13.07.2015 Views

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

,Medical Libraries i)i Ill<strong>in</strong>ois Preced<strong>in</strong>g 1900 li-\the journals on file at the Pr<strong>in</strong>ce Sanitarium, and W. H. H. K<strong>in</strong>g, at thattime associated with Dr. Pr<strong>in</strong>ce, was the first librarian. It was dur<strong>in</strong>g thisperiod that Dr. Pr<strong>in</strong>ce came <strong>in</strong> with an armful <strong>of</strong> books and, putt<strong>in</strong>g them<strong>in</strong> an empty bookcase, said: "That is the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the Library <strong>of</strong> theMorgan County Medical Societ\." 7 I his lihrary was a collectors' libraryfrom the first.In 1888, the Morgan County Medical <strong>Society</strong> appropriated $100.00 fromits funds for the purchase <strong>of</strong> new books. In the June meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> 1894 occurredthe transfer <strong>of</strong> the collection <strong>of</strong> <strong>medical</strong> books <strong>of</strong> the Ill<strong>in</strong>ois CollegeLibrary to that <strong>of</strong> the county society. Towards the end <strong>of</strong> the century thelibrary <strong>of</strong> Morgan County Medical <strong>Society</strong> was augmented by the receipt<strong>of</strong> parts <strong>of</strong> two private libraries: Dr. Azel Pierson <strong>of</strong> Augusta, and Dr. N. S.Read <strong>of</strong> Chandlerville.The history <strong>of</strong> the library <strong>of</strong> the Morgan County Medical <strong>Society</strong> is anexcellent portrayal <strong>of</strong> what a few forceful leaders, who have an <strong>in</strong>tense<strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> <strong>medical</strong> literature, can do <strong>in</strong> promot<strong>in</strong>g the found<strong>in</strong>g and growth<strong>of</strong> a public <strong>medical</strong> library.2. Cook County.—The <strong>medical</strong> society <strong>in</strong> Cook County began to assemblea library for its members at about the same time as that <strong>of</strong> Morgan Couimbut the Great Fire <strong>of</strong> 1871 destroyed the volumes which had been collected.In 1889, the Chicago Medical <strong>Society</strong> organized the Medical Library Association<strong>of</strong> Chicago and collected "about 16,000 bound volumes." Thehistory <strong>of</strong> this Association is best stated by Dr. Bayard Holmes: 20 "Therewas a committee <strong>of</strong> the Chicago Medical <strong>Society</strong> on 'A Medical Library,'and without solicitation on my part they put me on this committee. Chicagowas then without any <strong>medical</strong> read<strong>in</strong>g room or <strong>medical</strong> library. . . . Aftertalk<strong>in</strong>g the matter over with Dr. Nathan Smith Davis, Dr. Hosmer AllenJohnson and Dr. Ephraim Ingals, we organized the Chicago MedicalLibrary Association, got a charter and published our plan. It was ournotion (to have) a meet<strong>in</strong>g place for <strong>medical</strong> societies, a library and a <strong>medical</strong>club. . . . Reports <strong>of</strong> our progress were published from time to timewhen suddenly the whole project was term<strong>in</strong>ated by the <strong>of</strong>fer <strong>of</strong> the NewberryLibrary Trustees to take over the whole library portion <strong>of</strong> the project.. . . We had already bought the James S. Jewell library from the estate. Dr.Ludvig Hektoen and Ihad put up the money for this purchase before theAssociation had a cent <strong>in</strong> the treasury. Two Library Accession Books hadbeen made for the Association. These and forty cases <strong>of</strong> books, estimatedat 20,000 bound volumes and many repr<strong>in</strong>ts, were after due formality onthe part <strong>of</strong> the Chicago Medical <strong>Society</strong>, the Chicago Public Library andthe Chicago Medical Library Association turned over to the Newberry20Holmes, Bayard: Medical Libraries <strong>in</strong> Chicago, Med. Life, vol. 31, 1924.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!