The Southern California Medical Museum
Annual Report 2002-2003
The Historical Committee met ten times during 2002/2003. We continue to have excellent attendance at our meetings. Our members give generously of their time and personally pay a yearly stipend for all of their meals. Our Subcommittees meet as needed to conduct their work.
Last year the Historical Committee received authorization from the SBCMS Executive Committee to build a storage closet 43” wide by 45’ long on the northwest corner of the Medical Society building. Construction began in July and was completed in September 2002 when the Committee was able to move their items from offsite storage into the closet. Dr. Hendrickson coordinated a very successful fund raising effort for this project. He promised donors if the total amount contributed exceeded the cost of construction, the balance would be transferred to the PMGBF Endowment Fund for the Medical Museum. We are very pleased to report the donations covered the entire cost of the construction and an excess amount of $3,300 was transferred to the PMGBF Endowment Fund.
Following completion of the storage closet project, a new computer and digital camera were purchased for use by this Committee to catalog the medical artifacts and books donated to the Medical Museum. A more efficient database was created and donated to the Medical Museum and information was transferred from the prior database into the new database. The new camera will be used by Committee members to add digital photos of cataloged items to the database. The computer equipment is housed on a desk built at one end of the storage closet.
We are very proud to report that in September 2002 Historical Committee member Dr. Horace Orr was featured on the cover of Southern California Physician magazine. Inside was a biographical article, “The Marcus Welby of the High Desert.” The article highlighted Dr. Orr’s career and accomplishments, which included receiving CMA’s prestigious Frederick K.M. Plessner, M.D. Award.
We are also proud to recognize Historical Committee member, Dr. Elliot Weinstein for being elected as 2002 President of the California Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Weinstein is a practicing pediatrician in Montclair.
Each month, the Medical Museum continues to receive donations of medical memorabilia and books. One of the most valuable donations received this past year was a book published in 1702, “The Physical Dictionary.” This is now the oldest book in the Medical Museum’s Kleinman Library. We also received a donation of four green glass poison bottles dating from 1790. Dr. Robert LaPerriere, who heads the Sierra-Sacramento Valley Medical Society Historical Committee and recently opened Medical Museum, was given a personal tour of our Medical Museum. We are exploring the possibility of selling or trading duplicate and unwanted items with their museum. The Historical Committee also established membership with the Conference of California Historical Societies and will send a representative to their symposia and annual meetings as a way to further promote the Medical Museum. The Medical Museum donated a large display case originally owned by Dr. Weinstein to the San Bernardino City Pioneer Historical Society.
The Medical Museum and Library Subcommittees worked very hard this year on the exhibits and the library. Members served as docents for student tours on eleven occasions this past year. Since its inception in 1996, “Friends of the Museum” have contributed a total of $47,636 in support of our sponsorship. An additional $14,000 has been contributed to the PMGBF Endowment Fund for the Medical Museum, including the $3,300 transferred from the Friends of the Museum
following completion of the storage closet program.
In February the Committee hosted our sixth annual Open House for the Medical Museum. Our guest speaker was Dr. David Peck, an expert in wilderness medicine who practices in the San Diego area. He gave a very informative and entertaining speech, “The Lewis & Clark Expedition: Wilderness Medicine in Early America,” discussing the medical treatments and mishaps encountered during the expedition. This was a very timely topic as 2003 marks the 200th anniversaries of the Louisiana Purchase and the beginning of preparations for the Lewis and Clark expedition. The Committee recognized donors, sponsors and special guests and offered attendees a tour of the museum. The Open House drew our largest crowd ever and was a resounding success with standing room only. A special thank you again to the SBCMS Alliance for graciously and faithfully providing the refreshments for the Museum Open House.
A farewell reception was held at the end of March to recognize and honor Mrs. Sue Bradshaw upon her retirement from the Medical Society. Mrs. Bradshaw served as Historical Committee Coordinator since its inception and will be sorely missed by members of this Committee. Dr. Hendrickson made a donation to the PMGBF Endowment Fund for the Medical Museum on her behalf so that her name could be placed on the donor plaque as a lifetime member. In addition, the Historical Committee members presented her with an engraved music box featuring dancing ballroom characters dressed in historical attire in appreciation for all her years of dedicated service to this Committee.
I would like to recognize and thank all of our active and corresponding members for giving freely of their time and efforts for the Historical Committee. On behalf of Historical Committee members and myself, I would like to express our appreciation to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for their continuing support of our Committee and activities, and for allowing me the opportunity to serve as Chairman of the Historical Committee.
ROGER A. SMITH, M.D., CHAIRMAN
