City Council Committee on Establishing a City Hospital records

Series

Identifier: 0140.022

Staff Only

Scope and Contents note

This series is divided into two sub series. Sub series I: Committee records includes the notes, minutes, reports and orders of the Committee. Sub series II: Correspondence includes the letters received in response to the Committee's October 1849 inquiry to specific physicians, and also the letters received in March and April 1850 in response to the circular sent to the Massachusetts Medical Society.

Dates

1849-1850

Creator

Boston (Mass.). City Council. Committee on Establishing a City Hospital (Organization)

Biographical/Historical note

The Joint Committee on Establishing a City Hospital was created by the Common Council on 27 September 1849. The Committee voted in early October of 1849 to address an inquiry on the topic to specific physicians. The letters which it received in response to this inquiry formed a part of the Committee's Report.

The Report, printed on 12 November 1849, included the Order the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that the building used as a Cholera Hospital on Fort Hill be continued as a City Hospital and the cost be charged to account of incidental expenses. There is no indication that the Common Council concurred.

On February 19, 1850 the Committee voted to send a printed circular to members of the Massachusetts Medical Society "to inquire into the want of a city hospital and the best mode of establishing one". During March and April the committee received about forty letters in response.

This early attempt did not come to fruition, but in 1858 the City was authorized by the state legislature to build a hospital, and it was dedicated in 1864.

Extent

0.01 Cubic feet (6 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Related Archival Materials note

Committee Report printed as Document #56 in Boston City Documents 1849

Proceedings at the Dedication of the City Hospital, Boston: Farwell & Company, Printers to the City, 1865

A History of the Boston City Hospital: 1864-1904, Boston: Municipal Printing Office, 1906.

Boston City Hospital collection (7020.001)