George W. Outerbridge papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS 2/138

Scope and Contents

The George W. Outerbridge Papers, 1916-1919, contain letters and postcards, a fragment of a diary, and photographs, documenting Outerbridge's experiences as a member of the Pennsylvania Hospital Unit in France during World War I.

Series 1 contains letters, 1917-1918, addressed by Outerbridge to family members, particularly his father, A. E. Outerbridge, and aunt, Laura C. Outerbridge. The letters describe Outerbridge's transatlantic voyage, conditions in France, and the daily routine of a physician in both Base Hospital No. 10 at Le Treport and Mobile Hospital 8 during the war. Items of special interest, describing the routine handling of patients at Base Hospital No. 10, are two letters, 14 September 1917 and 8 January 1918, to A. E. Outerbridge and a letter, 7 November 1917, to Laura C. Outerbridge.

Series 2 contains entries of a diary, 18-19 August 1917, written by Outerbridge at sea and describing events during his voyage to France on the S.S. Aurania.

The bulk of the Outerbridge Papers, Series 3, is comprised of photographs. There are a few unbound mounted images of Outerbridge's naval volunteer cruise aboard the U.S.S. Rhode Island, August September 1916, and two albums (disbound) of photographs from France. The first album, 1917-1919, contains photographs of the voyage of the Aurania, the staff and facilities at Base Hospital No. 10 at Le Treport, and items of interest to tourists in the surrounding cities and countryside. The second album, 1918-1919, contains photographs of the staff and equipment of Mobile Hospital 8 taken while at Exermont and Varennes. There are also several images of German guns, bombs, and shelters and a dug out in the Argonne.

Dates

1916 - 1919

Creator

Outerbridge, George W. (Person)

Biographical / Historical

George Whitney Outerbridge, gynecologist, was born in Philadelphia on 12 May 1881. He died of arteriosclerotic heart disease on 16 January 1967.

Outerbridge received an A.B. from Harvard University in 1905 and an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1907. He then served an internship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Outerbridge was on the staff of Abington Memorial Hospital, held positions as Chief Gynecologist at the Methodist Hospital and Chief Surgeon at the Gynecean Institute, and taught at the University of Pennsylvania.

During World War I, Outerbridge went to France with the Pennsylvania Hospital unit. He was in charge of a venereal disease clinic and worked at Base Hospital No. 10, September 1917-October 1918, then was attached to Mobile Hospital 8, October 1918-January 1919. From January to April 1919, Outerbridge was again at Base Hospital No. 10. Upon his return to the United States, Outerbridge left academic medicine and concentrated on his gynecological practice.

George W. Outerbridge was elected to fellowship in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1913. He was also a member of the Philadelphia Obstetrical Society.

Extent

3 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

The George W. Outerbridge Papers were donated to the Historical Collections of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia by Mrs. Edward F. Harvey of Philadelphia on 6 July 1972. Mrs. Harvey found the collection in her home at 8 Summit Street in Philadelphia; this was formerly the residence of George W. Outerbridge.

The collection was originally catalogued as 10b/56. In 1990, it was processed and recatalogued and the two photograph albums were disbound.