MSS 2/0338-01 Acc. 2001-005
SHAKESPEARE, EDWARD ORAM
(1846-1900)
Papers,
1727 (1876-1900) 1916
BIOGRAPHICAL
Edward Oram Shakespeare, physician, public health official, and
bacteriologist, was born in Dover,
Delaware, in 1846,the son of William McIntire Shakespeare and Catherine Haman Shakespeare. He
died
in 1900. In his genealogical research (of which he was fond), Edward Oram traced his ancestry to
the
playwright William Shakespeare's brother. A graduate of Dickinson College and
the Medical
Department of the University of Pennsylvania, Edward Oram Shakespeare distinguished himself early
in his career as an ophthalmologist,
lecturing at the University of Pennsylvania, and practicing eye
surgery and refraction at Philadelphia General Hospital. He
devised his own ophthalmoscope and
ophthalmometer, publishing the results of his
findings in The American Journal of Medical Sciences.
Ophthalmology, however, represents a small fraction of his varied interests.
His skillful work in the
laboratory at Philadelphia General Hospital helped to
establish a role for investigative medicine in
American hospitals and medical schools, and he soon became a scientific consultant to governmental
bodies. In
1885, he was commissioned by the mayor of Philadelphia to study the cause of
typhoid
fever in Plymouth, Pa. The results of this work, summarized in "The
Lesson Taught by the Epidemic at
Plymouth Concerning Typhoid Fever,"
emphasize the importance of a pure water supply and proper
sanitation.
Later that year, Shakespeare was appointed by Grover Cleveland to travel to
Spain and elsewhere to
study a cholera epidemic. His five years of travel and
study resulted in his work, Report on Cholera
in Europe and India. This
thousand-page report was regarded as an encyclopedic history of the
disease and
was presented to Congress in 1890. The American Medical Association hailed it as a
"great work" and
Shakespeare was regarded as the leading expert on cholera. He served as port
physician in Philadelphia during the cholera scare of 1892 because of this
background.
Together with Walter Reed and Victor Vaughan, Shakespeare as Major and
Brigade Surgeon of the
U.S. Volunteer Army investigated the health conditions in army camps during the Spanish
American
War. Their conclusions discounted the results of clinical
examinations when they were contradicted by
bacteriological findings. Measures
for proper hygiene and cleanliness were to be implemented in the
camps if typhoid
was to be eliminated. Before his completed work was published, Shakespeare died
suddenly.
Shakespeare was an early proponent of germ theory, becoming a pioneer in
bacteriology in
Philadelphia. He was a supporter of Robert Koch, discoverer of
both the tuberculosis and cholera
bacilli, and like Koch contributed to the emerging field of public health and preventive medicine.
Shakespeare was elected a Fellow of the College of Physicians in 1877.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The papers of Edward Oram Shakespeare reflect the versatility of his
interests. The bulk of the
medically-related papers concern his work on the
Cholera Commission, as an attendee at the
International Sanitary Conference and
during his service in the Spanish American War. Other
medical material includes
publications and correspondence. Most of non-medical material consists
of family papers, which contain a great deal of genealogical material.
Original order was almost completely lacking when the collection was
accessioned, except some
material was sorted into envelopes or secured together
with rubber bands. Series were determined
by considering the various aspects of
Shakespeare's life and career, and fall into three large
groupings: medical,
military, and family. Subseries are arranged alphabetically by type of material,
title, or author, depending upon the subseries. Researchers should check each
series for the
subjects of their interest.
Series I consists of professional correspondence. Of particular significance
is his correspondence
with Thomas J. Burrill and Frank S. Billings about the nature of
the hog cholera and swine plague
bacilli, and Shakespeare's correspondence with publisher J. C. Slay about Dietetics and Hygiene
Gazette (Shakespeare was
an editor). It was Shakespeare's idea to send advanced copies of his
editorials to newspapers to encourage interest in
the publication. Other correspondents include
Philadelphia Mayor William Smith (requesting E. O. Shakespeare's help in
dealing with the epidemic
in the Plymouth, Pa. [1885]), Louis Pasteur, Benjamin Meade Bolton, Auguste Chaveaux,
Robert
Koch, James Paget, John Guiteras, Friedrich Loeffler, and Joseph Toner.
Series II represents the work of the Cholera Commission, established by
Executive Order by
President Cleveland on 10 Oct. 1885, with Shakespeare as
chair. Appointment documents and
letters of introduction (signed by among others
Secretaries of State Thomas Bayard and James
Blaine) are included in this
series, as is correspondence from the various U. S. consulates, mainly
from Spain, which was the initial focus of
Shakespeare's investigations. There are also financial
records, a diary kept by
Shakespeare during his first trip to Spain, and articles and reviews about
Shakespeare and his work.
Series III focuses on Shakespeare's service as an official United States
delegate to the International
Sanitary Conference of 1894. Included in this section is a preliminary report to the President
regarding
the American concern for the transportation of cholera to America
through European emigration as
well as the list of delegates and various notes
and invitations received while attending the conference.
Correspondents include
Grover Cleveland, Robert Koch, and S. Weir Mitchell.
Series IV covers Shakespeare's service on the National Rifle Team, which went
to Camp Wimbledon
in England in 1883. Invitations to dinners and parties,
including two by the Prince of Wales, are found
in this series.
Series V contains material about Shakespeare's service during the Spanish
American War. He was
appointed in June of 1898 to be chairman of the Committee
on Sanitation of the National Relief
Commission and asked in September of the same year to be Brigade Surgeon in the U.S. Volunteer
Army by George Sternberg,
the Surgeon General. Included in this series are reports regarding
Shakespeare's
crusade for proper sanitary conditions in the army. There are also army orders
and
clippings about camp sanitation.
Series VI holds miscellaneous papers concerning Shakespeare's military
service, such as notices of
promotion.
Series VII contains publications by E. O. Shakespeare. Topics are varied and
consist of such topics
as the anatomy of the eye and the post-mortem exam of presidential assassin Charles Guiteau.
Included
in this section is an address from a special committee of the College of Physicians concerning
the necessity for
national control of maritime quarantine, and an interview with a newspaper.
Series VIII holds miscellaneous professional papers. Of interest are an
advertisement for an
ophthalmometer (perhaps the one designed by Shakespeare)
and a petition signed by prominent
Philadelphia physicians agreeing to give a
dinner for Shakespeare.
Series IX consists of certificates and notices of awards. Shakespeare's
certificate of Fellowship in the
College of Physicians is in the series.
Series X contains various personal photographs as well as photomicrographs
used in his work. Of
interest is the photograph of E. O. Shakespeare in Shakespearean dress and a photograph of him
in a uniform. There are also two glass negatives of his father as well as a photograph of his entire
family taken
in California.
Series XI is family papers. The largest subseries has the records of
Shakespeare's genealogical
research; Shakespeare was fascinated with his pedigree and tracing his ancestry to the Bard's brother.
The material includes pages of charts on the family history. Of note is the professionally executed
pedigree of William
McIntire Shakespeare, Sr. of Dover, Delaware from 1673 and the pedigree
provided by Francis C. Hersey in 1895. E.O.
Shakespeare compiled this genealogy by corresponding
with relatives and searching various parishes in
England. The correspondence section is highlighted by
John Herr Musser's report
on Shakespeare's health and that of his children. The financial records are
replete with family deeds from the 1800's as well as with records from the
disposition of the estate of
Stephen Shakespeare.
PROVENANCE
The papers of Edward Oram Shakespeare were donated to the College in January
of 2001 by his
grandson, Edward Oram Shakespeare. They had been in the family's possession since his
grandfather's death and arrived at the College in a suitcase. Charles Greifenstein, Curator of Archives
& Manuscripts,
examined the collection and initially organized it, foldering and boxing
material in
acid-free housing. The collection was fully processed in 2002 by
Catherine Clawson, an intern from
Temple University.
1727 (1876-1900) 1916
7 boxes (2.8 linear feet)
7/31/02
cc
MSS 2/0338-01 Acc. 2001-005
SHAKESPEARE, EDWARD ORAM
(1846-1900)
Papers,
1727 (1876-1900) 1916
Box Ser.
1.
Beitler, A.M.
(1 item)
1894 Dec. 1
Asking EOS to examine
applicants for position of
bacteriologist on Bureau of Health in Philadelphia
2. Bickerton, Thomas H. (1 item) 1897 Aug. 22
3. Billings, Frank S. (7 items)
1888 Jan. 22-1889 Mar. 12
From
Patho-Biological Laboratory, State University of Nebraska
4. Bolton, Benjamin Meade (2 items) 1888 Jan. 18-1889 Jan. 25
5. Brewster, Benjamin H.
(2 items) 1883 June 15
Letters of introduction
6. British Medical Association (2 items) 1892 July 26
7. British Museum.
(3 items) 1883 July 25
Note requesting EOS fill out application for a reader with reading
room regulations
8. Burrill, Thomas J.
(2 items) 1889 Feb. 11-1889 July 26
Isolation of swine plague bacillus
9. Chaveaux, Jean Baptiste Auguste (3 items) 1883 Aug.23-1896 Nov.
10. College of Physicians of Philadelphia (1 item)
1886
Acknowledgment of donation to the library
11. Davis,
N.S.
(1 item) 1885 Sept. 17
EOS appointed president of Section of General
Pathology of the International Medical Congress
12. Dickinson
College
(4
folders)
1888-1892
12.1
Himes, Charles
(1 item)
1888 June 30
Board of Trustees informing EOS of honorary degree
12.2
Philadelphia District Association of Dickinson
College
(3
folders)
1892
12.2.1 Constitution of the Philadelphia
District
Association
(2 items) 1892 Feb. 20
12.2.2 EOS's election to Board of Trustees
(1 item)
1892 Mar.10
Box Ser.
12.2.3 Rhoades, George E. (1 item) 1892 Mar. 12
1 I
Philadelphia District has elected EOS to Board
13. Gaffley, Prof.
(1 item) 1884 Nov. 14
Regarding Formad's article on tuberculosis
14. Gibbs, George
(7 items) 1891 June 10-1891 Oct. 27
Regarding EOS's
purchase of a rifle from him. Includes original receipt
15. Guiteras, John
(3 items)
1893 Feb.10-1893 Mar 13
Regarding a teaching position at University of Pennsylvania
16. Henry, Frederick P.
(1 item) 1890 Oct. 18
Letter of introduction to Dr. Fedeli in Rome
17. Koch, Robert
(1 item) 1884 Nov. 21
Regarding Formad's article on tuberculosis
18.
Leffmann, H.
(1 item)
1892 Sept. 4
Congratulating EOS appointment as port physician of Philadelphia
19. Lewis, Richard
(1 item) 1885 Oct. 31
Asking about his return from Europe
20. Loeffler, Friedrich (1 item) 1883
21. McComas, Louis E.
(2 items)
1897 Mar. 27-1898 Feb.
Abortive
efforts for EOS to be on a Commission
22. Paget, James
(2 items)
1883 July 10-1883 July 27
Regarding the British Museum
23. Pasteur, Louis
(1 item)
1883 Aug. 13
Regrets about having missed meeting EOS
24. Salmon, Thomas W.
(4 items) 1888 Nov. 13-1889 Mar.30
Regarding government compensation for work
on swine plague
25. Slay, J.C.
(14 items) 1893 Mar. 25-1896 May 23
Correspondence as editor of The Dietetics and
Hygiene Gazette
with publisher Slay
26. Smith, William B.
(2 items)
1885 Aug. 11
Asking EOS to help with epidemic in Plymouth,
Pennsylvania
27. Tibbott, E. F.
(1 item)
1892 Sept 5
Acknowledging cholera proclamation of EOS
28. Toner, Joseph M.
(3 items)
1878
Relating to publication of Toner lecture by EOS
Box Ser.
1
I 29. Vossioux, L.
(2 items)
1894 Mar 9-1896 June 11
II PAPERS RELATING TO WORK AS COMMISSIONER ON
CHOLERA, 1885-1895
(33 folders)
1. Adee, Alvey
(1 item)
1888 Feb. 9
Asking about report on Asiatic
cholera
2.
Adjutant General, U. S. Amy (4 items)
1885 Oct. 6-1885 Oct. 15
Requests for introductory letters
3.
Appointment documents
(4 items)
1885 Oct. 1
Cover letter signed by Secretary of State, copy of executive order,
special passport, letter of introduction
4. Bayard, Thomas
(3 items)
1887 Jan. 27-1887 June 13
Additional expenses to be
allowed when cholera report is received
5.
Blaine, James (1 item)
1890 Nov. 17
Letter of introduction
6.
Book reviews (9 items)
1891 Oct.-1891 Dec.
On his "Report on Cholera
in Europe and India." Includes
letter of congratulations by Simes
7. Certificate (1 item)
1885 Oct. 1
Certifying EOS as US representative to investigate cholera. Signed
by Secretary of State, Thomas Bayard
8.
Childs, George W. (1 item)
1885 Sept. 9
Acknowledging EOS's
interest in his own work on cholera.
References S. Weir Mitchell
9. Cholera invitation in Spanish (1 item) 1886 Feb. 25
10.
Clippings (8 items)
1886 Feb. 3-1887 Mar. 3
On cholera and EOS
11. Congressional Resolution (2 items)
1887 Mar. 3
Two printed copies of the resolution to print EOS's
"Report on
Cholera in Europe and India."
12. Cure for cholera (6 items)
1887 Dec-1889 Feb. 4
Reported cure by a French physician named Perroux in Calcutta.
Contains reports with accompanying State Department letters,
one, signed by Thomas Bayard.
13. Diary (1 item)
1885 Oct. 1-1886 Jan.
Contains notes as U. S.
Commissioner to investigate cholera
14.
Drafts of letters (2 items)
1886 Jan 11-1886 Nov. 29
Written while abroad, one to Sec. of State Thomas Bayard
Box Ser.
2
II
15. Financial records, 1885-1895
(3 folders)
15.1 Letters from
U.S. Treasury (4 items)
1890 Jan. 6-1895 Jan 23
About accounts outstanding
15.2
Correspondence including a letter signed
by Thomas Bayard
(11 items) 1886 Jan. 14-1886 May 28
15.3
Other financial notes
(23 items) 1885 Sept. 30-1886 May 17
16. Hamilton, John
B. (1 item)
1885 Oct. 3
Spoke to President about EOS' interest in studying cholera
17.
Letters to the President of the United States
(8 items)
1885 July
24-1885 Sept.25
Mostly copies, proposing that EOS be appointed commissioner
on cholera. Includes letters from David Hayes Agnew, Jacob
M. DaCosta, Joseph Leidy, R. J. Levis, A. K. McClure,
Charles Emory Smith, John Welsh (original and copy)
18. McLaughlin, Thomas N.
(1 item)
1885 Oct. 2
Congratulating him on appointment to study cholera in Spain
19. Petri, R. J.
(1 item)
1891 Oct. 1
Thoughts on his "Report on Cholera in Europe and India."
20. Questionnaire
(1 item)
[n.d]
In Spanish, designed for Spanish physicians on cholera
epidemic
21. Reyburn, Robert
(1 item)
1891 June 11
Congratulating him on his report on cholera.
22. Ryan, Patrick J.
(1 item)
1885 Oct. 7
Letter of introduction to Dr. O'Connell in Rome
23. United States Consul, Alicante (1 item)
1885 Dec. 22
Sending information on cholera epidemic of 1884
24. United States Consulate, Barcelona (5 items)
1886 Jan. 8-1886 Mar. 11
Sending of charts and statistical information to EOS
25. United States Consulate, Carthagena
(1 item)
1886 Feb. 2
Sending EOS documents
26. United States Consulate, Malaga
(2 items)
[n.d]; 1886 Mar. 15
To send EOS requested information
27. United States Consulate, Palermo
(1 item)
1886 Jan. 8
To send EOS requested information
28. United States Consulate, Valencia
(2 items) 1886 Feb.
2-1886 Mar.14
Sending information on cholera
29. United States Legation, Madrid
(9 items) 885 Dec. 22-1887
Mar. 20
Letters forwarding reports on Madrid and joint
publication of report
with Dr. Hauser at a cost agreed upon by both
men
Box Ser.
2
II 30. United States Legation, Rome
(2 items) 1885 Jan. 5-1886 Jan. 14
Forwarding information to EOS
31. United States Legation, Teheran (2 items) 1889 Sept. 17-1889
Nov.13
Report of cholera in Persia sent to EOS through
Assistant
Secretary Alvey Adee
III PAPERS RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL SANITARY
CONFERENCE, 1890's (Bulk 1894)
(24 folders)
1. Calling cards
(2 items)
[1894]
EOS as member of US delegation
2. Certificate
(1 item)
1894
Appointing EOS a delegate to the conference.
Signed by
Pres. Grover Cleveland and Sec. of State Walter Gresham
3. Correspondence,
1894-1897
(13 folders)
3.1 Barrere
(1 item)
[1894]
Note about Ottoman delegation
3.2 Cleveland, Grover
(3 items) 1894 Nov. 17-1895 May 27
Asking EOS to dine and thanking him for
his efforts
3.3 Irwin, Fairfax
(8 items) 1894 Mar. 6-1894 Mar. 9
Reports from US consulates and European steamship
lines about disinfection and sanitary procedures,
written to Irwin and forwarded to EOS
3.4 Koch, Robert
(1 item)
1894 Feb 2
Koch will not be coming to the conference
but
Dr. Mordtmann is a good representative
3.5 Ministry of the Interior
(5 items) 1896 May 16-1897 Feb. 4
Comments on Conference results
3.6 Mitchell, S. Weir
(1 item)
1894(?)Aug. 14
Regarding government reimbursement of expenses
3.7 Morton, L. P.
(1 item)
1894 Mar. 17
Water filtration
3.8 Requests for meetings
(3 items)
1894 Feb. 4-1894 April 8
Diplomats requesting to meet with EOS
3.9 Ruysch, D. (1 item) 1894(?)
3.10 Shakespeare, E.O.
(1 item)
[after 1894]
Draft of letter
3.11 Smith, Adolph
(2 items)
1894 Mar. 2
Sending him press cutting from "Lancet"
3.12 Smith, Stephen
(11 items) 1894 Apr. 14-1894 Nov. 27
Concerning EOS's report to President Cleveland on
the conference
3.13 Thurber, Henry
(1 item)
1895 June 15
Acknowledging fact no further agreements have
occurred since the Sanitary Conference
4. Financial records
(2
folders)
1894
4.1 Accounting notes of EOS
(9 items)
[1894]
Includes payment for stenographer
Box Ser.
4.2 Telegrams
(7 items) 1894 Jan 16-1894 June 24
2
III
Five telegrams are from President Cleveland's private
Secretary, Henry Thurber
5. Invitations,
1894
(2 folders)
5.1 Various meal
invitations (16 items)
[1894]
Includes signed note from U.S. Ambassador to
France, James Biddle Eustis
5.2 Dinner and function invitations
(34 items)
[1894]
Many are from the French government.
3
6. Lists of delegates
(3 items)
[1894]
Two official listings and one note of the
sanitary ministers in Paris.
7. Maps and graphs
(4 items)
[1890's]
Found tied with letters to
Fairfax Irwin. Includes mortality
statistics from India (to 1892) and map of the spread of cholera
in Asia and Europe, 1823-65.
8. Report
(1 item)
[1894]
To the president on the immigration issue and its appropriateness
for discussion at the Sanitary Conference. (10 typed pages
with no appendices attached)
9. Special passport
(1 item)
1894 Jan. 16
Announcing EOS as traveling abroad
10. Miscellaneous (1 item) [n.d]
IV PAPERS RELATING TO SERVICE ON ARMY
RIFLE TEAM, 1883
(5 folders)
1. Certificate
(1 item)
1883 June 1
Recommending that EOS for the National
Rifle team and
be sent to Wimbledon. Signed by P. Guthrie of the
National Guard of Pennsylvania
2. Correspondence
(2 items) 1883 July 3-1883 July 23
Addressed to Colonel Howard as team captain from
Major Charles B. Waller asking team to dinner and
for a short range shoot
3. General order, U. S. Army
(1 item)
1883 May 22
Ordering rifle team to draw weapons and practice.
EOS is listed as Adjutant
4. Invitations
(7 items) 1883 July 2-1883 July 25
Received in England
5. Itinerary
(1 item)
[1883]
Handwritten
Box Ser.
3
V PAPERS RELATING TO SERVICE IN SPANISH
AMERICAN WAR, 1898-1900
(15 folders)
1. Commission
(2 items)
1898 Aug. 11
Appointing EOS Brigade Surgeon of Volunteers with
the
rank of Major. Signed by William McKinley
2. Correspondence
(5 folders)
1898-1899
2.1 French, M. S.
(4 items) 1898 June 16-1899 Jan 5
EOS served on the Committee on Sanitation
of
the National Relief Commission
2.2 Maus, L. M.
(3 items) 1898 Sept. 27-1898 Sept. 28
Includes letter from General Fitzhugh Lee
granting
EOS, Walter Reed, and Victor Vaughan the privilege
of wearing the badge of the Seventh Army Corps
2.3 Stanton, T[haddeus] H.
(2 items) 1898 Dec 15-1899 Aug. 12
Settlement of financial
discrepancy by army paymasters.
2.4 Surgeon General's Office, War Dept.
(9 items)
1899 Aug 8-1899 Jan 9
Regarding EOS's appointment as brigade surgeon,
including 3 telegrams from Surgeon General
George Sternberg
2.5 Wallace, H.
(1 item)
1899 Aug. 12
3. Newspaper clippings
(2 folders) 1898 Apr. 21-1900 Jan. 18
3.1 Clippings
(8 items)
1898 Apr. 21-1900 Jan. 18
Regarding camps
and sanitation of soldiers
3.2 Clipping and draft of letter
(2 items)
1899 Dec. 27
Article critiqued by EOS on George Sternberg's ideas
4. Report to Board of Officers (2 items)
1898 Nov. 8
Description of trough, urinal, latrine and excavating
apparatus.
2 corrected drafts
5. Reports to the Surgeon General
(3 folders)
1898 Dec. 6-1899 Jan.
23
5.1 Proposing aeration of water after
boiling
(1 item) 1898 Dec. 6
5.2 Regarding disposal of excreta to prevent typhoid
(3 item) 1898 Dec. 22
1 corrected draft; 2 other copies, one
signed by Shakespeare and Victor Vaughan
5.3 Reorganization of the Army sanitation
(1
item)
1899 Jan.
2 dated typescript reports regarding training of medical
corps, 2 additional typescript reports,1 handwritten note,
1 five page handwritten draft
6. Reports to National Relief Commission (2
folders) 1898 July 16-1899 Jan.23
6.1 Proposing the need for germ free water
(2 items) 1898 July 16
2 copies signed by Shakespeare
6.2 Regarding progress in aeration of water after
boiling (1 item) 1899 Jan 23
7. Special Orders of the Army (21 items)
1898 Aug 1898-1899 May 25
Orders to EOS. Includes one letter asking EOS to proceed
to Camp Meade, Penn., to investigate typhoid fever
Box Ser.
3
V 8. Miscellaneous
(5 items)
1898 Aug. 24; [n.d.]
List of residences of the
officers of the U. S. Army,
Constitution of the National Relief Commission, 1
paid bill, 2 notes
VI MILITARY SERVICE, MISCELLANEOUS
PAPERS, 1880-1887
(6 folders)
1. Certificates
(3 folders)
1880 Sept. 28-1885 Feb. 24
1.1 Appointment to the rank of Major in the National
Guard of Pennsylvania
(1 item)
1880 Sept. 28
&n