George Alfred Mitchell account book, 1853-1858

Collection context

Summary

Creators:
Mitchell, George Alfred and Palinurus Antiquarian Books
Extent:
1 unknown (1 account book)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], George Alfred Mitchell account book (Collection 710). Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections for the Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

A manuscript record of physician G. (Geo.) Alfred Mitchell's practice in Michaelsville [Maryland?], commencing 1 April 1853 and running through 1 November 1856. Brief records were added in December of that year, then crossed-out. Entries, occupying 235 of 383 pages, were kept in a neat hand in a pre-bound, lined ledger titled "Day book", with pre-numbered pages; the ledger has a printed label for "Joseph Hutt, Stationer, blank book manufacturer, engraver and printer" on Chestnut St. in Philadelphia. All recorded visits are in Michaelsville or "Michaels ville". Entries are kept chronologically, kept almost exclusively by the name of the male head of household, followed by "to visit to" and "self" or "wife" or the name of a family member examined or treated, followed by a procedure or treatment. Some entries may be for hired help or slaves; some visits are identified as "boy" or "child" instead of a name, and others include "to services for man Phil" (p.116) and "for services to man[servant?]" (p.118). Named treatments include wound dressing, venesection, cupping, vaccination, whooping cough, and tooth extraction. In March 1855, a line is added to each entry for medicines prescribed or sold (powder, opium, acid drops, etc.), and charges are itemized for services vs. prescriptions. On 27 February, 1858, in a witnessed statement written on page 237, Mitchell transfered his practice, comprising "all moneys and accounts mentioned, specified or contained in this book", to Bernard Mitchell.

Biographical / historical:

G. (Geo. or George) Alfred Mitchell, M.D., practiced medicine in Michaelsville, Maryland. Coffin's Record of the men of Lafayette: brief biographical sketches of the Alumni of Lafayette College from its organization to the present time ... to which is added the historical sketches of the college (1879, p. 199) identifies him as originating in Havre de Grace, Maryland, attending the university for one year (1847), graduating from Washington College in Virginia in 1852, and dying in Perrymansville, Maryland in 1857. The catalogue of the officers and alumni of Washington and Lee University (1888) identifies him as a student in 1849-1850 (entry no. 1466, p. 109) and dying in 1858.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Palinurus Antiquarian Books, 2010.
Processing information:

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Physical location:
Held at UCLA Library Special Collections. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

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Terms of access:

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], George Alfred Mitchell account book (Collection 710). Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections for the Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library
12-077 Center for Health Sciences, Box 951798
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1798, US
Contact:
(310) 825-6940