis) being the next most common. Other complaints include delirium, opium overdose, epileptic convulsions and coughing up blood. In accord with the advice of Dr. Rush, Evans treated vomiting with an emetic, ipecac; diarrhea with a laxative, castor oil; and other complaints with bleeding, blistering and poultices. On average, Evans listed about 30 patient visits per day.

Evans witnessed the Constitution's encounter with the British ship, Guerrière, on August 19, 1812, one of the first sea battles of the War of 1812. Evans described in detail the injuries and treatment of five crew members and two officers wounded during the battle (pages 255-263).

At the back of the volume are 8 loose manuscripts:
  1. March 6, 1813: An inventory of medicine, instruments, and supplies for the Frigate Constitution.
  2. December 10-23, 1815: Expenditures of hospital food stores, signed S.D. Townsend.
  3. January 7-20, 1816: Expenditures of hospital food stores, signed by S.D. Townsend.
  4. January 16, 1816: Receipt of goods for the ship Independence.
  5. January 25-27, 1816: A medical report and autopsy on the treatment and death of William Oaty, who suffered as a result of the accidental discharge of a pistol.
  6. [1816]: A report on damages to the Independence.
  7. [1816]: Copy of accounts to George Bates for supplies for the Independence.
  8. April 9, 1846: A copy of a report from Evans to Commander Christopher Morris stating that John Wentworth was wounded on board the Constitution, on August 10, 1812. Evans also described his treatment of the injury.

Volume 2 is entitled "Daily Report of the Cases in the Navy Yard at Charleston." Covering from August 7-16, 1813, and spanning 17 pages, Evans recorded his treatments for cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, other venereal diseases, drunkenness, diarrhea, dysentery, scurvy, infections, coughs, injuries, and other ailments. Evans wrote down the name, symptoms, and treatment for each patient, and gave each a case number. He sometimes noted rank and whether or not the patient was a marine.

In the back of the book is a single case history of a man who punctured his lung from fractured ribs sustained from a fall off a wagon (July 18, 1818). Despite Dr. Evan's treatment of drawing more than five pints of blood over the ensuing five days, the patient recovered and was able to walk five miles by the end of the month. By this time, Dr. Evans had returned to private practice in Elkton, Maryland.

Scattered throughout the largely-blank interior of the book are six brief entries on plant and flower classification. These notes were written in a different hand and one entry is dated 1850.

Volume 3 is a 33-page travel log, entitled "A Reefer's Log," written by Alexander Evans, and addressed to his father, Amos Evans (September 7, 1833). Alexander Evans described his trip from the family home in Maryland to Boston by steamship and buggy, with stops along the way in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Evans wonders at the improvements in travel: "it is no longer necessary for one who goes from city to city to make his will...what used to be an immense journey 100 years ago[,] vis. From Maryland to Boston[,] but now is no more than a hop skip and jump" (page 1). He also described architecture, terrain, and people he encountered during the journey. In Boston, several old friends of his father's showed him the navy yard and the surrounding towns. Evans reported on the layout of the Charlestown navy yard as well as the interiors of the Constitution and the Independence (pages 10-11). He also toured a paper mill and wrote about the machinery in the factory (page 19). He visited Noah Webster (page 16), attended a Harvard commencement (page 25), and listened to a Boston glee club (page 20).

Collection

George Albert Taber collection, 1869-1895 (majority within 1871-1886)

0.25 linear feet

This collection contains correspondence, poetry, financial records, and other items related to the medical career of George A. Taber, a homeopathic physician who attended and taught at the University of Michigan and practiced in New York and Virginia in the late 19th century.

This collection (0.25 linear feet) contains correspondence, financial records, patient visiting records, poetry, and other items related to the medical career of George A. Taber, a homeopathic physician, who attended and taught at the University of Michigan and practiced in New York and Virginia in the late 19th century.

The Correspondence series (36 items) contains 33 letters to George A. Taber, as well as 3 personal and professional letters written by Taber. Taber's grandfather, Gamaliel Taber, provided family news from New Bedford, Massachusetts, and occasionally discussed his work as a coffin maker. Many letters pertain to Taber's assistant professorship at the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical School, to Taber's private practices, and to 19th-century homeopathic medicine. One correspondent commented on an article that Taber had contributed to a medical journal, and another wrote a case report on a patient treated with picric acid. Samuel A. Jones discussed clinical cases in Ann Arbor, Michigan, developments at the university's medical school, and the economics of medical practice. George A. Taber also wrote 2 brief personal letters to his future wife, Caroline L. Crowell, and 1 draft letter to a professional acquaintance.

The Letter Book (approximately 85 pages) includes personal and professional letters that George A. Taber wrote from March 1875-December 1895, in which he discussed his experiences in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and his private practices in New York and Virginia.

The collection's 3 Account and Cash Books belonged to George A. Taber and pertain to his medical practices and to his personal finances. Taber kept Patient Visiting Records in 2 volumes, each of which contains printed reference information for homeopathic physicians. Taber's manuscript notes record the names of his patients, dates and types of patients' visits, fees charged, and remedies prescribed.

The Poetry series (8 items) consists of brief verses, including a poem about South Carolina around the time of secession. Samuel A. Jones wrote a poem entitled "The Yankee," and George A. Taber dedicated one poem to Carrie L. Crowell.

Four Pamphlets concerning homeopathy and physicians are housed in the Book Division.

The Ephemera series contains 3 items: a photographic identity card for George A. Taber, a blank invoice from "Drs. Jones & Taber" with manuscript notes on the back, and a card with statistics comparing the use of allopathy and homeopathy at an almshouse in Denver, Colorado.

Collection

Herbert Brigdon Syrett papers, 1942-1947 (majority within 1943-1945)

2 linear feet

This collection contains letters that Lieutenant Herbert Brigdon Syrett wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army during World War II, as well as a scrapbook about Syrett's military experiences. Syrett, a member of the 102nd Medical Battalion, described his training in the United States and Hawaii and his experiences in the Pacific Theater.

This collection contains around 580 letters that Lieutenant Herbert Brigdon Syrett ("Brig") wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army during World War II, as well as a scrapbook (around 60 pages) about his military experiences.

The Correspondence series contains Syrett's letters to his mother from January 6, 1943-December 11, 1945; and 13 letters from Syrett to Howard and Miriam Cusack, January 10, 1944-August 23, 1945. He first described daily life and training exercises at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. In April 1943, he was transferred to Camp Barkeley, Texas, where he participated in an officers' training program and recorded details about his daily schedule and courses. By August 1943, he had graduated and had joined the 102nd Medical Battalion for training at Camp Grant, Illinois, filling his correspondence with descriptions of the scenery and his travels. In December 1943, Syrett reported his safe arrival in Hawaii and his unit's preparations for campaigns in the jungles of the Pacific Theater. While in Hawaii, Syrett became a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club on Waikiki Beach, and he also wrote about his training, military life, officer duties, and leave periods in Honolulu.

After May 1944, Syrett wrote from Saipan, where he participated in active combat during the Allied invasion. He recounted some of his experiences during the battle, such as living in a foxhole and witnessing bombing raids. After the battle, he commented on native life, the impact of the fighting, and insects. Syrett also reported his increasing religious faith and mentioned his religious activities, particularly after his first experiences in active combat. On December 3, 1944, he wrote about non-United States citizens who had joined the country's military forces. In April 1945, Syrett was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, and he compared the United States Army and United States Navy during his voyage. Throughout the summer of 1945, he anticipated the end of the war and wrote about the power of the atomic bomb, while expressing his hope that the war would end soon. After the Japanese surrender, he served in Okinawa, Muramatsu, and Niigata, Japan, which he described. An avid souvenir hunter, Syrett discussed his acquisitions throughout his military service. He also responded to news from home, provided information about other servicemen with whom he corresponded, and discussed the military's encouragement of V-mail services. An undated photograph of an unidentified soldier is housed at the end of the series.

Syrett occasionally enclosed items such as dried flowers, magazine articles, and newspaper clippings in his letters. In his correspondence with the Cusacks, Syrett occasionally sent snapshot photographs of himself, fellow soldiers, destroyed buildings, and scenery (November 24, 1944, 3 photos; January 25, 1945, 6 photos; March 1, 1945, 7 photos). He often wrote on stationery depicting the logos of the United States Army, United States Navy, Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Camp Barkeley, and Camp Grant, as well as stationery with scenes from Camp Barkeley and Hawaii. In 1945, Syrett sometimes composed letters on paper he took from Japanese soldiers. Some letters are V-mail letters, including pre-printed Easter and Mother's Day greetings.

The Scrapbook (around 60 pages) is comprised primarily of newspaper clippings and ephemera from Syrett's World War II service. The items are arranged roughly chronologically. He also collected newsletters, programs, and tickets during his time in the United States, as well as currency during his time abroad. Official documents such as Syrett's draft cards, military orders, and vaccine records are also present. Newspaper clippings relate to the 27th Army Division, jungle training exercises in Hawaii, the Battle of Saipan, the Battle of Okinawa, and the Pacific Theater. Christmas cards are also pasted into the volume.

Collection

Job H. Terrill ledger, 1827-1845

1 volume

Dr. Job H. Terrill of Chester, Pennsylvania, kept this ledger beginning in 1827. It contains an index followed by 136 pages of the names of patients, the dates he saw them, the services he provided, and the costs for service. The most frequent services provided by Dr. Terrill were obstetrics and vaccinations, though he also charged for lancing, bleeding, dressing wounds, providing dental procedures (i.e. extracting teeth), giving advice and medicines, staying the night, and other services. He listed his patients largely by patriarchs' names (even in the cases of births). He attended to prisoners at the Delaware County jail, apprentices (in one case, he extirpated the tumor of a "bound girl", April 26, 1834, page 29), in-laws (the Eyres), and three African American clients.

Dr. Job H. Terrill of Chester, Pennsylvania, kept this ledger, which contains an index followed by 136 pages of the names of patients, the dates he saw them, the services he provided, and the costs for service. The most frequent services provided by Dr. Terrill were obstetrics and vaccinations, though he also charged for lancing, bleeding, dressing wounds, providing dental procedures (i.e. extracting teeth), giving advice and medicines, staying the night, and other services. He listed his patients largely by patriarchs' names (even in the cases of births). He attended to prisoners at the Delaware County jail, apprentices (in one case, he extirpated the tumor of a "bound girl", April 26, 1834, page 29), in-laws (the Eyres), and three African American clients.

Dr. Terrill identified his African American patients with the preface "Bl". They include:

  • "Robert (that lived with Ruby)," delivering a son (September 4, 1842, page 63).
  • "Gales (the Barber)," delivering a daughter (August 25, 1842, page 70).
  • "Abraham Murry," delivering children (May 20, 1841, and July 17, 1843, page 130).

A few notes follow Dr. Terrill's death, respecting the payment of bills.

Collection

John Manning, "Diary of the Sick on board of the Mammoth", 1814-1816

1 volume

John Manning, the physician aboard the large privateer schooner Mammoth, kept this volume during the ship's voyage from Portland, Maine, to the Madeira Islands and Cape Verde region during the War of 1812. Entries range from December 30, 1814, to April 13, 1815, when the ship returned to New York. The volume lists the patients' names, symptoms, and treatments, as well as occasional notes on weather conditions, locations, and activities. One partial medical exemption for John Schwartze of Capt. Thomas Simmons' Company of Militia, dated May 6, 1816, from Waldoboro, Maine, appears at the end of the volume. An undated list of twenty exempt men and their medical conditions is written on the back cover.

John Manning, the physician aboard the large privateer schooner Mammoth, kept this volume during the ship's voyage from Portland, Maine, to the Madeira Islands and Cape Verde region during the War of 1812. Entries range from December 30, 1814, to April 13, 1815, when the ship returned to New York. The volume lists the patients' names, symptoms, and treatments, as well as occasional notes on weather conditions, locations, and activities, such as the note, "5 Men of War in chase" on February 5, 1815.

Examples of some of the ailments treated include respiratory illnesses, venereal diseases, stomach complaints and colic, headaches, pain and sprains, frostbite, boils and abscesses, dizziness, ague, and wounds. One partial medical exemption for John Schwartze of Capt. Thomas Simmons' Company of Militia, dated May 6, 1816, from Waldoboro, Maine, appears at the end of the volume. An undated list of twenty exempt men and their medical conditions is written on the back cover.

Collection

New York (N.Y.) medical registers, 1898-1900

2 volumes

The New York (N.Y.) medical registers contain demographic and medical information about New York City residents suffering from various ailments in the late 1890s; some entries include graphic photographs related to patients' physical health. Entries list the patient's name, country of origin, and address, as well as providing detailed descriptions of the patient's medical history, current condition, and treatment.

The New York (N.Y.) medical registers contain demographic and medical information about New York City residents undergoing medical treatments in 1898 and 1899; some entries include graphic photographs related to patients' physical health. Each volume contains around 300 pages of medical records, and each has an alphabetical index listing patients' names and ailments. The unnamed hospital primarily treated adult men and women, though some records pertain to children.

Each entry begins with the patient's name, age, country of origin, occupation, and address; most belonged to the working class. The registers provide further detailed information about the patient's relevant medical history (at least one patient had previously been admitted to Bellevue Hospital), current condition, and treatments, including examination notes and descriptions and results of operations. The writers also noted the date of discharge. Some entries include photographs of patients, including many who suffered from tumors, hernias, and lesions, often located between the abdomen and the feet. Others suffered from appendicitis and, on fewer occasions, broken bones and bullet wounds. At least one image utilized x-radiation.

Collection

Samuel W. Bragg Obstetric Practice record, 1879-1909

1 volume

This volume is made up of Dr. Samuel Watson Bragg's entries regarding his obstetrics practice in Burlington and Lincoln, Maine, 1879-1909. Each entry may include the name of the mother (sometimes listed by their husbands' names, i.e. "Mrs. Rev. John Todd"), the date, the sex of the child, complications or ease of labor and delivery, notes on premature birth, whether or not the child was the woman's first or not, whether or not ether or instruments were used during the birthing process, and other information. The weight of the child was occasionally documented. Dr. Bragg also noted purposeful or accidental abortions and miscarriages, and in some cases the deaths of mothers. A photograph of Dr. Bragg in front of his office, apparently with his daughter, is pasted into the inside cover of the volume.

This volume is made up of Dr. Samuel Watson Bragg's entries regarding his obstetrics practice in Burlington and Lincoln, Maine, 1879-1909. Each entry may include the name of the mother (sometimes listed by their husbands' names, i.e. "Mrs. Rev. John Todd"), the date, the sex of the child, complications or ease of labor and delivery, notes on premature birth, whether or not the child was the woman's first, whether or not ether or instruments were used during the birthing process, and other information. The weight of the child was occasionally documented. Dr. Bragg also noted purposeful or accidental abortions and miscarriages, and in some cases the deaths of mothers. A photograph of Dr. Bragg in front of his office, apparently with his daughter, is pasted into the inside cover of the volume.

One entry respects the birth of child at seven months, who, the doctor wrote, had been "marked" because of the mother's assistance in killing a woodchuck early in the pregnancy. The child had a hole "to its brains" at the same location where the mother had struck the woodchuck with a pick (entry 20).

Collection

Willard Parker papers, 1841-1877 (majority within 1861-1869)

29 items

This collection consists of case reports and the professional correspondence of Willard Parker, a successful surgeon in New York City in the late 19th century.

The bulk of the Willard Parker papers concern his activity as a consultant. The collection has been divided into two parts: Case Reports and Correspondence. The Case Reports document surgical practice, and include some postmortem reports (1855 November 20; 1857 December 23; 1864 March 14). The Correspondence Series is comprised of letters from patients describing their cases and letters from colleagues requesting Parker's professional opinion. The most interesting item in the latter category is a letter from Dr. Sylvester Willard of Albany (1855 November 21) describing the final hours of a distinguished colleague, T. Romeyn Beck, the American expert on medical jurisprudence. The cause of Beck's death was apparently a mystery, and Willard asks for Parker's thoughts on the matter, since Parker had been involved in the case of Beck's younger brother some years before.

The saddest and most personal letter is one from a Mrs. Ludlow, a friend and perhaps distant relative of Parker's, who writes concerning the death of her daughter Minnie (1875 April 2) asking: "Do you think each individual's health is ordered by God, or that we are free agents, or that death often occurs from errors of judgment, etc.?" Parker had intended a career in the ministry before his conversion to medicine as a Harvard freshman.

Collection

William Jason and Dorothy Mixter papers, 1915-1920 (majority within 1915, 1917-1919)

2.5 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence, military documents, photographs, printed items, and ephemera related to Dr. William Jason Mixter, who served in the United States Army during World War I, and his wife Dorothy.

This collection is made up of correspondence, military documents, photographs, printed items, and ephemera related to Dr. William Jason Mixter, who served in the United States Army during World War I, and his wife Dorothy.

The Correspondence series (1.75 linear feet) comprises the bulk of the collection. The first group of correspondence is made up of 48 letters and postcards that William Jason Mixter sent to his wife Dorothy from March 9, 1915-May 21, 1915. He described his voyage to Europe, his brief stay in England, and his experiences working in French hospitals near the war front. His letters include details about his work with specific patients, comments about the sinking of the Lusitania, and other war news.

William Jason and Dorothy Mixter wrote most of the remaining correspondence to each other between May 1917 and April 1918, while William served with Base Hospital No. 6 in France and Base Hospital No. 204 in Hursley, England. He shared anecdotes about his experiences and reported on his medical work. Dorothy provided news of their children and life in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Their correspondence includes letters, telegrams, and postcards. Other writers include Samuel J. Mixter, Jason's father, who wrote from Boston, Massachusetts, about his daily life and about his work as a medical inspector. Other soldiers, former patients, and acquaintances also wrote to members of the Mixter family.

The collection includes 25 picture postcards depicting French scenes during and after the war; 3 are integrated into the Correspondence series, and the remaining 22 are housed with the Printed Items and Ephemera series.

The Military Papers series is divided into three subseries. Chronological Military Papers (51 items) include memorandums, orders, letters, telegrams, and other items pertaining to William Jason Mixter's military service during World War I, particularly related to his discharge in 1919. The subseries contains a list of personnel who served at Base Hospital No. 6. The Account Book, Diagnosis Book, and Notebooks subseries (4 items) consists of William Jason Mixter's account book from the London City & Midland Bank (June 30, 1918-January 15, 1919), a diagnosis book regarding soldiers' complaints onboard the SS Northland from February 11, 1919-February 17, 1919, and a notebook with brief personal memoranda. William Jason Mixter kept a medical notebook during his time at Hursley Camp Hospital near Winchester, England. He recorded biographical and medical information about his patients, and information about medical treatments. The Hursley Camp Hospital volume enclosed numerous clinical record slips and other manuscript notes.

The American Women's War Hospital Documents (3 items), pertaining to an institution in Paignton, England, are comprised of a photograph of nurses and patients outside of the hospital (December 1914) and two bundles of letter typescripts that a nurse named Mary Dexter wrote to her mother about her work at the hospital (November 22, 1914-January 9, 1915, and January 15, 1915-July 16, [1915]).

The Writings series (10 items) contains 9 typed and manuscript poems, mostly related to American soldiers' experiences during World War I, on topics such as volunteering for the army, traveling overseas, and encountering death. The poems "The Americans" and "Only a Volunteer" are present in manuscript and typescript form, and "The Young Dead" and "The Woman's Burden" are attributed to female authors (Lilian Palmer Powers and Laura E. Richards, respectively). The final item is a typescript of a resolution presented at a social club encouraging its members to proclaim loyalty during the war.

The Photographs series (114 items) is comprised of 113 photographic prints and a 32-page photograph album; some images are repeated. Items include studio portraits of William Jason Mixter in uniform; group portraits of nurses, doctors, and other medical personnel; pictures of wounded and convalescent soldiers during and after operations; interior views of medical facilities; and views of buildings and destruction in France. The photograph album and 80 loose items are housed in the Graphics Division (see Alternate Locations for more information).

The Printed Items and Ephemera series (59 items) consists of 3 unique pamphlets; 18 unique newspapers, newsletters, and newspaper clippings; 28 unique ephemeral items; and 4 books.

The pamphlets include 5 copies of an article by William Jason Mixter entitled "Surgical Experiences in France," originally published in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal 173.12 (September 16, 1915), pp. 413-418. The other pamphlets are an advertisement for an "Exhibition and Sale of the War Cartoons by Louis Raemaekers" (October 1916), including an introduction and small reproductions of the drawings, and "Welcome Home," a book commemorating the return of the 26th Division in April 1919. Newspaper articles and other publications (including 6 items housed in Oversize Manuscripts) pertain to aspects of the war, particularly concerning medical personnel, civilian relief organizations, and the medical career of Samuel J. Mixter. A copy of The Boston Herald dated November 11, 1918, announces the Armistice.

The 28 ephemeral items include programs and advertising cards pertaining to church services held in honor of Base Hospital No. 6; the collection includes several copies each of 2 programs. Other printed items include a small map of Cambridge and Boston, a circular related to the Boston Society of Psychiatry and Neurology, and a book of stationery with engravings of Belgian scenes. A few personal items relate to the Mixter family, such as visiting cards on which William Jason Mixter wrote personal messages, cards from Mixter's children with sewn pictures, a certificate regarding Dorothy Mixter's service with the American Red Cross canteen, and a small French-language almanac affixed to a card with colored illustrations of the Allied Nations' flags. Three additional items pertain directly to the American Red Cross: the cover of the December 1918 issue of The Red Cross Magazine, a Red Cross service flag for display in a home window, and an American Red Cross canteen worker patch. Other insignia items are a button and ribbon commemorating the 26th Division's return to the United States and two small pins that belonged to William Jason Mixter. Also present is William Jason Mixter's passport, issued on February 6, 1915.

The 4 books include: The History of U.S. Army Base Hospital No. 6 (Boston, Mass.: 1924), given to William Jason Mixter, Jr., by his father; Independence Day in London, 1918 (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1918); The Old Humanities and the New Science... (London: J. Murray, 1919); and Dere Mable: Love Letters of a Rookie (New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1918).