2. Committee Appointed to Consult with the Committees of the Philadelphia Obstetrical Society and. Philadelphia County Medical Society report, 06 February 1878

File — Box: 1

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The committee reports in this collection are part of the records of the Office of the Secretary of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The reports span the tenures of six secretaries of the College of Physicians: John H. Packard (1862-1877), William G, Porter (1877-1879), Richard A, Cleemann (1879-1885), Isaac Norris, Jr. (1885-1890), Charles W, Dulles (1890-1896), and Thomas R. Neilson (1896- 1914), The reports, spanning 1867 to 1911, were produced by various ad-hoc committees appointed by the Fellows of the College of Physicians to address issues affecting the College and the medical profession during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Many of these committees existed for only one or two months, their purpose being to prepare a public statement containing recommendations about a particular issue;in many cases, the committees prepared only one report before being discharged. The topics addressed in the reports include legislation affecting the medical profession, public health issues, the invasion of communicable diseases, and the selection of suitable memorials for deceased Fellows. Three of the reports (the Report of the Sub-committee of the Committee on Tablets [1885], the Report of the Committee appointed to Collect and Distribute Funds for the Relief of the Members of the Medical Profession who sustained losses by reason of the Floods at Johnstown [1889], and the Report of the Committee to prepare a memorial of the Late Dr. Samuel Lewis [1891]) were originally contained in the same envelope.

Dates

06 February 1878

Extent

From the Collection: .2 Linear feet (1 half document box)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Overview

This joint committee was established to voice the support of the medical community for an act that would make communications between patient and physician privileged and confidential, even in a court of law. William V. Keating and James V. Ingham were appointed on 7 November 1877 to be delegates from the College of Physicians to this committee. In their report, Keating and Ingham request permission from the College to act in cooperation with the other medical societies in their attempt to pass this act.