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CPP 2/012-03: George P. Muller papers, 1937-1939

 Series — Box: 1, Folder: 3

Scope and Contents

This small collection of George Muller’s presidential papers consists of correspondence, a report, and newsclippings regarding the College’s discussion of the New York Academy of Medicine’s tax exempt status and the difficulties surrounding that status, all dating from 1938-1939, during Muller’s presidency.

Dates

  • 1937-1939

Biographical / Historical

George P. Muller was born in Philadelphia on June 25, 1877. He earned his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in 1899. His internship was at Lankenau Hospital under the mentoring of Dr. John P. Deaver. In 1902 he returned to Penn where he began his surgical training as a junior assistant to Dr. Charles H. Frazier, the chairman of the department. At the same time, he was named an instructor in the department of anatomy.

During World War I, he was active in establishing policies for the management of thoracic injuries and the treatment of empyema. He was one of the first to describe the removal of foreign bodies from the lung as reported in a case of bullet removal in 1918.

After serving with distinction in the armed forces in World War I, he was made a clinical professor of surgery and, in 1918, was named chair of surgery at the Graduate School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. He held that position until 1931, at which time he returned to Lankenau Hospital as a senior surgeon. In 1932 he became the 16th president of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS).

In 1936, at the age of 59, Muller was named the co-chairman of the Surgery Department at Jefferson Medical College, along with Dr. Thomas A. Shallow. In 1939 Muller was named the first Grace Revere Osler Professor of Surgery at Jefferson. During the late 1930s, there were an increasing number of resections for pulmonary neoplasms, and Muller was one of the first in Philadelphia to perform a pneumonectomy for this disease. He was instrumental in the introduction of the use of intravenous administration in the management of proper fluid balance and the newly discovered sulfonamides.

He was elected a Fellow to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1905 and served as its President from 1937 to 1940.

Muller retired in 1946 and died in 1947.



Source: Edie, Richard N. “Historical perspectives of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery: George P. Muller, MD, ScD (1877-1947).” The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 129 (1): 207-208.

Extent

From the Series: .2 Linear feet (1 half document box)

Language of Materials

From the Series: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Repository

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