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Press Release: Maryland Historical Society Announces Acquisition of Medical Manuscripts from MedChi 

Forwarded to STHC-L (Science, Technology, and Health Care Archives 
Forum) from H-SCI-MED-TECH.

Russell Johnson
STHC-L administrator


--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 17:28:54 -0500
From: "Nina Lerman, H-SCI-MED-TECH" <smtedit@H-NET.MSU.EDU>
Subject: MHS Medical Papers Acquisition Announcement (x-post H-Maryland)
Sender: "H-NET List on the History of Science, Medicine, and 
Technology" <H-SCI-MED-TECH@H-NET.MSU.EDU>
From: Mary Mannix <mm0028@mail.pratt.lib.md.us>


Media Contact:  Amy Bognaski, PR & Marketing Coordinator
   (410) 685-3750, ext. 329/E-mail: abognaski@mdhs.org
Date:   February 28, 2000
For Release:  Immediately

Maryland Historical Society Announces Acquisition of Medical Manuscripts
from MedChi

(Baltimore, MD) The Maryland Historical Society Library (MHS)
announced today the acquisition of an important collection of medical
manuscripts which tells the story of healthcare practices and their
evolution, as well as the practices of physicians in Maryland from the
18th through the 20th centuries.  The documents come to the MHS from
MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society, creating a repository which
illustrates the development of health sciences in this state.

"This exciting acquisition makes the records held here at the Maryland
Historical Society more complete," said David de Lorenzo, Director for
the MHS Library.  "In the past, researchers interested in the history of
medicine have had to go to different locations to access sufficient
materials.  With the collection on site here at the MHS, as opposed to
some being archived here, and some being archived at MedChi, we hope to
bring in a wider audience to our library and build on existing
collection strengths."

Items in the collection include all of the records from the Baltimore
General Dispensary, an organization established at the beginning of the
19th century to deliver health care to the poor.  "These records give a
sense of the paternalistic view of health care and its exclusivity at
the time.  In order to be served by the BGD, you had to have a note from
an upstanding member of the community to say that you were of good
character," states Margaret Burri, Deputy Director of MedChi.  The
collection is particularly valuable because it documents the care of
Baltimore's free black, immigrant, and indigent communities.  Founded in
1801 and chartered in 1807, the Dispensary was Baltimore's first charity
and the third chartered institution in the state of Maryland.  The
collection includes minute books, casebooks, treasurer's reports, and
correspondence.

A number of medical training manuscripts belonging to John Archer, the
recipient of the first medical diploma in the United States, are in this
most recent acquisition, reuniting this prominent doctor's texts
together in one centralized location.  "I am extremely pleased and
honored that MedChi has chosen us to be the repository where researchers

can access the records," said Mr. de Lorenzo.  "The Maryland Historical
Society is an appropriate location for these records.  As collections
such as these are made available to researchers, our knowledge of
historical change in health care will increase.  Ordinary practitioners
and their actions can be placed in a larger cultural and intellectual
context."  In addition, the class lecture notes found in the collection
depict the growth in medical knowledge during the nineteenth century.

Other major components to the collection are the records of Dr. Louis
Krause, one of the founders of Lutheran Hospital in the early 20th
century.  As the personal physician to William Albright, an acclaimed
Egyptologist, Dr. Krause traveled to numerous overseas locations and his
personal accounts of these travels, as well as photographs, are
included.  The collection also contains casebooks of three generations
of the Chatard family, noted Baltimore obstetricians.

For more information about the MedChi acquisition and the other
resources available at the Maryland Historical Society Library, call the
Reference Desk at 410-685-3750.  The MHS Library is open Tuesday through
Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.


The Maryland Historical Society, founded in 1844, is a museum and
library of cultural history that collects, preserves and interprets
objects and materials reflecting Maryland's diverse heritage.  Located
at 201 West Monument Street in Baltimore's historic Mount Vernon
Cultural District, the museum is open Tuesday - Friday 10 a.m. to 5
p.m.; the first Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday =96 with free admission =96 from 11 a.m. to 5
p.m.  Admission is $4 for the general public; $3 for seniors, students
(with valid ID) and children 13 to 17; free for members and children 12
and under; free for the general public on Sundays. There is also a
special family rate of $6 for two adults and two children. Visit the MHS
website at www.mdhs.org.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

David de Lorenzo                       201 West Monument Street
Library Director                       Baltimore, MD 21201-4674
Maryland Historical Society            (410) 685-3750 Ext. 309
Library of Maryland History            FAX: (410) 385-2105
                        http://www.mdhs.org
--- End Forwarded Message ---
___________________________________________________
Russell A. Johnson        rjohnson@library.ucla.edu
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