Dorothy Marsh Collection of California Osteopathic Association Records, 1954-1965

Summary

Creators:

Marsh, Dorothy

Abstract:

Dorothy Marsh was president of the California Osteopathic Association (COA) during the time it merged with the California Medical Association in 1962. The doctors of osteopathy not accepting the merger formed an independent organization called the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC) in December 1960, just after the parent organization, the American Osteopathic Association, had voted to revoke the charter of the COA. The OPSC was then recognized by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in January 1961. The collection contains correspondence, clippings, subject files, other printed material, and publications of the California Osteopathic Association and includes material concerning the merger of the Association with the California Medical Association and materials of the American Osteopathic Association, and the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California.

Extent:

5 boxes (2.5 linear ft.)

Language:

English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection contains correspondence, clippings, subject files, other printed material, and publications of the California Osteopathic Association. Includes material concerning the merger of the Association with the California Medical Association in 1962. Also contains materials of the American Osteopathic Association, and the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California.

Expanded Scope and Content Note

Prior to 1962, the Osteopathic profession constituted 10 per cent of the physicians and surgeons in California and provided care for approximately 15 per cent of the state's population. This ended in late 1961 when the California Medical Association (CMA) and the California Osteopathic Association (COA) agreed to merge into a single professional body of physicians and surgeons. In effect, both the profession and doctors of osteopathy lost their identity as the only degree now awarded is doctor of medicine.

Those doctors of osteopathy (D.O.'s) not accepting the merger formed an independent organization called the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC) in December, 1960, just after the parent organization, the American Osteopathic Association, had voted to revoke the charter of the COA. The OPSC was then recognized by the AOA in January, 1961, and the OPSC remains today the official California division of the AOA.

This collection of materials provides the day to day details of the planned merger, the renegade OPSC and its formation, the AOA view of COA's activities, and the actual negotiations and agreements reached between CMA and COA. The greater part of the collection presents the inside view through official COA correspondence and various printed materials. Supplementing this type of information is a sizable group of newspaper clippings providing the view of the merger plans given to the public.

Consisting of about 3000 pieces, the collection was the gift of Dr. Dorothy Marsh, D.O., president of the COA during the final merger negotiations and when the contract was signed. For a detailed narrative of the events concerning osteopathy in California and the 1961 merger, see Doctors of Medicine and Doctors of Osteopathy in California... box 5, folder 4.

Biographical / historical:

Dorothy Marsh was president of the California Osteopathic Association (COA) during the time it merged with the California Medical Association in 1962; before 1961, when the organization agreed to the merger, the osteopathic profession constituted 10% of the physicians and surgeons in California, and provided care for approximately 15% of the state's population; the doctors of osteopathy not accepting the merger formed an independent organization called the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC) in December 1960, just after the parent organization, the American Osteopathic Association, had voted to revoke the charter of the COA; the OPSC was then recognized by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in January 1961.

Acquisition information:

Gift of Dr. Dorothy Marsh, 1969.

Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

• COA correspondence (Boxes 1-2).
• American Osteopathic Association, and Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (Box 3).
• Miscellaneous subject files (Box 4).
• Clippings, publications, miscellaneous (Box 5).

Physical location:

Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Related resources

Other descriptive data:

• Grace B. Bell. Dean of College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.
• Dr. Glen D. Cayler. Secretary of California Board of Osteopathic Examiners.
• Dr. David Dobreer. Head of OPSC.
• Dr. True B. Eveleth. Executive director of AOA.
• Dr. Paul Foster. CMA.
• Dr. Forest J. Grunigen. COA.
• Dr. Roy J. Harvey. President of AOA.
• Mr. Howard Hassard. Executive director of CMA and attorney representing CMA in the negotiations.
• Dr. W. Ballentine Henley. President of California College of Medicine.
• Mr. J. Frank Holt. Chairman Board of Trustees of College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.
• Seth M. Hufstedler. Lawyer for COA.
• Dr. Dorothy Marsh. President of COA.
• J. Stuart Page. Administrative Director of COA, 1960.
• Dr. Wayne Pollock. CMA, Committee on other professions.
• Mr. Don E. Rosenthal. Administrative Director of COA, 1961.
• Thomas Schumacher. COA.
• Walter S. Wiggins. Secretary of American Medical Association.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Osteopathic physicians--California--Archival resources.

Location of this collection:

UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library

A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US

Contact:

(310) 825-4988

AskLSC@library.ucla.edu

Website