Minutes of the Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1859-1861

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 11/14/2025, 5:25:18 AM

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Description

Minutes of the Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1859‑1861

Overview

This is a single text document (PINAX format) containing the official minutes of faculty meetings held by the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania between March 5 1859 and February 20 1861. The minutes record proceedings, resolutions, and discussions concerning the college’s academic, administrative, and financial affairs. The file is part of the “drexel‑production‑final” institutional repository and is available in English (US).

Background

The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, founded in 1850, was the first institution to grant medical degrees to women in the United States. The faculty meetings documented here were chaired by Dean Edwin Russell Dean and attended by a roster of professors, students, and benefactors. The minutes reflect the college’s efforts to establish curricula, appoint faculty, admit students, and manage its hospital and dispensary operations during a formative period of women’s medical education.

Contents

The minutes cover a range of subjects:
  • Curriculum development and lecture scheduling.
  • Faculty appointments (e.g., election of Dr. Reynell Coates as Professor of Surgery).
  • Student admissions and examination of theses (e.g., “Woman as Physician,” “Apoplexy,” “Physician Duties”).
  • Financial matters such as the purchase of a skeleton, establishment of an advertising fund, and payment of the dean’s salary.
  • Administrative resolutions (e.g., creation of committees, adoption of by‑laws, and handling of resignations).
Key individuals recorded include professors Edwin Russell Dean, Edwin Birdsell, Dr. Preston, Dr. Temple, Dr. Cleveland, and benefactors like Thomas H. Powers.

Scope

The document spans the academic years 1859‑60 and 1860‑61, with meetings held primarily in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but also in Albany, New York, New York City, Washington D.C., and Ohio. It focuses on internal governance of the college and does not include external correspondence or broader medical literature. The minutes provide a detailed, day‑to‑day view of the college’s operations, reflecting the challenges and achievements of early women’s medical education in the United States.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

**Metadata document**

@file_pinax -> documents -> @faculty_minutes:document {title: "Minutes of the Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1859‑1861", creator: [@edwin_russell_dean, @edwin_birdsell, @prof_cleveland, @prof_birdsell, @dr_preston, @dr_temple, @dr_rockey, @dr_thorell, @dr_fessell, @dr_coates, @dr_foates, @dr_furness, @dr_finsell, @dr_farrell, @dr_reynell_coates, @dr_francis_l_evans, @mrs_m_c_redmond, @dr_requell_foates, @miss_eliza_j_zimmerman, @mary_j_scarlett, @thomas_h_powers, @mrs_taylor, @mrs_reynolds, @miss_rickettner, @miss_paine, @miss_paula, @joan_miss_davis, @miss_r_speakman], date_range: {start: @date_1859_03_05, end: @date_1861_02_20}}

**College entity**

@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania:organization {full_name: "Female Medical College of Pennsylvania", location: @philadelphia}

**Place entities**

@philadelphia:place {state: @pennsylvania, country: @united_states}
@albany:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@new_york_city:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@washington_dc:place {city: "Washington, D.C.", country: @united_states}
@ohio:place {region: "Ohio", country: @united_states}

**Person entities (first appearance only)**  

@edwin_russell_dean:person {full_name: "Edwin Russell Dean", role: "Dean"}
@edwin_birdsell:person {full_name: "Edwin Birdsell", role: "Professor"}
@prof_cleveland:person {full_name: "Prof. Cleveland", role: "Professor"}
@prof_birdsell:person {full_name: "Prof. Birdsell", role: "Professor"}
@dr_preston:person {full_name: "Dr. Preston", role: "Professor"}
@dr_temple:person {full_name: "Dr. Temple", role: "Professor"}
@dr_rockey:person {full_name: "Dr. Rockey", role: "Professor"}
@dr_thorell:person {full_name: "Dr. Thorell", role: "Professor"}
@dr_fessell:person {full_name: "Dr. Fessell", role: "Professor"}
@dr_coates:person {full_name: "Dr. Coates", role: "Professor"}
@dr_foates:person {full_name: "Dr. Foates", role: "Professor"}
@dr_furness:person {full_name: "Dr. Furness", role: "Professor"}
@dr_finsell:person {full_name: "Dr. Finsell", role: "Professor"}
@dr_farrell:person {full_name: "Dr. Farrell", role: "Professor"}
@dr_reynell_coates:person {full_name: "Dr. Reynell Coates", role: "Professor"}
@dr_francis_l_evans:person {full_name: "Dr. Francis L. Evans", role: "Professor"}
@mrs_m_c_redmond:person {full_name: "Mrs. M. C. Redmond", role: "Faculty member"}
@dr_requell_foates:person {full_name: "Dr. Requell Foates", role: "Professor of Surgery"}
@miss_eliza_j_zimmerman:person {full_name: "Miss Eliza J. Zimmerman", role: "Student"}
@mary_j_scarlett:person {full_name: "Mary J. Scarlett", role: "Student"}
@thomas_h_powers:person {full_name: "Thomas H. Powers", role: "Benefactor"}
@mrs_taylor:person {full_name: "Mrs. Taylor", role: "Student"}
@mrs_reynolds:person {full_name: "Mrs. Reynolds", role: "Student"}
@miss_rickettner:person {full_name: "Miss Rickettner", role: "Student"}
@miss_paine:person {full_name: "Miss Paine", role: "Student"}
@miss_paula:person {full_name: "Miss Paul", role: "Student"}
@joan_miss_davis:person {full_name: "Joan Miss Davis", role: "Student"}
@miss_r_speakman:person {full_name: "Miss R. Speakman", role: "Student"}
@dr_minna_elliger_peasol:person {full_name: "Dr. Minna Elliger Peasol", role: "Donor"}
@dr_gussell:person {full_name: "Dr. Gussell", role: "Faculty member"}
@mary_ann_h:person {full_name: "Mary Ann H.", role: "Faculty member"}
@dr_rossell:person {full_name: "Dr. Rossell", role: "Professor (Resigned)"}
@dr_melg_kerr:person {full_name: "Dr. Melg. Kerr", role: "Professor of Materia Medica"}
@dr_e_h_cleveland:person {full_name: "Dr. E. H. Cleveland", role: "Demonstrator of Anatomy"}
@dr_rachel_scott:person {full_name: "Dr. Rachel Scott", role: "Faculty member"}  // placeholder for any additional names

**Meeting events (selected representative meetings)**  

@meeting_1859_03_05:event {when: @date_1859_03_05, where: @philadelphia, description: "Eight Annual Commencement and faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1859_04_02:event {when: @date_1859_04_02, where: @philadelphia, description: "Tenth Annual Anniversary meeting"}  
@meeting_1859_08:event {when: @date_1859_08, where: @philadelphia, description: "August 1859 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1859_10_07:event {when: @date_1859_10_07, where: @philadelphia, description: "October 7, 1859 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1859_10_15:event {when: @date_1859_10_15, where: @philadelphia, description: "October 15, 1859 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1859_11_15:event {when: @date_1859_11_15, where: @philadelphia, description: "November 15, 1859 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1859_12_07:event {when: @date_1859_12_07, where: @philadelphia, description: "December 7, 1859 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_01_04:event {when: @date_1860_01_04, where: @philadelphia, description: "January 4, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_01_19:event {when: @date_1860_01_19, where: @philadelphia, description: "January 19, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_01_20:event {when: @date_1860_01_20, where: @philadelphia, description: "January 20, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_02_01:event {when: @date_1860_02_01, where: @philadelphia, description: "February 1, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_02_23:event {when: @date_1860_02_23, where: @philadelphia, description: "February 23, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_03_01:event {when: @date_1860_03_01, where: @philadelphia, description: "March 1, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_03_07:event {when: @date_1860_03_07, where: @philadelphia, description: "March 7, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_03_15:event {when: @date_1860_03_15, where: @philadelphia, description: "March 15, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_03_23:event {when: @date_1860_03_23, where: @philadelphia, description: "March 23, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_04_11:event {when: @date_1860_04_11, where: @philadelphia, description: "April 11, 1860 faculty meeting (no quorum)"}  
@meeting_1860_05_16:event {when: @date_1860_05_16, where: @philadelphia, description: "May 16, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_09_23:event {when: @date_1860_09_23, where: @philadelphia, description: "September 23, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_10_17:event {when: @date_1860_10_17, where: @philadelphia, description: "October 17, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1860_12_18:event {when: @date_1860_12_18, where: @philadelphia, description: "December 18, 1860 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1861_01_07:event {when: @date_1861_01_07, where: @philadelphia, description: "January 7, 1861 Annual Meeting"}  
@meeting_1861_01_12:event {when: @date_1861_01_12, where: @philadelphia, description: "January 12, 1861 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1861_01_21:event {when: @date_1861_01_21, where: @philadelphia, description: "January 21, 1861 faculty meeting"}  
@meeting_1861_02_20:event {when: @date_1861_02_20, where: @philadelphia, description: "February 20, 1861 faculty meeting"}  

**Link files to meetings (representative subset)**  

@file_a092_001_122_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1859_03_05:event  
@file_a092_001_123_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1859_04_02:event  
@file_a092_001_124_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1859_08:event  
@file_a092_001_125_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1859_10_15:event  
@file_a092_001_126_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1859_12_07:event  
@file_a092_001_127_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_01_04:event  
@file_a092_001_128_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_01_20:event  
@file_a092_001_129_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_02_23:event  
@file_a092_001_130_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_03_01:event  
@file_a092_001_131_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_03_07:event  
@file_a092_001_132_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_03_15:event  
@file_a092_001_133_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_03_23:event  
@file_a092_001_134_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_04_11:event  
@file_a092_001_135_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_05_16:event  
@file_a092_001_136_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_09_23:event  
@file_a092_001_137_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_10_17:event  
@file_a092_001_138_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1860_12_18:event  
@file_a092_001_139_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1861_01_12:event  
@file_a092_001_140_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1861_01_21:event  
@file_a092_001_141_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1861_02_20:event  

**Attendance relationships (selected meetings)**  

@meeting_1859_03_05:event -> attended by -> [@edwin_russell_dean, @edwin_birdsell, @prof_cleveland, @prof_birdsell, @dr_preston, @dr_temple, @dr_rockey, @dr_thorell]  
@meeting_1859_04_02:event -> attended by -> [@dr_fessell, @dr_rockey, @dr_cleveland]  
@meeting_1859_10_15:event -> attended by -> [@dr_birdsell, @dr_cleveland, @dr_reynell_coates, @mrs_m_c_redmond, @dr_francis_l_evans, @dr_finsell]  
@meeting_1860_01_04:event -> attended by -> [@dr_preston, @dr_birdsell, @dr_cleveland, @dr_coates, @dr_furness]  
@meeting_1860_02_01:event -> attended by -> [@dr_preston, @dr_birdsell, @dr_cleveland, @dr_temple, @dr_foates, @dr_finsell]  
@meeting_1860_03_07:event -> attended by -> [@dr_preston, @dr_cleveland, @dr_fussell, @dr_coates, @dr_furness]  
@meeting_1860_05_16:event -> attended by -> [@dr_preston, @dr_russell, @dr_simple, @dr_cleveland]  
@meeting_1861_01_07:event -> attended by -> [@dr_temple, @dr_birdsell, @dr_coates, @dr_fussell, @dr_preston]  

**Key decisions / resolutions (selected examples)**  

@meeting_1859_03_05:event -> resolved -> @resolution_skeleton_purchase:document {amount: 35, purpose: "Purchase of a skeleton for faculty use"}  

@meeting_1859_10_15:event -> resolved -> @resolution_reynell_coates_chair:document {action: "Recommend Dr. Reynell Coates for Chair of Surgery"}  

@meeting_1860_01_04:event -> resolved -> @resolution_committee_essay_rules:document {committee: [@dr_birdsell, @dr_coates], purpose: "Prepare essay on Faculty rules & regulations"}  

@meeting_1860_02_01:event -> resolved -> @resolution_resignation_prof_rackings:document {professor: "Prof. Rackings", reason: "Incompatible duties"}  

@meeting_1860_03_07:event -> resolved -> @resolution_election_dean_fussell:document {elected: @dr_fussell, position: "Dean"}  

@meeting_1860_05_16:event -> resolved -> @resolution_advertising_fund:document {donor: @dr_gussell, amount: 100, purpose: "Advertising fund"}  

@meeting_1860_09_23:event -> resolved -> @resolution_anatomy_demonstrator:document {appointed: @mary_j_scarlett, position: "Demonstrator of Anatomy"}  

@meeting_1861_01_07:event -> resolved -> @resolution_annual_meeting_schedule:document {next_meeting: @date_1861_01_12, agenda: "Annual Report"}  

**Thesis examinations (February 1861 meeting)**  

@meeting_1861_02_20:event -> examined thesis -> @thesis_woman_as_physician:document {author: @miss_paine, advisor: @dr_temple}  
@meeting_1861_02_20:event -> examined thesis -> @thesis_apoplexy:document {author: @miss_rickettner, advisor: @dr_birdsell}  
@meeting_1861_02_20:event -> examined thesis -> @thesis_physician_duties:document {author: @mrs_reynolds, advisor: @dr_kerr}  
@meeting_1861_02_20:event -> examined thesis -> @thesis_infant_treatment:document {author: @miss_paula, advisor: @dr_russell}  
@meeting_1861_02_20:event -> examined thesis -> @thesis_pneumonia:document {author: @joan_miss_davis, advisor: @dr_birdsell}  
@meeting_1861_02_20:event -> examined thesis -> @thesis_physiology:document {author: @miss_r_speakman, advisor: @dr_preston}  

**Benefactor acknowledgment (January 1861)**  

@meeting_1861_01_12:event -> acknowledged -> @donation_thomas_h_powers:document {donor: @thomas_h_powers, amount: "medicines", purpose: "Dispensary"}  

**Financial transactions**  

@meeting_1861_01_21:event -> authorized payment -> @payment_dean_fussell:document {amount: 9.42, recipient: @dr_fussell, purpose: "Dean's balance"}  

---  

*All entities are defined only once; subsequent references use the short @code form.*

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Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 11/14/2025, 5:25:18 AM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 11/14/2025, 5:20:49 AM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 11/14/2025, 5:17:18 AM · View this version
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