Grand Rapids Academy of Medicine collection
Scope and Contents
The material in the collection offers insight into the activities of the Academy during its last few years, 1909-1914. The correspondence of the period deals with annual meetings and the guest physicians to be brought in for the lecture series. The collection also contains invoices, deposit slips and canceled checks which evidence the Academy's financial condition. Also contains blank dues payment slips and membership applications.
A copy of the 1868 document history explains the establishment of the Grand Rapids Medical and Surgical Society and notes the original members. The 1867 Table of Fees delineates and details costs for various surgical procedures.
The Constitution and Bylaws detail more of the Academy's history and officers from 1884 through 1911. The minutes are complete and the secretary's reports detail membership during the 1890s.
Dates
- 1868-1914, 1930, 1958
Biographical / Historical
The Grand Rapids Medical and Surgical Society was organized in 1856 and was re-established in 1864 after a brief lull during the Civil War years. It was supplanted in 1887 by the Academy of Medicine (organized in 1884).
The Academy was dedicated to promoting the advancement of both scientific knowledge and medicine. Throughout its existence, it dealt with controversial issues such as accusations of unethical advertising and its refusal to join the American Medical Association (thereby its membership remained highly restrictive).
In 1897 the Grand Rapids Medical College was organized by a group of physicians, apparently from the Academy. This group became the College's first faculty. The curriculum contains a three-year human medicine course and a six-months veterinary medicine course. A scandal in 1897 caused the school to close and the resignation of the entire faculty. It re-opened in 1899 under new management and eventually graduated 108 students of human medicine. The re-opened college closed in 1906 due to a lack of support and competition from the Medical School at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
The Academy of Medicine officially faded from the scene in 1914.
Extent
3.25 Linear Feet (Four boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Grand Rapids Academy of Medicine was a medical and veterinary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This small collection provides some documentation of three medical associations and teaching organizations, related to the Academy, in Grand Rapids from 1856 to 1914. Included is material on the Grand Rapids Medical and Surgical Society, the Grand Rapids Academy of Medicine and the Grand Rapids Medical College. The collection contains meeting minutes and such business records as canceled checks, invoices, application forms and notice of dissolution. Also included is correspondence about the lecture series held at the Academy featuring various guest doctors, and information about the two buildings occupied by the Grand Rapids Medical College.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Unknown donor, 1915. No accession number.
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Grand Rapids Academy of Medicine collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sherri Hunter
- Date
- March 1991
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497
localhis@grpl.org