John Wiley papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS 2/059

Scope and Contents

This small collection of five notebooks documents John Wiley's medical education at Jefferson Medical College, 1835-1837, and gives some sketchy information about his later professional life.

The heart of the collection consists of one volume of Wiley's notes (1835-1837) on the lectures of Jefferson faculty, including: Samuel Colhoun on materia medica; Robley Dunglison on physiology; Jacob Green on chemistry; George McClellan on surgery; Granville Sharp Pattison on anatomy; and a lengthy series of notes on John Revere's lectures on the practice of medicine.

Three volumes of the Wiley collection contain extensive notes (1835-1842) on medical texts many of which Wiley was reading in the spring and summer of 1835, possibly preceding his course work at Jefferson. Authors read include Samuel Cooper on surgery; William P. Dewees on obstetrics; John Eberle on materia medica and the practice of medicine; and William E. Horner on anatomy.

In addition to some of Wiley's later notes on John Eberle's texts, the fifth volume of the collection contains some miscellaneous material such as drafts of a deed and a quit claim for a Cape May Court House tavern of which Wiley was a trustee in 1854 as well as floor plans for the Wiley house. This series also contains a receipt for Wiley's work in association with the U.S. Marine Hospital at Great Egg

Harbor (1852) and two letters, one from Joshua Swain, appointing Wiley as attending physician to an almshouse at Townsends Inlet (1854), and one from William S. Bowen outlining the correct procedure for submitting bills (1855). This item also is probably related to the Marine Hospital Service.

Dates

1834 - 1855

Creator

Wiley, John (Person)

Biographical / Historical

John Wiley was born on 6 August 1815, possibly in Sharptown, New Jersey. He received his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in 1837 and practiced in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. Very little is known of his professional career. He appears to have provided medical care to seamen at the U.S. Marine Hospital at Great Egg Harbor in 1852 and been attending physician to an almshouse at Townsends Inlet in 1854-1855. Wiley was a president of the Cape May County Medical Society. He died during an epidemic of the grippe at Cape May Court House on 24 December 1891.

Extent

5 Volumes (5 volumes and 3 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

The John Wiley notebooks were purchased by the Historical Collections of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia from Palinurus Bookseller, P.O. Box 15923, Philadelphia, PA 19103 on 14 September 1987.