8. Standing Committee on Cholera report with samples of circulars, 06 December 1893

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 December 1893

Extent

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

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Overview

The Standing Committee on Cholera was appointed in March 1893 to help alleviate the spread of the cholera epidemic in Philadelphia. The committee was chaired by Edward O. Shakespeare; other members included Jacob M, Dacosta, Horatio C. Wood, James C. Wilson, Frederick P. Henry, John H. Musser, and John K. Mitchell, After meeting with the mayor and other city officials, the committee began dispersing circulars to the Philadelphia medical community. The circulars were used to report "nuisances and other unsanitary conditions" or "cases of suspicious bowel disturbance". By collecting this information, the committee hoped to monitor the spread of the disease. The committee was discharged on 7 February 1894.