Southern California Society for the History of Medicine Records mssSCSHM
Lisa Mix
The Huntington Library
October 2021
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Note
Finding aid last updated on November 29, 2022 by Kelly Kress.
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Southern California Society for the History of Medicine records
Identifier/Call Number: mssSCSHM
Physical Description:
1.25 Linear Feet
(3 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1977-2020
Abstract: This collection contains the records of the Southern California Society for the History of Medicine and its two predecessor
organizations, the Friends of the LACMA Library (founded in 1978) and the George Dock Society for the History of Medicine
(1997-2019). Also included are some files from the Los Angeles Medical Library, an unaffiliated organization that shared several
of the same officers.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more
information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Southern California Society for the History of Medicine records, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Southern California Society for the History of Medicine, June 2021.
Biographical / Historical
The Society was founded in 1978 as the Friends of the LACMA Library. Its primary purpose was "to promote, support and assist
in the development of the library of the Los Angeles County Medical Association". The Friends held various fundraising campaigns
and events – including a collaboration with the Barlow Society for the History of Medicine to present two annual lectures:
the George Dock Lecture held in the spring, and the Walter Jarvis Barlow lecture held in the autumn.
In October 1988, the Los Angeles County Medical Association made the decision to close its library facility and disperse the
collections, prompting the Friends to explore options to save the library collections. Some of the members and officers joined
with other Los Angeles physicians to form a non-profit corporation, The Los Angeles Medical Library, "for the purpose of finding
a way to save the fine medical library of The Los Angeles County Medical Association (LACMA)". After considering proposals
from different organizations, the LACMA reached an agreement with the Huntington Library to house the LACMA Library's rare
books and history of medicine collections. Those materials were transferred to the Huntington in November 1992. After this
move, the focus of the Friends shifted to supporting the LACMA collections at the Huntington, as well as promoting interest
in the history of medicine. In 1997, the Friends of the LACMA Library amended the Bylaws to reflect this change in focus and
changed its name to The George Dock Society for the History of Medicine. In 2019, the Society changed its name to the Southern
California Society for the History of Medicine and updated the Bylaws to reflect current operational practices.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the records of the Southern California Society for the History of Medicine and its two predecessor
organizations, the Friends of the LACMA Library and the George Dock Society for the History of Medicine. Also included are
some files from the Los Angeles Medical Library, an unaffiliated organization that shared several of the same officers.
Processing Information
Processed by Lisa Mix for the Southern California Society for the History of Medicine in 2021. Upon transfer to the Huntington,
Maggie Hughes and Kelly Kress updated the finding aid in September 2021.
In November 2022, 0.42 linear feet (1 box) of financial material was deaccessioned and returned to SCSHM at the request of
the donor. The remaining boxes in the collection were renumbered after its removal.
Arrangement
Organized in the following series:
1. Administrative (contains 4 sub-series: 1. The Friends of the LACMA Library, 2. Transition to The George Dock Society for
the History of Medicine, 3. The George Dock Society for the History of Medicine, 4. The Southern California Society for the
History of Medicine)
2. Events
3. The Los Angeles Medical Library
Arrangement within series is mostly chronological, following the original order of the materials when known.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Medicine -- California -- Societies, etc.
Medicine -- History
Barlow Society for the History of Medicine
Friends of the LACMA Library
George Dock Society for the History of Medicine
Los Angeles County Medical Association
Los Angeles County Medical Association. Library
Los Angeles Medical Library
Brust, James S.
Bullock, Lewis T., 1906-1983
Crahan, Elizabeth S.
Harnagel, Edward E., 1917-2002
Hart, Rinard Z.
Kanter, Stephen
Lo, Melissa
Mauer, Edgar F. (Edgar Frank), 1908-
Murphy, Franklin D., 1916-1994
Nation, Earl F., 1910-2008
Pulec, Jack L. (Jack Lee), 1932-
Wheat, Frank, 1921-
Box 1, Folder 1-42
Administrative Series 1
1977-2020
Physical Description: 0.42 Linear Feet(1 box)
Scope and Contents
This series contains foundational documents such as articles of incorporation and bylaws, as well as legal and tax documents,
correspondence with members, and member lists. Notable in this series are the files concerning the disposition of the LACMA
Library collections and the placement of the rare and historical collections at the Huntington.
Box 1, Folder 1-19
The Friends of the LACMA Library Sub-series 1
1977-1998
Box 1, Folder 1
Articles of Incorporation - drafts and final
1978-1979
Box 1, Folder 3
Drafts of Bylaws; correspondence
1978
Box 1, Folder 4
1982 Bylaw amendments - drafts and correspondence
1982 January
Box 1, Folder 5
Amended Bylaws
1982 March 31
Box 1, Folder 6
IRS Employer ID number
1978-1980
Box 1, Folder 7
Filing for non-profit status - California, and related correspondence
1979-1980
Box 1, Folder 8
Filing for non-profit status - IRS, and related correspondence
1980-1983
Box 1, Folder 9
IRS Penalty File
1983 March-August
Box 1, Folder 10
Life Members - lists
1984
1997
Box 1, Folder 11
Correspondence with Life Members
1978-1986
Box 1, Folder 13
Correspondence with members
1984-1998
Box 1, Folder 14
Dues letters - examples from other organizations
1982-1997
Box 1, Folder 15
Elizabeth Crahan correspondence with other organizations
1977-1997
Box 1, Folder 16
Disposition of the LACMA Library
1988-1989
Box 1, Folder 17
Huntington Proposal and related documents and correspondence
1990 October-1991 April
Box 1, Folder 18
Agreement between the Huntington Library and the Los Angeles County Medical Association
1992 July-August
Scope and Contents
Draft agreement - 1992 July 30; Final agreement - signed 1992 August.
Box 1, Folder 19
Financial Report
1996 February 6
Box 1, Folder 20-23
Transition to The George Dock Society for the History of Medicine Sub-series 2
1997 August-November
Box 1, Folder 20
Elizabeth Crahan to Frank Wheat - letter regarding amending Articles and changing name, with documents
1997 August 6
Box 1, Folder 21
Frank Wheat and Elizabeth Crahan correspondence on amending Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and changing name
1997 October-November
Box 1, Folder 22
Rinard Z. Hart to Friends Board and membership regarding proposed amendments and name change
1997 October
Box 1, Folder 23
Ballots to approve amendments to Articles of Incorporation and name change to George Dock Society
1997 November 13
Box 1, Folder 24-38
The George Dock Society for the History of Medicine Sub-series 3
1997-2019
Box 1, Folder 24
Amended Articles of Incorporation
1997 November 13
Box 1, Folder 25
Amended Bylaws
1997 November
Box 1, Folder 26
Letter to membership announcing name change
1998 February 14
Box 1, Folder 27
Dock Society stationery
1998
Box 1, Folder 28
California Secretary of State - name change filing
1998 January-April
Box 1, Folder 29
California Statement of Information by Domestic Nonprofit Corporation
1997-2019
Box 1, Folder 30
California Attorney General Registration Renewal forms
1999-2016
Box 1, Folder 31
IRS - name change filing
1998 September-October
Box 1, Folder 32
IRS correspondence and 2008 return
2008-2010
Box 1, Folder 33
Membership list and dues forms
2016-2017
Box 1, Folder 34
Alan Jutzi - documents on Society operations
2014-2019
Box 1, Folder 35
James Brust, Melissa Lo, Stephen Kanter correspondence regarding Dock Society finances and tax status
2016-2017
Box 1, Folder 36
Alan Jutzi - Dock Society history
2018
Box 1, Folder 37
Correspondence
2010, 2019
Box 1, Folder 38
Board Meeting minutes
2016-2019
Box 1, Folder 39-42
The Southern California Society for the History of Medicine Sub-series 4
2019-2020
Box 1, Folder 39
Name change discussion and decision
2019 April-October
Box 1, Folder 40
Board correspondence - legal steps to change the Society's name, and to change the officers on various accounts
2019 May-June
Box 1, Folder 41
Drafts of Bylaws
2019 October
Box 2, Folder 1-16
Events Series 2
1983-2018
bulk 1990-1997
Physical Description: 0.21 Linear Feet(0.5 box)
Scope and Contents
This series contains files related to organizing the annual Dock and Barlow lectures, as well as other events. Materials include
correspondence with speakers, biographical information and curricula vitae of speakers, printed ephemera, logistical documents
such as catering orders and lists of attendees, and a few photographs. The file creators' original order and file titles are
maintained. Some of the materials in this series were on unstable, faded facsimile paper. Those materials were scanned and
printed on acid-free paper and the originals shredded.
Box 2, Folder 1
Barlow and Dock Lectures - Chronologies
1983, 1985, 1997, 2003
Box 2, Folder 2
Dinner honoring Elizabeth Crahan - March 9, 1990
Box 2, Folder 3
Dock Lecture June 7, 1990 - Earl F. Nation
Box 2, Folder 4
Barlow Lecture October 25, 1990 - Emil Seletz
Box 2, Folder 5-6
Dock Lecture April 4, 1991 - Sherman Mellinkoff
Box 2, Folder 7
Dinner honoring Dr. Willard J. Zinn, October 9, 1991
Box 2, Folder 8
Barlow Lecture November 14, 1991 - Edwin Todd
Box 2, Folder 9
Dock Lecture April 18, 1992 - Jack Smith
Box 2, Folder 10
Barlow Lecture November 10, 1992 - Franklin Murphy
Box 2, Folder 11
Dock Lecture April 19, 1993 - Mildred Mathias
Box 2, Folder 12-13
Barlow Lecture November 9, 1993 - George R. Hedges
Box 2, Folder 14
Dock Lecture April 19, 1994 - Harvey Crystal
Box 2, Folder 15
Barlow Lecture October 27, 1994 - John C. Carson
Box 2, Folder 16
Dock Lecture April 27, 1995 - Hans E. Einstein
Box 3, Folder 1
Barlow Lecture October 31, 1995 - Richard J. Bing
Box 3, Folder 2-3
Dock Lecture April 2, 1996 - Bettyann Kevles
Box 3, Folder 4
Barlow Lecture November 14, 1996 - K. Garth Huston, Jr.
Box 3, Folder 5
Dock Lecture May 14, 1997 - Alison Winter
Box 3, Folder 6
Barlow Lecture November 13, 1997 - Robert E. Tranquada
Box 3, Folder 7
Elizabeth Crahan and Earl Nation correspondence, with publications by Nation
1995-1997
Box 3, Folder 8
Dock Society Lectures
2017-2018
Box 3, Folder 9-16
The Los Angeles Medical Library Series 3
1989-1993
Physical Description: 0.21 Linear Feet(0.5 box)
Scope and Contents
This series contains files from the Los Angeles Medical Library, a non-profit corporation formed in the wake of the Los Angeles
County Medical Association's decision to close its Library, with the sole purpose of saving the library's collection. Though
it shared some of the same officers as the Friends of the LACMA Library, the two organizations were not legally affiliated.
Materials include foundational documents such as bylaws and articles of incorporation, documents related to tax status, and
correspondence.
Box 3, Folder 9
Articles of Incorporation
1989 June 12
Box 3, Folder 11
Unanimous Written Consent of the Board of Directors in Lieu of First Meeting
1989 September 14
Box 3, Folder 12
Filing for non-profit status - California, and related correspondence
1990
Box 3, Folder 13
California Franchise Tax Board correspondence
1989-1992
Box 3, Folder 14
Filing for non-profit status - IRS, and related correspondence
1989-1990
Box 3, Folder 15
William J. Bird - billing for legal services
1990-1992
Box 3, Folder 16
Jack L. Pulec to Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. - letter regarding funding
1993 February 16
