Catharine Macfarlane papers

Collection

Identifier: WM-047

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection spans 12 separate accessions, which have been arranged into 10 series. Most of the materials regard Macfarlane's professional activities, her research in uterine cancer, and the recognition she received for her work in cancer prevention. The material span from 1895 to 1971, although the bulk of the material dates from 1935 to 1960.

Series I: Biographical Papers consists of biographical information, most notably a biography of Macfarlane, written in 1970 by Sister M. Juan La Barr. Some records from Macfarlane’s student days at the University of Pennsylvania (1893-1895) and Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (1895-1898), including report cards and tuition slips, are present.

Series II: Correspondence contains correspondence, [1902-(1945-1968)], concerning Macfarlane's professional activities, especially her staff, committee, and professional appointments at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. The bulk of the correspondence deals with the American Medical Women's Association Library and Memorial Building Fund (1945-1968), and contains materials from Mabel E. Gardner, M.D.; George A. Hay; Dehlia A. Lynch, M.D.; Rose V. Menendian, M.D.; Nellie S. Noble, M.D.; and Bertha Van Hoosen, M.D.

Series III: Manuscripts is comprised of acceptance speeches (1930; 1947; 1967); short writings about the New England Hospital and several women physicians, including Mary Rupert and Sarah Wister-Starr. A transcript of Macfarlane’s radio interview on WIBG in 1947 is present, as well as an autobiography and a handwritten account regarding Dr. Mary Pauline Root’s admission to Blockley Hospital. However, the bulk of the series is made up of copies and drafts of Macfarlane’s medical papers [1938-1962; undated], such as: “Management of Pelvic Conditions in Women of Advanced Years,” “The Value of Periodic Pelvic Examination on the Control of Cancer of the Uterus,” “Progress Report on Experiment in Control of Cancer of the Uterus,” and “The Prevention of Cancer of the Uterus.” Series IV: Certificates [1895-1971] holds certificates, awards, and honorary degrees received by Macfarlane. Many of these were presented in recognition of her work in cancer research and prevention. Most notably, the series contains Macfarlane’s diplomas from University of Pennsylvania (1895) and Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (1898), as well as the Gimbel Award (1942); the Strittmatter Award for 1948; Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania Award (1949); the Lasker Award (1951); the Elizabeth Blackwell Citation (1952); and the First Annual Mary Silberman Award (1953).

Series V: Organizations (1951-1965; undated) includes breast self-exam pamphlets from the American Cancer Society, a research report by the American Medical Women’s Association about women medical students, and conference information for the 9th Congress of the Medical Women’s International Association. The bulk of the material [undated] found in this series is related to the working agreement between the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital and the Woman’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and includes correspondence and meeting minutes about the issue.

Series VI: Brochures and programs (1898-1968) represents conferences, award ceremonies, and dedications which Macfarlane attended and/or presented. Pamphlets from the 46th annual commencement of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (1898) and the 75th anniversary of the founding of Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania commencement exercises (1925) are especially of note. The series includes programs from Gimbel Award presentations, notably 1946 and 1960; conference packets from the 10th Congress of the Medical Women’s International Association (1966); and the Elizabeth Blackwell Award presentation (1966). A copy of the by-laws of the Medical Society of Pennsylvania are present, as is a copy of the constitution and by-laws of the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology (1952).

Series VII: Clippings is a relatively small amount of material, comprised of newspaper and magazine clippings about Catharine Macfarlane from 1950 to 1963. Clippings other physicians (1939 to 1967) contain obituaries, including those for Margaret Sturgis and George Pfahler; and news about the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania and women physicians in general.

Series VIII: Reprints provides a list of Macfarlane’s publications, of which reprints are available. Additionally, copies of articles authored by Macfarlane’s colleagues, including Lewis Scheffey and George Pfahler, have been collected here.

Series IX: Books is comprised mainly of scrapbooks related to Macfarlane’s career and other professional activities. However, the series holds the book entitled “A Little Journey to the Home of Ephraim McDowell” (published in 1939) as well. The scrapbooks, with the exception of “This is Your Life,” were all created by Macfarlane. Scrapbook no. 1 (1913-1918) consists mostly of materials from the Woman’s Medical College Endowment Fund Campaign, 1913-1918, and the Emergency Drive, 1918. It also contains newspaper clippings about Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D., and Ah Mae Wong; contemporary national events; and memorabilia. Scrapbook no. 2 (1935-1948) contains brochures, invitations, and announcements relating to honors and awards she received. It also holds newspaper clippings concerning her study on the prevention of uterine cancer, the Institute for Cancer Research at Fox Chase, Pennsylvania, and miscellaneous articles about discrimination against women physicians, and about Drs. Mary Wade Griscom, Louise Pearce, and other personnel at Woman’s Medical College. Scrapbook no. 3 (1936-1969) is comprised of letters and pamphlets concerning a fund-raising campaign for the expansion of Woman’s Medical College in the late 1950s; invitations; newspaper clippings about her cancer research, honors and awards she received, and about discrimination against women physicians; and Macfarlane's obituary (added by a friend or family member). Scrapbook no. 4 (1940-1951), apparently compiled by Macfarlane, contains miscellaneous speeches; invitations, brochures, and newspaper clippings dealing with Eve Curie's visit to the United States for the fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of radium; and also the research, prevention, and treatment of cancer; and the history of and discrimination against women in medicine. Scrapbook no. 5 (1941-1948), compiled by Macfarlane, contains correspondence and newspaper clippings concerning a proposed merger of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania with Jefferson Medical College. It also includes clippings and printed materials about Macfarlane's cancer research, and commissioning women in the Army; and obituaries of women physicians. The scrapbook entitled “This is Your Life” contains a copy of the script, and photographs, correspondence, and other memorabilia representing Macfarlane’s 1956 appearance on the television program.

Series X: Audio-visual and realia contains the film reel from Macfarlane’s 1956 appearance on the television program “This is Your Life” and film from her 1956 birthday dinner. There are 3 cases of glass lantern slides, apparently related to the Medical Women’s International Meeting in Scotland in 1937, which Macfarlane attended. Also included in this series are approximately 50 medical instruments owned by Macfarlane, and academic gowns. The photographs in this collection have been removed to the photograph collection.

Dates

1895-1971
Majority of material found within 1935 - 1960

Creator

Macfarlane, Catherine, M.D., 1934- (Donor, Person)

Biographical / Historical

Catharine Macfarlane graduated from Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1898, and later became an instructor in obstetrics at the college and a professor of gynecology. She was the first woman to be elected to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1935. Macfarlane devoted much of her later career to cancer research, specifically pelvic cancer. In 1956, she became the first woman to serve as Chairman for the Medical Society of Pennsylvania’s Commission on Cancer. Macfarlane began researching the breast self-exam in 1962, working with the Philadelphia Division of the American Cancer Society. Her career spanned nearly 70 years, and she was affectionately known as “Dr. Kitty Mac.”

Catharine Macfarlane was born in Philadelphia on April 7, 1877. She earned her Bachelor of Science in biology at University of Pennsylvania in 1895, and graduated with her M.D. from Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1898. She served her internship at the Woman’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and from 1899 to 1900 was instructor of obstetrics at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Macfarlane had her own private practice until 1903, when she accepted an instructor position in gynecology at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. She pursued graduate study for the next five years at John Hopkins School of Medicine in urology; Royal Charite, Berlin, Germany, in obstetrics; Frauenklinik, Vienna, Austria, in gynecology; and Radium Hennet, Stockholm, Sweden, in radiology.

In 1908, Macfarlane was appointed Chief of Gynecology at Woman’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and was admitted to the American College of Surgeons in 1913. In 1922, she accepted the position of Professor of Gynecology at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, and in 1924, became the Appointed Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Philadelphia General Hospital. In 1924, she accepted the assignment of Research Professor of Gynecology at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania.

In addition to her extensive education, Macfarlane was also involved in numerous associations and served on the boards of many organizations. She was the first woman member of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1932. She served as President of the American Medical Women’s Association from 1936 to 1937 and Vice President of the Medical Women’s International Association from 1937 to 1947. Macfarlane became a member of the Cancer Commission of the Medical Society of Pennsylvania, and served as Chairman of the Cancer Committee of the Philadelphia Medical Society from 1942 to 1947. Macfarlane was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Division of the American Cancer Society in 1942. From 1943 to 1944, she was President of the Obstetrical Society of Philadelphia. At her alma mater, Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, she was the Vice President of the Board of Corporators from 1945. She was one of the founders as well as an active Fellow of the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1956, she became the first woman to serve as Chairman for the Medical Society of Pennsylvania’s Commission on Cancer.

As a result of graduate study and fellowships, she became interested in cancer research and because her practice was confined exclusively to women, she was also concerned about the frequency with which cancer strikes women. Macfarlane’s research focused on pelvic cancer; how to prevent it and how to treat it. Macfarlane was the first person to use radium for cancer treatment in Philadelphia in 1903. During the Medical Women’s International Meeting in Scotland in 1937, she suggested that the best way to discover pelvic cancer was to schedule periodic pelvic exams for women, even those who showed no symptoms. She received a grant in 1938 from the Committee on Clinical Research of the American Medical Association to establish a cancer prevention research clinic at the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Macfarlane’s clinic was the first clinic of its kind in Pennsylvania and she established one of the nation’s first uterine cancer screening programs. Subsequently, other grants followed, including those from the American Medical Association, the International Cancer Research Foundation, the Pennsylvania Division of the Women’s Field Army of the American Society for the Control of Cancer, and in 1947, the American Cancer Society. In 1962, she initiated research on breast self-exams for women, working with the Philadelphia Division of the American Cancer Society.

Macfarlane was the recipient for various awards, including: the Gimbel Award for work in cancer prevention, 1942; the Strittmatter Award for 1948, the first woman to receive this accolade; Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania Award, 1949; the Lasker Award, presented by the American Public Health Association, 1951; the Elizabeth Blackwell Citation from the Trustees of the New York Infirmary, 1952; and the First Annual Mary Silberman Award, for work in cancer prevention, 1953. She received several honorary degrees, including: Doctor of Science, Ursinus College, 1948; Doctor of Science, Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1950; Doctor of Medical Science, Drexel Institute of Technology, 1956; and Doctor of Science from Jefferson Medical College, 1958.

Additionally, she published numerous articles on pelvic cancer control and prevention, including progress reports on her research. She was the guest of the Ralph Edwards television program “This is Your Life,” in 1956. Macfarlane held her position as Research Professor at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania until her death in 1969. She continued her private practice in Philadelphia, and performed surgery well into her 80s. Macfarlane died May 27, 1969.

Extent

16 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

Arrangement

This collection is comprised of 12 separate accessions: ACC-12, ACC-47, ACC 128-132; ACC 195, 1991.X.07, 1993.02A, X.2000.18, and 2005.14. The bulk of the material is found in ACC-47, which was previously processed 8 August 1978. The arrangement created by the previous processor was preserved, with the exception of Series VIII created for resprints; speeches/presentations included in Series III: Manuscripts; and all objects, photographs, and audio-visual materials contained in Series X: Audio-visual and realia.

The photographs from ACC-47 have been removed to the photograph collection. The film and other audio-visual materials are physically separated from the rest of the accession and stored with the A/V collection, as are the lantern slides. The academic gowns can be located in the textile/costume collection. Additionally, the medical instruments are stored within the Archive's 3D object collection. This was done when the accession was previously processed in 1978.

In June 2014, the accessions were intellectually rearranged so as to be more coherent and seamless; some phsycial rearrangement was also necessary. The framed objects from accessions 1991.x.07 and 2005.14 have been stored in the same lcoation, as are the objects from ACC-47 and 1993.02a. The lantern slides (2 boxes) have been stored in the A/V collection with the film reels. In addition, a complete inventory was created, along with a finding aid, of all materials created by or related to Catharine Macfarlane. All materials were rehoused.

Surgical gloves, part of the medical instruments from ACC-47, were beyond preservation and were discarded after being photographed on 4 June 2014. The photograph can be found in the control file for ACC-47.

AV materials, oversized materials, objects, and photographs

ACC-12: Handwritten manuscript written by Catharine Macfarlane, regarding Dr. Mary Pauline Root; 1929 Location: Small collections, MS 80 /

ACC-47: Oversized materials, certificates and awards Location: Flat file drawer A2 /

ACC-47: Most reprints have been removed from the collection and are located in the Reprints-Alumnae/Faculty. Please see separated materials note listing the reprint numbers. Location: 22A2 - 22A3 /

ACC-47: All photographs have been removed from the collection and are located in the photograph collection. Please see separated materials note listing the photogaph numbers for these items. /

ACC-47: "This is Your Life" film reel, "This is Your Life" with commercials cut film reel, Birthday party film, 1956 Location: 24D6 /

ACC-47 Lantern slides Location: 24D6 /

ACC-47: Objects, medical instruments (Memorabilia) Please see box 4, folder 4 for a complete list of objects. Location: 26E7 /

ACC-47: Academic gown Location: 28H-top /

ACC-195: Photocopy of typed manuscript of Macfarlane's autobiography; undated Location: Small collections, MS 86 /

1991.x.07: Photograph of Catharine Macfarlane, M.D., and others on the set of the television program "This is Your Life;" 1956 Location: Art bin I-7 /

1993.02a: Object, Catharine Macfarlane's medical corkscrew Location: 26E7 /

X.2000.18: Photograph, Catharine Macfarlane, M.D. in wheelchair on stage surrounded by empty chairs, by Edward Murray, undated Location: Flat file drawer B1 /

2005.14: Framed tribute certificate (oversize): "A Tribute to Catharine Macfarlane, M.D.;" 1970 Location: Art bin I-7

Related materials to Catharine Macfarlane

ACC-23, Gulielma Fell Alsop papers: Correspondence with Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-37, American Medical Women's Association records, [1917-1978]: Catharine Macfarlane served as President from 1936 to 1937.

ACC-139, Elizabeth Sides papers: Correspondence, including medical reports, [1947-1969], with Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-142, Katharine Sturgis papers: Correspondence, [1946-1963], with Catharine Macfarlane, discussing Woman's Medical College and social matters; recollections of Catharine Macfarlane, presented by Sturgis at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1978.

ACC-164, Ada Pierce McCormick papers: Correspondence from Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-167, Mary Louise Carpenter Gloeckner papers: Correspondence from Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-170, Ella Cooper Bell papers: Patient records belonging to Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-209, Jill Gates Smith manuscript: Photocopy of typed manuscript entitled "Catharine Macfarlane, M.D.: A Connecting Link" by Smith.

ACC-257, Mary Pauline Root papers: Correspondence relating to Root's work in Madura, South India, and in the American West; extracts from memoirs; notes by Root. ACC-12 is a handwritten manuscript by Catharine Macfarlane, which gives an account of Dr. Mary Pauline Root's admission to Blockley Hospital (later named Philadelphia General Hospital) as an intern as told to Macfarlane by Root when they were driving along Maine roads on 23 August 1929.

ACC-266, Catharine Macfarlane alumna file: The collection of files on deceased alumnae/i of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, and Medical College of Pennsylvania contain primary and secondary materials on many deceased alumnae/i of the Medical College. These materials include news clippings, correspondence, photographs, biographical material, reprints, and awards and certificates. The alumna file for Catharine Macfarlane (WMCP 1898) extends .62 linear feet.

ACC-275, materials related to Carmen Thomas (WMC 1932): Photograph(s) of Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-327, material related to Anna Brady (WMC 1951): Correspondence with Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-401, Catharine Macfarlane, and descendants of William Mullen, photographs: Photograph of Catharine Macfarlane.

ACC-404, Abraham Lincoln portrait by F.C. Courter: This painting was presented to the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania by Albert R. Brunker, descendant of William Mullen (college founder and president), in memory of his family and of Catharine Macfarlane.

Photographs from ACC-47

Miscellaneous photographs: p358, p423A, p1942-p1946, p1948-p2007

"This is Your Life" album, 1956: p1920-p1941

Seven signed copies of a portrait: p1947

1899 'blueprint' photographs: p2541-p2547

Calendar photograph, 1905: p2548

Cancer crusade, 1945: p2549

This list can also be found in box 4, folder 4.

Reprints from ACC-47

Reprint numbers:

220; 253; 1359; 1493; 1494; 1497; 1500; 1501; 1824; 1979

2282; 2316; 2354b; 2354h; 2736

3194; 3438; 3443; 3608; 3609; 3649; 3985

4237; 4867; 4871; 4885 - 4901

This list can also be found in box 4, folder 4.