Records of the Committee on the Pathological Museum of Dr. Mutter

On 19 June 1856, a special meeting of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia was called to announce Thomas D. Mutter's offer of his extensive collection of anatomical and pathological specimens to the College along with a $30,000 bequest to provide for the maintenance of a museum, a curator's salary, and a lectureship in surgical pathology. Mutter stipulated that a suitable, fireproof building be erected by the College to house his museum. A special committee, comprised of Franklin Bache, John Rodman Paul, George W. Norris, Wilson Jewell, Alfred Stille', and George Bacon Wood, acting in his role as College president, was formed to consider the Mutter proposal. Although the committee approved the proposal, no action was taken by the College due to the commitment to construct a new b11ilding, and the committee was discharged in October 1856.

Dr. Mutter reaffirmed his offer in 1858, and the original committee was reactivated in November to complete negotiations and arrangements for the establishment of the Mutter Trust and the museum. The articles of agreement accepting the museum were signed by Thomas D. Mutter on 13 December 1858 and George Bacon Wood and Edward Hartshorne, on behalf of the College, on 8 January 1859. The committee made its final report to the College on 2 February 1859 and was then released.

After Mutter's death on 16 March 1859, the museum collection was under the care of three trustees, including S. Weir Mitchell, until June 1863 when the College's new building was constructed at 13th and Locust Streets, and Mrs. Mary W. A. Mutter, widow of Dr. Mutter, was satisfied as to its safety. At that time, the income from the Mutter Trust was first paid to the College's Committee on the Mutter Museum.