Records of the United States Marine Hospital
Scope and Contents
The bulk of this extensive collection of records of the United
States Marine Hospital in Philadelphia is comprised of the hospital's
records of incoming patients seeking treatment and relief (1875-1909).
Most of these records were kept by Surgeons James M. Gassaway
and George W. Stoner. The collection also includes reports
of the hospital's activities, correspondence, property returns
and supply records, and some miscellaneous material, including issues
of the U.S. Surgeon General's "Bulletin of the public health".
Series 1 contains records of patients treated through the Marine
Hospital, primarily during the period 1876-1883 although there
are a few records from 1898 and 1909. This series consists
of some clinical records of individual cases, listing patient's
name and age, disease, and temperature (August November 1881,
June July 1883, October 1906, and April and October 1909); discharges
(July 1880September 1883, January 1898, and October 1909);
permits for hospital or office relief, certifying each seaman's employment
on board ship, payment of dues, and right to treatment (January
1876-January 1877, January 1878-November 1883, January 1898,
and April and October 1909); prescriptions (October 1875-May
1877, July 1879-September 1883, and April and October 1909);
and rejections of applications for treatment, generally due
to fraud or nonpayment of dues (January 1878-November 1879,
July 1880-September 1883 and January 1898). Most of these records
are filed in a numerical sequence by case or permit number; this
sequence approximates chronological order. The administrative
year of the hospital began on 1 July, so the numbering of permits
begins from that date within each year. The series also contains
two seamen's time books, kept by the masters of the vessels
"Ida Florence" and the "Annie W. Carey", recording the names
and dates of employment of each sailor and payment of hospital
dues (1879-1882 and 1881-1882).
Monthly summary reports of relief provided by the Marine Hospital
are contained in Series 2. Each hospital which housed seamen
was required to file a statistical report on illnesses and injuries
treated each month. In addition to reports on office relief
from the station at Philadelphia, the series contains reports
from Pennsylvania Hospital and the hospitals of the University
of Pennsylvania, Jefferson Medical College, and the Protestant
Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. The series also contains
annual reports on surgical operations performed at those four
hospital (18761878 and 1880), and a few examples of other reports,
including an 1864 list of Marine Hospital patients at Pennsylvania
Hospital and Episcopal Hospital.
Series 3 contains seven folders of correspondence, filed chronologically,
concerning patients or station supply matters (1877-1885, and
1888).
A few examples of the hospital's property returns (18761881)
and supply requisitions and invoices are housed in Series 4.
The bulk of the miscellaneous material in Series 5 is composed
of mimeographed issues of the U.S. Surgeon General's "Bulletin
of the public health", a weekly summary of reports on disease
and mortality from marine hospital stations around the country
(1878-1879). There are also some examples of bills of health
(1863-1931) and entries of merchandise (1871 and 1877); some
undated examination questions and responses, possibly for applicants
to the Marine Hospital Service; and an 1882 house diet list
from Jefferson Medical College Hospital.
Dates
- Creation: 1875 - 1909
Creator
- United States. Marine Hospital (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Organization)
Biographical / Historical
On 16 July 1798, the United States Congress established the Marine
Hospital Service under the Treasury Department for the benefit
of sick and disabled members of the mercantile marine. Each
seaman was assessed a tax of 40 cents per month, and these dues
were fed into a hospital fund which paid for the Service. The
first marine hospital opened at Washington Point, Virginia,
in 1800.
The Service was reorganized in 1870. Its activities were standardized
under the Supervising Surgeon. The Service was divided into
stations with functioning marine hospitals and relief stations
where seamen were admitted to local hospitals for treatment;
Philadelphia was a relief station of the first class. Each
station of this type was under the supervision of a Surgeon.
Duties of this officer included: examination of applicants
for relief; prescription of medicine; issuance of permits for
hospital relief; maintenance of records of the hospital; inspection
of hospitals where seamen were admitted; observation of all quarantine
regulations; and reporting of any outbreaks of disease. The
Surgeon had authority over all staff and was responsible for
the efficient conduct of the station and maintenance of its
hospital stores. The Surgeon also supervised office relief,
the treatment of seamen who did not require hospitalization.
By 1881, board, nursing, and medicine were furnished solely
by the Hospital of Jefferson Medical College, but by 1886, the
hospital functions at Philadelphia were assumed by the German
[later, Lankenau] Hospital.
In 1885, national quarantine duties were added to the Surgeon's
responsibilities. By 1893, medical officers at each station
worked closely with consuls to oversee the sanitary conditions
of incoming vessels, cargo, and crew. In 1902, the name of
the Marine Hospital Service was changed to the "Public Health
and Marine Hospital Service" to reflect the growing concern
with quarantine regulations, hygienic standards and research,
and inspection of immigrants. In 1912, the Service was absorbed
into the U.S. Public Health Service which held responsibility
for all nonmilitary aspects of public health and disease.
Full Extent
9 Linear feet (22 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
This collection of records of the United States Marine Hospital
at Philadelphia was donated to the Historical Collections of
the College of Physicians of Philadelphia by Samuel X Radbill
in 1984.
The collection was processed and catalogued in 1989.
Subject
Genre / Form
Topical
- Title
- Records of the United States Marine Hospital
- 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
