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New York Academy of Medicine, Section on Neurology and Psychiatry Records, 1885-1984

Section on Neurology and Psychiatry Records.

Historical Note

The Section on Neurology of the New York Academy of Medicine was established in 1885. In 1897 the section was expanded to include psychiatry. In 1932 some of the psychiatrists petitioned to have a separate section, but the Academy's council decided against the change. In the early 1970s the question of separate sections came up again and this time it was decided to have a section on neurological sciences and a section on psychiatry.

Collection Description

Scope and Content

This collection, which may not be complete at the moment, is particularly interesting. The section's membership included members of the several other groups devoted to neurology and psychiatry whose records are in the possession of the Academy. The membership of the Schilder Society and the Salmon Committee seldom overlapped, but many of the members of both those groups appear in the section records.

Of special interest are the transcripts of the meetings of the section during the 1930s. A regular number of these meetings were combined meetings with the New York Neurological Society. For the most part the minutes in this collection simply record the topics presented and the names of the speakers and discussers. The transcripts record the full content, and were submitted to 2 journals. Another area of interest are the files related to the attempt in the 1930s to have a separate section on psychiatry, an effort that failed. By 1972 the separation was made.

This inventory identifies the records as they reflect the various forms in which this section functioned.

Administrative Info

Collection processed and described by Dorothy Truman

Requests for permission to quote from or publish any materials should be directed to the reference librarian or curator in writing.

Preferred Citation

Section on Neurology and Psychiatry Records. The Drs. Barry and Bobbi Coller Rare Book Reading Room, New York Academy of Medicine Library.

Collection Contents

Series 1: Section on Neurology

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Minutes, - 1885-1928.

Series 2: Section on Neurology and Psychiatry

Subseries A: Minutes

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Minutes, - 1885-1928.
Box 1    Minutes, - 1931-1940, 1961-1962.
Box 1    Transcripts of Meetings, - 1932-1937.
Box 1    Minutes of the Advisory Committee, - 1931, 1932.
Box 1    Minutes of the Executive Session, - 1940.
Box 1    Minutes of the Committee on Sections, - 1937.
Box 1    Annual Report to Council, - 1921-1926.
Box 1    Miscellaneous Text of Discussion, - 1936, 1937.

Subseries B: Executive Working Papers

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Correspondence of Byron Stookey, Chairman, - 1933.
Box 1    Correspondence of Clarence P. Oberndorf, Secretary, - 1932-1933.
Box 1    Correspondence of Clarence P. Oberndorf, Chairman, - 1933-1934.
Box 1    Correspondence of C. Burns Craig, Secretary, - 1933-1934
Box 1    Correspondence of A. A. Brill, Secretary, - 1935-1936
Box 1    Correspondence of A. A. Brill, Chairman, - 1936-1937.
Box 1    Correspondence of Irving Pardee, Secretary, - 1936-1937.
Box 1    Correspondence of Samuel Brock, Secretary, - 1940.
Box 1    Papers re: Proposal to establish a separate section on Psychiatry, - 1931-1932.
Box 1    Papers re: Separating psychiatry from neurology, - 1931-1932.
Box 1    Papers re: Creating 2 sections ie. psychiatry and neurosciences, - 1967-1972.
Box 1    Meeting/Program Schedules, - 1926-1951.
Box 1    Miscellaneous Papers, - 1931-1939, 1944-1948.

Subseries C: Membership

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Qualifications for Members and Fellows, - 1931-1933.
Box 1    Attendance Lists, - 1923-1931.
Box 1    Section Members / Mailing Lists, - 1933, 1968-1970.
Box 1    Member / Mailing List re: NY Neurological Society, - 1969-1970.

Subseries D: Publicity

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Program Announcements, - 1923-1984.
Box 1    Invitation to Reception, - 1925.

Subseries E: Miscellaneous

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Programs of Neurological Society, - 1932, 1933.
Box 1    Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, - 1987.
Box 1    Directory of the Nassau Neuropsychiatric Society, - 1967.
Box 1    Reprints from the Journal of General Pscyhology, - 1949, 1953.
Box 1    Flyers re: Annie Lord, - 1933.

Series 3: Section on Psychiatry

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Correspondence, - 1971-1972.
Box 1    Member/Mailing List, - 1972.
Box 1    Program Announcements, - 1981, 1984.

Series 4: Section on Neurological Sciences

ContainerDescription
Box 1    Member/Mailing List, - 1972-1976.