Records of the Council of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Scope and Contents
This collection of "Reports supplementary to Council
minutes" is part of the records of the Council of the
College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The collection,
spanning 1941 to 1959, consists of monthly and annual
reports, correspondence, and minutes of committee meetings
which were submitted to the Council by committee chairmen
and officers of the College.
The annual and monthly reports 1n this collection provide a
great deal of insight into the activities of the College
during the 1940s and 1950s. The monthly Censors' reports
concern the writing of memoirs of deceased Fellows.
Statistics on attendance at meetings and lectures, the
number of Fellows elected, and the number of Fellows in each
Section are included in the Annual Report of the Secretary.
The reports of the Library Committee provide information on
circulation, donations, acquisitions, inventory, the number
of visitors, and staff changes. Monthly reports from the
Committee of the Mutter Museum and the Committee on College
Collections provide detailed lists of accessions and donors.
The collection also includes reports from the Committee on
Public Health, Preventive Medicine and Public Relations.
Many of these reports address social and medical issues of
the time (smallpox epidemics, the pollution of the
Schuylkill, the need for immunization programs) and the
College's response to these issues. The financial status
of the College and the nature of its investments are
addressed in the reports of the Treasurer and the Committee
on Finance. Costs associated with College dinners are
listed in the reports of the Committee on Entertainments,
and the expense of publishing Transactions and Studies of
the College of Physicians of Philadelphia is addressed in
the reports of the Committee on Publication. The reports of
the Hall Committee concern the maintenance and repair of the
College building; the Hall Committee's reports from 1942
discuss the College's blackout system and the use of the
basement as an air raid shelter. Also present in the
collection are the Annual Reports of the different Sections
of the College, most of which provide information about the
lectures held at Section meetings.
In addition to reports, this collection includes minutes
from committee meetings and correspondence. Many of the
letters are from Fellows who wished to change their
membership status, pay their dues, or present a donation to
the College. Other correspondence concerns the selection of
speakers for various College lectures. Of special interest
is correspondence from March 1943 which pertains to a
portrait of Benjamin Rush, supposedly painted by Benjamin
West; apparently, there were doubts as to whether the
portrait had been painted by West.
Dates
- Creation: 1941 - 1959
Creator
- College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Board of Trustees (Organization)
Biographical / Historical
The Council of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia was
established in 1863. The Council originally consisted of
the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, the
Censors, and six elected Councillors who served three year
terms. According to the 1863 by-laws, the Council was given
"general supervision over the affairs of the College"; the
Council was to "carefully consider all questions that may be
referred to it, and report to the College, in writing, its
decision thereon". After its first meeting on 27 January
1864, the Council met monthly; by the 1880s, meetings were
no longer held during the summer months.
Between 1882 and 1886, the Chairmen of the Standing
Committees of the College, as well as the Honorary
Librarian, were added to the membership of the Council.
Also in 1886, the Council was empowered to determine the
eligibility of candidates who were being considered for
election to the Fellowship. In 1914, the by-laws were
amended to state that the Council would receive the monthly
reports of the Standing and Special Committees of the
College and relate the information from these reports to the
Fellows at regular College meetings.
The Ex-Presidents of the College of Physicians were added to
the membership of the Council in 1925. During this year,
the Secretary and Treasurer began submitting their annual
reports, including expenses and budgets, to the Council.
The 1925 by-laws also state that the Council had the
authority to represent the College in business transactions
and relations with the public. The influence of the Council
continued to expand in the 1930s. The 1935 by-laws gave
the Council the power to set the budget for the College and
"make Rules for the Regulation of College Business". The
Council also became responsible for hiring library and
custodial staff.
In 1972, it became the duty of the Council to appoint an
Executive Director of the College. In 1984, the term of
Elective Councillors was lengthened to four years, Finally,
in 1990, Ex-Presidents and the Honorary Librarian were
eliminated from membership in Council, and the Chairperson
of the Board of Advisors was added; also during this year,
the number of Elective Councillors was changed from six to
eight. The 1990 by-laws state that the Council is the
"governing body of the College and shall have ultimate
responsibility for establishing policy for the institution,
monitoring its implementation, and evaluating it".
As of 1992, the Council remains an active body of the
College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Full Extent
1.6 Linear feet (4 document boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
The source of this collection of "Reports supplementary to
Council minutes" is unknown.
The collection was processed and catalogued in 1992.
- Title
- Records of the Council of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Repository
19 S. 22nd Street
Philadelphia PA 19103 United States
