| Administrative History | The Society decided to rearrange the library and re-catalogue the books in 1911. Miss Mabel Allardyce was employed to carry out this task which was completed by November 1913. She began a second survey of the library in 1930 but died in 1933 before this was completed. Her findings were published in 'The Library of the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Aberdeen' (1934) [See 'Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society: A Bicentennial History 1789-1989', edited by G. P. Milne (Aberdeen, 1989), pp.68-69].
Joint Hospitals Scheme:
Although the number of beds in the Infirmary and other Aberdeen hospitals increased after the First World War, the inadequacy of accommodation in the voluntary hospitals in Aberdeen had for some time caused concern and led to the Joint Hospitals Scheme being finally adopted in 1920. This scheme was intended to solve the problems of space and efficiency by centralising all the major voluntary hospital services on one spacious site to provide better treatment, better health conditions (fresh air, etc.), better teaching facilities and economy of administration with shared services such as heating, laundry and equipment. After considerable research by Professor Matthew Hay, one of the scheme's keenest supporters, the Foresterhill site was set aside for the scheme in 1923, with the first participating hospital, the Children's Hospital, opening there in 1929. Following the successful institution of a building fund, the foundation stone of the new Infirmary was laid on 28 August 1928 and the Hospital was opened in 1936 at a cost of c £525,000. It consisted of three blocks and a nurses' home and accommodated 500 patients. Many of the buildings on the site were designed by University architect Dr. William Kelly. University medical teaching facilities were moved to Foresterhill, and the first student hall of residence was built there in the 1930s for medical students. The scheme anticipated many of the precepts of the National Health Service when it was established in 1947, and the site, still under constant development and improvement, is the main medical facility in Aberdeen. [See minute for 20 February 1920 below.] |
| Description | Minute book of the Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society. Labelled on front cover 'Minute book No.3 1886'. The volumes contain many enclosures including correspondence, dinner menus and annual reports of the Society. Only very brief details of the medical cases discussed at meetings are provided. A summary of the contents is as follows:
18 November 1886: Annual meeting. Dr. James Rodger elected President. A vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring President Dr. Struthers. [Printed report of Council, state of accounts and Librarian's report enclosed.]
24 November 1887: Strachan Bequest Committee meeting. List of rules and regulations relating to the Strachan Medical Bursary drawn up for presentation to Council. [Also see minute of Council meeting held on the 1 March 1888 at which Professor Hay outlined the Medical Faculty's objections to some of the conditions of the bursary and printed copy of conditions enclosed with minute of 5 March 1888.]
5 July 1888: Society meeting. Professor Matthew Hay and Dr. C. Thistleton Urquhart elected members of the Society.
16 November 1889: Meeting of Committee appointed to make arrangements for the Centenary Dinner. Includes list of official guests. [A list of all those who attended is recorded in the minute of the centenary dinner of the 14 December 1889. Also enclosed are newspaper cuttings from the Aberdeen Journal and the Aberdeen Free Press, 16 December 1889, the Aberdeen Evening Express, 19 December 1889, and The Lancet, 21 December.]
25 November 1890: Council meeting. Meeting with members of University Medical Society to discuss the proposed re-admission of medical students as members. [This was agreed to following discussion of report of Council presented at Society meeting held on the 5 March 1891.]
3 March 1892: Society meeting. Motion by Dr. Angus Fraser that the Society should consider selling the hall and obtain another building for the use of the Society 'in a more convenient situation'. [At the Council meeting held on the 5 May 1892 a valuation of £2000 for the hall was received from the architect Mr. Wilson and it was proposed to proceed with the sale if this figure could be obtained. Also see minute of extraordinary meeting held on the 2 February 1893 at which the motion did not receive a sufficient number of votes to be carried. The matter was referred to again at a Council meeting held on the 17 February 1898.]
3 November 1892: Society meeting. Dr. Garden, the President, delivered an address on 'The Medical Charities of Aberdeen'. The content of this address was reported in the Aberdeen newspapers, the cuttings from which are enclosed.
5 December 1895: Society meeting. 'Dr. Rose read a paper on Cases of Diptheria treated by Antitoxin in the Royal Aberdeen Hospital for Sick Children. Dr. Rose reported favourably on the results obtained by the use of antitoxin'.
3 December 1896: Society meeting. Doctors Ashley Mackintosh, Albert Henderson, Arthur H. Lister and John Innes elected members of Society.
3 June 1897: Society meeting: New bye-laws were discussed and agreed to [copy enclosed].
2 December 1897: Society meeting. Dr. Gordon read a paper on a case of puerperal eclampsia which he had treated successfully by a hypodermic injection of the fluid extract of veratrum viride. 'After giving details of the case Dr. Gordon went on to discuss the various theories as to the aetiology of Puerperal Eclampsia and pointed out that the beneficial affects of Veratrum Viride were due chiefly to its action as a spinal depressant and in lowering arterial tension'.
3 February 1898: Society meeting. Paper read by Professor Stephenson on 'The use of forceps in midwifery practice' (1 page).
1905
Joint meeting of the members of the Widow's Fund and Sub-Committee of the Council held on the 30 June.
Council meeting: 2 November. Report of joint meeting held on the 30 June regarding the management of the Widow's Fund by Dr. Lister. He noted the agreement reached whereby the fund would be managed by the Council and the present members of the fund.
Society meeting: 2 November. Dr. Laura S. Sandeman and Dr. Ann Mercer Watson admitted as members [the first female members of the Society].
[Sir Alexander Ogston was also appointed President in this year.]
1906
Society meeting: 1 February. Dr. Rorie delivered a paper on 'Some Survivals of Folk Medicine in Scotland' (no details provided).
Society meeting: 1 March. Dr. Lister began a discussion on the 'Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis among the poor', revealing the details of his proposed scheme. Professor Ogston moved that Dr. Lister's scheme should be submitted to a Committee in order to consider and report upon it to a special meeting of the Society (held on the 15 and 21 March 1906). [Enclosed is the printed draft of the Committee's suggestions for a scheme for dealing with cases of pulmonary tuberculosis among the poor of Aberdeen, for the Society's report to Conference.]
The Society's role in University of Aberdeen's Quarter-Centenary celebrations.
10 April: Meeting of sub-committee (consisting of Professor Ogston, Doctors Lister, Mackintosh and Marnoch) appointed to decide on entertainments during Quarter-Centenary celebrations (includes list of proposals). Also see Council-Committee meeting of 10 and 31 May 1906 and subsequent meetings held in June, July and September. At the meeting held on the 13 September, Professor Ogston exhibited the address which was to be presented by the Society to the University and 'Dr. Lister announced that as many windows as possible were being procured on the route of the King's procession…for use of the members friends and guests'. Information relating to two dinners to be hosted by the Society and an excursion to Stonehaven and Dunottar Castle is also provided. A copy of the official programme of the Quarter-Centenary celebration and a record of the part taken by the Society in the celebrations follows this minute with menus from the two dinners, cards, tickets and a note from a Dr. Urquhart enclosed.
1907
Society meeting: 7 February. A letter was read from Principal Lang on behalf of the University of Aberdeen, thanking the Society for its part in the celebrations.
Council meeting: 6 March. Professor Ogston presented report of Sub-Committee appointed to consider the constitution and rules of the Society 'and all questions bearing on its well being' (hand-written copy included in minute).
Society meeting: 7 March. Discussion of diseases of the pancreas.
Special meeting: 21 March. Printed report of Council relating to revision of bye-laws enclosed. Also see published regulations of Society enclosed within minute of Bye-Laws Committee meeting held on 5 November 1907.
30 October 1919: Council Meeting. Discussion of memorial for members who had died during the war.
20 February 1920: Special Meeting. 'A discussion upon 'The Question of Hospital Accommodation for Aberdeen and District' was opened by Dr. Matthew Hay. Dr. Hay referred to the urgent need of extension of hospital accommodation for Aberdeen and District, to the larger and more suitable accommodation required for institutional treatment due to modern advances in methods of diagnosis and treatment and to the rapidly growing interest and activities of the state and the public in the prevention and cure of disease...Dr. Hay suggested as a possible site the ground on Burnside, Rosehill and Foresterhill to the west of Westburn Park, an area of 112 acres'.
25 February and 10 March 1920: Special Meetings to discuss question of hospital accommodation for Aberdeen and District.
6 May 1920: Council Meeting. Dr. A. W. Mackintosh, President, proposes instigating golf competition with award of silver cup.
18 November 1920: Council Meeting. The President, Dr. Mackintosh, suggested that an official gown could be provided for the President of the Society. [Also see minute of 2 December 1920 and 24 November 1927 (AMCS/1/1/1/21).] |