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Finding Aid

School of Medicine. Clinical Surgery Records UPC 513

Access to collections is granted in accordance with the Protocols for the University Archives and Records Center.

Summary Information

Prepared by
Joseph – James Ahern
Preparation date
July 2017
Date [inclusive]
1844-1869
Extent
2.0 vols.

PROVENANCE

The Clinical Surgery Records was moved from the Curriculum and Lecture Notes Collection (UPW).

ARRANGEMENT

The Clinical Surgery Records consist of two volumes of manuscript ledgers, kept in their original order.

AGENCY HISTORY

Clinical lectures, or bedside instruction, was part of the Medical School curriculum from its founding. Initially, students attended clinical lectures at Pennsylvania Hospital, with the Philadelphia Almshouse (later known as Blockley Hospital) added in the early nineteenth century. By the 1840s, the medical faculty became concerned that they were unable to control what was being taught at the hospital clinical lectures, and created a committee to look into the Medical School running its own clinic and dispensary. Starting in 1844, the medical faculty opened their own clinic in the medical school, and continued an affiliation with the Medical Institute for students to attend their Locust Street Dispensary. After the 1857-1858 sessions, medical students were no long required to attend clinical lectures at one of the city’s hospitals, with the Medical School the University Dispensary opening in 1858. The University Dispensary would continue to operate until the University moved to West Philadelphia in 1870 and opened the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1874.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Clinical Surgery Records consists of two manuscript ledgers that record the cases seen by the clinic held on Saturdays (later to include Wednesdays). Entries are chronological and consists of patient information, admitting physician (when relevant), attending physician, symptoms, and treatment. There is no index for either volume.

For additional information on the University Dispensary and Clinical Lectures see Medical School Faculty Minutes (UPC 2.1).

Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)
University of Pennsylvania. School of Medicine. Clinical Practice.
University of Pennsylvania. School of Medicine.
Genre(s)
Surgeons–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia.
Personal Name(s)
Gibson, William, 1788-1868
Horner, William E., (William Edmunds), 1793-1853
Smith, Henry Hollingsworth, 1815-1890
Subject(s)
History of Medicine, 19th Cent.–United States.
Medicine–Study and teaching–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia.

Inventory

 

Inventory 

Box

Folder

Surgery 1844 January 6 – 1851 November 16 

 1

 

Register of the Lectures on Demonstrative Surgery 1851 November 15 – 1869 October 20 

 2