Content and Scope: This collection includes incoming correspondence sent from U.S. Army surgeons, doctors in private practice, private individuals, businesses, museums, libraries, and Army Medical Museum employees. Types of correspondence include notices of pending contributions, official reports, personal letters, business letters, requests for research, and official responses to curatorial requests for specimens. Notable correspondence recipients represented in this collection include John S. Billings, John H. Brinton, David L. Huntington, Joseph K. Barnes, George A. Otis, and William A. Hammond. Walter Reed is among notable senders of correspondence.

The correspondence in this collection covers many subjects. The bulk of the collection is made up of letters notifying the museum of pending contributions. These letters accompanied comparative anatomy specimens, artifacts, and human pathological specimens gathered from civilians, soldiers, and Native Americans during and after the Civil War. Some contributor letters indicate the difficulty inherent in obtaining specimens. Reports in the collection provide insight into the lives of field surgeons and, in some cases, the conditions in which they worked. Providing an even more candid look into the lives of those named in the correspondence, personal letters in the collection add a dimension of detail not usually seen in official correspondence. Business letters in the collection give insight into the daily business the Army Medical Museum and provide an idea of the types of supplies it required to function. There are several business letters in the collection that reference the purchase of antique and exemplary microscopes for Dr. John S. Billing’s collection. Others speak to the purchase and trade of individual specimens and entire collections. Several pieces of correspondence in the collection document requests for the Army Medical Museum to conduct research on pathological specimens. This collection also includes letters promising specimens requested by Army Medical Museum curators. Some such letters indicate that potential specimens requested by the museum were discarded for a number of reasons before they could be collected. Letters relating to specimens that were collected are usually filed in the specimen’s accession record.

Although incoming Army Medical Museum correspondence was filed together with outgoing correspondence beginning in 1894, there is a single letter from 1895. There are also two instances of outgoing mail interfiled in this collection.

Much of the incoming correspondence from this era is missing and has been gone since at least 1917 when Dr. Daniel Lamb noticed its absence.

Notes: Correspondence in this collection is arranged alphabetically by sender. Business letters are alphabetized by business names except in instances where the name of a single individual alone is the name of a business and in instances where personal correspondence is written on a business letterhead. Cross referencing is available between businesses and the individuals who signed on behalf of them unless the signature is the name of a business. Cross referencing is available on a limited scale between letters that reference the same matter. In some instances, correspondence and enclosures are missing but envelopes or wrappers remain. This collection contains a minimal amount of handwritten copies and photocopies of correspondence. Though keywords are provided, no authorities are used.

This finding aid is the result of information exported from a database.

Related Collections:
OHA 15 Curatorial Records: Outgoing Letterbooks of the Curators, 1863-1910
OHA 16 Curatorial Records: Letters Received, 1875-1889
OHA 19 Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence, 1894-1917
OHA 31 Museum Records: Accession Records, 1862- Present

DATE
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT
KEYWORDS

8/02/1886
Army Medical Museum
A.M. Collins Manufacturing Company
A flyer/business card advising that the company, under Alfred M. Collins, has recently changed its name.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

11/13/1872
Otis, George A.
Abert, James W.
James W. Abert of the School of Mines acknowledges the receipt of a bust of Curvier from George A. Otis.
School of Mines, Rolla Phelps, bust, presentation, gift, Curvier

11/01/1880
Otis, George A.
Abraham, Phin. S.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland requests a copy of the Army Medical Museum's catalog and pledges a copy of the RCSI's catalog in return.
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Army Medical Museum, catalog

No date
No recipient
Ad. Braun and Company
A French photography catalog.
French, France, photography, photograph

3/25/1865
Otis, George A.
Aful, F.L.
Requests the return of the catalog of the Royal College of Surgeons in England
Royal College of Surgeons in England, catalog, Surgeon General's Office

4/14/1865
Billings, John S.
Agassiz, Alexander
The assistant in charge of alcoholic embryos at the Museum of Comparative Zoology in
Cambridge, Massachusetts writes that most of the embryos are so old and mixed up with other materials that a proposed revision cannot be made.
Museum of Comparative Zoology, embryos, alcoholic, Cambridge

2/19/1864
Barnes, Joseph K.
Agler, H.T.
Reports sending two morbid specimens to the Army Medical Museum by Adams Express.
Surgeon General, Field Hospital, Bridgeport, Alabama, morbid specimens, Civil War

7/31/1875
Otis, George A.
Agnew, Hayes T.
[Blank form] "Acknowledges reception of note through Dr. Woodward," and makes inquiry relative to the cost of obtaining a summary of the records of the Surgeon General relative to "Hospital Gangrene" for publication.
Dr. Woodward, Hospital Gangrene, Philadelphia

5/07/1863
Brinton, John
Allen, H.
Transmits a museum specimen and an accompanying case history. Promises to document cases of gangrene in the Lincoln General Hospital (there are currently ten) and promises a complete report will be furnished.
gangrene, Lincoln General Hospital, Civil War

10/16/1863
Brinton, John
Allen, H.
Transmits specimens of a gunshot wound to an ankle and an accompanying description. Requests that Dr. Woodward take notice of a specimen of perforated intestine.
Dr. Woodward, Lincoln General Hospital, ankle, intestine, gunshot, Civil War

8/01/1864
Barnes, Joseph K.
Allen, H.
Reports the transmission of five lists and five specimens from the U.S.A General Hospital in Fairfax Seminary, near Alexandria, Va.
Fairfax Seminary, Alexandria Virginia, General Hospital, Civil War

2/01/1865
Barnes, Joseph K.
Allen, H.
Forwards short accounts of two surgical cases and an imperfect specimen of an occluded
posterior tibial artery.
Mount Pleasant, Civil War, surgical case, occluded posterior tibial artery

7/07/1865
Barnes, Joseph K.
Allen, H.
Forwards specimens of gunshot wounds for the quarter ending June 30, 1865.
specimen, gunshot wound, Mount Pleasant Hospital

7/08/1865
Otis, George A.
Allen, H.
Forwards sheets of memoranda to accompany specimens sent to the Army Medical Museum and promises to send more as they are completed.
Mount Pleasant Hospital, Army Medical Museum, specimens, memoranda

8/01/1865
Barnes, Joseph K.
Allen, H.
Forwards specimens from Mount Pleasant Hospital to the Army Medical Museum. They were used by Allen for comparative studies and collected at Lincoln, Carver, and Fairfax Seminary Hospitals.
Mount Pleasant Hospital, specimens, Army Medical Museum, Lincoln, Carver, Fairfax Seminary Hospital

2/22/1888
Matthews, Washington
Allen, Harrison
In preparation for work on human crania, Allen requests the loan of a heliostat in the Medical Museum.
heliostat, crania, skull, cranium, Philadelphia

3/03/1888
Matthews, Washington
Allen, Harrison
Acknowledges receipt of drawings and requests that a craniophare be sent to his address to be kept for a few days.
craniophare, W. Matthews, Harrison Allen, drawings, Philadelphia

3/25/1887
Matthews, Washington
American Shelving Company
[Signed W.E. Gavit] A response to a request for information on adjustable shelving and a
promise to quote a price for shelving once dimensions are furnished.
American Shelving Company, W.E. Gavit, shelves, Newark, New Jersey

4/16/1887
Matthews, Washington
American Shelving Company
[Signed W.E. Gavit] In reference to a previous letter from the American Shelving Company, W.E. Gavit desires to know the dimensions required for shelving so that he can quote a better price.
American Shelving Company, W.E. Gavit, shelves, Newark, New Jersey

5/04/1887
Matthews, Washington
American Shelving Company
[Signed W.E. Gavit] Provides a quote for racks of shelving brackets in the amount of $575.00.
American Shelving Company, W.E. Gavit, shelves, Newark, New Jersey

5/19/1870
Otis, George A. American Ventilation Company
[Signed F.H. Page] Renders a bill for a ventilator shipped by Adams Express to the Army Medical Museum.
ventilator, bill

No Date
Army Medical Museum
Ansill, A.
A blank form acknowledging receipt of specimen- case forwarded.
Lincoln General Hospital

6/06/1878
Woodward, C.
Anthropologilche Gelellichaft
An incomplete letter expressing a desire to exchange an example of a "very characteristic" German skull for an Indian skull on the Army Medical Museum collection.
Munchen, German, Native American, Indian, skull, Army Medical Museum,

3/17/1863
Otis, George A.
Antisel, Thomas
A letter accompanying specimens of gunshot wounds suggests that collection credit should go to W.A. Harvey.
Gunshot wound, Harewood Hospital, W.A. Harvey, Civil War, Corcoran's

6/30/1886
Matthews, Washington
Appel, D.M.
A partial letter, "relative to procurement of amphiuma for the Army Medical Museum.
Army Medical Museum, Amphiuma, W. Matthews, Jackson Barracks, Louisiana, comparative anatomy, zoology

10/24/1865
Barnes, Joseph K.
Armsby, James H.
Suggests a change to correct an error in a photograph album sent to the Army Medical Museum in September of 1865. The photograph to be corrected illustrates a shoulder joint.
Army Medical Museum, shoulder joint, Ira Harris, General Hospital

11/08/1865
Barnes, Joseph K.
Armsby, James H.
Notifies Barnes that a photograph album containing pictures of morbid specimens and
accompanying descriptive labels is in transit to the Army Medical Museum. The photographs are from the Albany Medical College museum and private collections.
Army Medical Museum, Albany Medical College, Ira Harris General Hospital

11/13/1865
Barnes, Joseph K.
Armsby, James H.
A letter notifying Barnes of the transmission of two boxes of "morbid specimens" reproduced in plaster.
The letter also promises that more casts will be sent shortly.
Army Medical Museum, plaster casts, morbid specimens, Ira Harris General Hospital

11/20/1865
Otis, George A.
Armsby, James H.
Forwards histories of surgical cases to accompany twelve morbid specimens transferred to the National Museum.
National Museum, surgical cases, morbid specimens, Ira Harris General Hospital

12/21/1865
Otis, George A.
Armsby, James H.
Sends specimens of diseased bone from the femur of David S. Winston, Pvt. C. 7 117th N.Y.V and of Harrison Clark, Sgt. of Co. C 125th N.Y.V. Other specimens were not sent as they were obtained in private practice.
Army Medical Museum, David S. Winston, Harrison Clark, Civil War, Ira Harris General Hospital

2/23/1869
Otis, George A.
Artrand, Theodore
Acknowledges receipt of an alligator and states that it arrived in good condition despite the six or seven weeks it took to send it from Jacksonville to Washington.
Jacksonville, Washington, comparative anatomy, zoology

2/06/1879
Surgeon General
Artrand, Theodore
Letter accompanying a pathological specimen. A note written at the bottom in another hand states that an electric eel was packed in the same box.
surgeon general, zoology, Jacksonville barracks, comparative anatomy

No date
Otis, George A.?
Ashford, F.A.
Letter (c.1877) states that Ashford is afraid of fire damaging a loaned museum specimen that he has left it with the janitor in the recipient's fire-proof building. A note on the back reveals that the specimen was returned in good condition.
fire, specimen, F.A. Ashford

3/15/1871
Otis, George A.
Ashford, F.A.
A request for a plaster cast of Lalipes Equinus.
Lalipes Equinus, Children's Hospital, F.A. Ashford

8/12/1871
No recipient
Ashford, F.A.
Offers to photograph a deformity in a patient in the Children's Hospital created by dislocated Os. Femoris.
deformity, Children's Hospital, Os. Femoris

1/29/1878
Surgeon General
Atkins, H.
Three specimens sent to the Army Medical Museum include one golden eagle, a raccoon, and a whooping crane.
comparative anatomy, zoology, Fort Larned, Kansas

7/06/1869
Otis, George A.
Aynes, H.P.
Requests a copy of, "condensed description of the museum."
Army Medical Museum, collection, Fort Wayne, Indiana

1/19/1867
Surgeon General
Ayres, S.C.
Ayres desires to know if a morbid specimen he sent to the museum in November of 1866 was ever received.
morbid specimen, S.C. Ayers, Cincinnati, Ohio

5/27/1867
Surgeon General
Ayres, S.C.
Ayres will forward three specimens to the Army Medical Museum
specimen, S.C. Ayers, Fort Wayne, Indiana

8/01/1877
No recipient
B. Westerman and Co.
[Wrapper] Transmits a price list of anatomical models.
anatomical model

9/06/1865
Otis, George A.
Backe, Thomas H.
States that information sought by George A. Otis cannot be found and suggests other avenues including asking Dr. Woodward for a report.
George A. Otis, Thos. H. Backe, Woodward, report, General Hospital

3/12/1868
Otis, George A.
Backe, Thomas H.
Two boxes of specimens were forwarded to the Army Medical Museum by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in trade for other specimens. The specimens include casts of bones, club feet, ovarian tumors, and etc.
College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Army Medical Museum, ovarian tumor, club foot,

11/14/1868
Otis, George A.
Backe, Thomas H.
Requests that specimens be sent to the Museum of the College of Physicians immediately.
Museum of the College of Physicians, Army Medical Museum, specimens

11/17/1868
Otis, George A.
Backe, Thomas H.
Backe desires that the Army Medical Museum not send specimens to the Museum of the College of Physicians, "at once," but should wait until the specimens can be made complete and satisfactory.
Museum of the College of Physicians, Army Medical Museum

Next Page