Philadelphia General Hospital

The Committee on the Celebration at the Philadelphia General Hospital of the 200th Anniversary of the Building of the Philadelphia Almshouse was established in September 1929. The committee, consisting of five members of the Medical Board of the Philadelphia General Hospital, was appointed by the President of the Medical Board, Herman B. Allyn. Joseph McFarland, E. B. Krumbhaar, David Riesman, and Robert G. Torrey were appointed to serve on the committee, with Robert J. Hunter acting as chairman. The committee was responsible for fund raising, promotion, planning the program, selecting speakers, and making out the guest list. Hunter expanded his group by appointing almost twenty additional members to serve on the committee, including other members of the Medical Board, ex residents of the Philadelphia General Hospital, and representatives from the Nurses' Training School and the Women's Advisory Council.

The bicentennial celebration was initially planned for December 1931. In August 1931, due to lack of funds, the committee decided to postpone the celebration until the following year. The bicentennial was finally celebrated on December 6, 1932. The Committee on the Celebration at the Philadelphia General Hospital of the 200th Anniversary of the Building of the Philadelphia Almshouse presented its final report on December 19, 1932.

From the guide to the Philadelphia General Hospital Committee on the Celebration at the Philadelphia General Hospital of the 200th Anniversary of the building of the Philadelphia Almshouse records, Bulk, 1931-1932, 1929-1939, (College of Physicians Historical Medical Library)

The Osler Memorial Committee was formed in October 1939. The committee was appointed by David Riesman, President of the Medical Board of the Philadelphia General Hospital. The original members of the committee were chairman Robert J. Hunter, William G. Turnbull, and William E. Hughes; Riesman was an ex officio member. Later in the year, Marion Hague Rea, Abraham Cohen, William N. Bradley, and Jefferson H. Clark were selected to serve on the Osler Memorial Committee.

The committee held its first official meeting on December 6, 1939. The objective of the committee was to create a museum and memorial to Sir William Osler in the old autopsy house of the Philadelphia General Hospital and to organize a ceremony marking the dedication of the building. The dedication ceremony was held on June 8, 1940; in association with the dedication, the committee commissioned artist Dean Cornwell to paint a portrait of Osler. Cornwell's painting, "Osler at Old Blockley," had its premiere showing at the dedication. The committee also organized a special dinner for ex residents of the Philadelphia General Hospital, which was held on December 3, 1940.

After the completion of its duties, the Osler Memorial Committee was discharged in December 1940. At this time, it was decided that a new committee, the Osler Memorial and Blockley Historical Museum Committee, would be appointed to oversee the daily administration of the museum.

From the guide to the Philadelphia General Hospital Osler Memorial Committee records, Bulk, 1940-1941, 1894-1941, (College of Physicians Historical Medical Library)

The Osler Memorial and Blockley Historical Museum Committee was established in December 1940. The committee was responsible for the daily administration of the Osler Memorial and Blockley Historical Museum of the Philadelphia General Hospital. The committee attended to the maintenance of the museum building, oversaw the care and cataloging of museum pieces, and acknowledged donations to the museum. This committee reported to the Medical Board of the Philadelphia General Hospital.

The Osler Memorial and Blockley Historical Museum Committee was an outgrowth of the Osler Memorial Committee, which was responsible for the establishment of the museum. After the museum's opening in June 1940, the Osler Memorial Committee was discharged, and the Osler Memorial and Blockley Historical Museum Committee was appointed. The new committee consisted of the same members as the Osler Memorial Committee and was chaired by Robert J. Hunter.

In 1955, the committee's name was changed to the Committee on Memorials. This committee remained in existence until 1977, when the Philadelphia General Hospital and the Osler Memorial and Blockley Historical Museum were closed.

From the guide to the Philadelphia General Hospital Osler Memorial and Blockley Historical Museum Committee museum collection records, 1730-1960, (College of Physicians Historical Medical Library)