MSS 3/0013-01 Acc. 1991-047-02 PHILADELPHIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY COMMITTEE ON MATERNAL WELFARE Maternal Mortality Study Records, 1944-1973 Agency History The Committee on Maternal Welfare was established in 1930 by George P. Muller, President of the Philadelphia County Medical Society. Muller created the committee after he became aware of the results of a survey conducted by Dr. Haven Emerson; the survey revealed that although Philadelphia had a falling birth rate, the maternal mortality rate had remained the same over a period of ten years. In order to study this problem, President Muller appointed a committee, chaired by Philip F. Williams, to conduct additional research on maternal death in Philadelphia. In 1934, after a three year survey of 717 maternal deaths, the Committee on Maternal Welfare produced a report of its findings. The impact of this report was so great that the committee became a permanent division of the Philadelphia County Medical Society and began holding monthly meetings. In 1933, Philip F. Williams, chairman of the committee, received the Philadelphia County Medical Society's Strittmatter Award in recognition of his leadership in this project. In subsequent years, the Committee on Maternal Welfare continued its surveys and began to implement programs designed to reduce the maternal death rate. Its work had a profound impact on the community; as a result of the committee's on going research and innovative programs, Philadelphia's maternal death rate dropped from 6.8 per thousand births in 1931 to .9 per thousand births in 1949. Biographical Mary Agnes Gowdey was born in 1907 and graduated from the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1935. She practiced as an obstetrician and gynecologist in Pennsylvania and later in New Jersey. Gowdey was an active member of the Committee on Maternal Welfare; as recording secretary, she was responsible for maintaining correspondence with hospital representatives and acquiring all reports relevant to the maternal mortality study. As of 1991, M. Agnes Gowdey is retired and living in Mount Holly, N. J. Scope and Contents This collection of Maternal Mortality Study Records of the Committee on Maternal Welfare of the Philadelphia County Medical Society consists of records of committee meetings, materials used in conducting maternal mortality surveys, maternal death reports, and correspondence. The records, 1944 to 1973, were maintained by M. Agnes Gowdey, recording secretary of the Committee on Maternal Welfare. The records of committee meetings, spanning 1944 to 1972, include agenda, minutes, reports, memoranda, and membership lists are contained in Series 1. This series also contains miscellaneous notes, most of which were recorded during committee meetings, and miscellaneous printed material, including maternal mortality reports from other institutions (1958-1964) and the American Medical Association's "Guide for Maternal Death Studies" (1957). Series 2, spanning 1951 to 1971, includes material used in conducting maternal mortality surveys. Present are procedure forms prepared by the committee to provide guidelines and rules for the proper execution of the maternal mortality study. Also included are samples of forms distributed to the hospitals participating in the survey, as well as explanations of the various codes and symbols used on these forms. This series also contains a record book (1961-1971) providing statistical figures derived from the committee's maternal mortality surveys. Included in Series 3 are monthly and annual reports, both of which provide statistics on maternal mortality in Philadelphia. Also present are individual case reports (1955-1972); these case reports, which make up the bulk of the collection, provide detailed information about each deceased mother, including her medical history, the nature of her pregnancy, and the cause of death. Also included are medical examiners' reports, mortality summaries, lab reports, and death certificates. The case reports are arranged by code number, a number assigned by the committee as each case report was received. Series 4 contains correspondence (1945-1973), most of which was received from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These communications provide information used in the committee's study, including Philadelphia Code Numbers and Bureau of Vital Statistics Codes for maternal deaths in Philadelphia. Provenance This collection of Maternal Mortality Study Records of the Committee on Maternal Welfare of the Philadelphia County Medical Society was donated to the Historical Collections of the Library of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia by the Obstetrical Society of Philadelphia on 16 April 1991. The collection was processed and catalogued in 1991. 1944-1973 8 boxes (3.5 linear ft.) 9/5/1991 wvg MSS 3/0013-01 Acc. 1991-047-02 PHILADELPHIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY COMMITTEE ON MATERNAL WELFARE Maternal Mortality Study Records, 1944-1973 Box Ser. 1 1 RECORDS OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS, 1944-1972. 1.1 Agenda 1944 Aug. 18-Dec. 15 (1 folder) 1944 1945 Jan. 19-Dec. 21 (1 folder) 1945 1946 Feb. 15-Dec. 20 (1 folder) 1946 1947 Jan. 17-Dec. 19 (1 folder) 1947 1948 Jan. 16-Dec. 17 (1 folder) 1948 1949 Jan. 21-Dec. (1 folder) 1949 1950 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1950 1951 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1951 1952 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1952 1953 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1953 1954 Jan. Dec. 10 (1 folder) 1954 1955 Jan. 21-Sep. 16 (1 folder) 1955 1956 Feb. 17-Dec. 21 (1 folder) 1956 1957 Feb. 15-Oct. 18 (1 folder) 1957 1958 Feb. 21-Dec. (1 folder) 1958 1959 Jan. Sep. (1 folder) 1959 Agenda Slips ca. 1956-1958 (1 folder) 1956-1958 1.2 Minutes and Reports 1. Stillbirth Committee Proceedings 1952 Feb. 15 (1 folder) 1952 2. Reports of the Combined Chairmen of the Maternal, Stillbirth, and Neonatal Committees 1952 Jun. 27 and Jul. 11 (1 folder) 1952 3. Notes on a meeting of the Maternal Welfare Committee 1953 Sep. 18 (1 folder) 1953 4. Notes on a meeting of the Neonatal Study Committee 1956 Jan. 30 (1 folder) 1956 Box Ser. 1 1 5. Stillbirth Study Committee Report [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 1.3 Memoranda 1953 Jan. 8-1971 Feb. 22 (1 folder) 1953-1971 1.4 Membership Lists 1. Maternal Welfare Committee 1952-1968 (1 folder) 1952-1968 2. Hospital Representatives for the Maternal Welfare Committee [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 1.5 Miscellaneous Notes 1944-1949 (1 folder) 1944-1949 1950-1954 (1 folder) 1950-1954 1955-1959 (1 folder) 1955-1959 1960-1964 (1 folder) 1960-1964 1965-1969 (1 folder) 1965-1969 1970-1972 (1 folder) 1970-1972 [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 2 1.6 Miscellaneous Printed Material 1. Philadelphia Pediatric Society's Panel Discussion on Adoption 1949 Feb. 8 (1 folder) 1949 2. By Laws of the Philadelphia County Medical Society 1955 (1 folder) 1955 3. The Philadelphia County Medical Society's Shils Report 1955 (1 folder) 1955 4. A Study of Maternal Mortality Committees: Philadelphia Maternal Welfare Committee Study [Includes two typescript versions of the article] 1956 May 5 (1 folder) 1956 5. American Medical Society's Guide for Maternal Death Studies 1957 (1 folder) 1957 Box Ser. 2 1 6. Miscellaneous Maternal Mortality Reports 1958 Nov. 1964 (1 folder) 1958-1964 7. Publications of the American Medical Association [pamphlet] [ca. 1958] (1 folder) [ca. 1958] 8. Planned Parenthood Newsletter 1961 Spring (1 folder) 1961 9. Transcripts of Television Editorials concerning Birth Control Issues 1968 Jan. 15-Jan. 24 (1 folder) 1968 10. Summary of a Study of Social and Psychological Factors Affecting Fertility [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 11. Intensive Care Nurseries for Optimal Care of the High Risk Infant: Their Availability in the City of Philadelphia [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 2 SURVEY MATERIALS, 1951-1971. 2.1 Procedure Forms 1. Committee on Maternal Welfare Procedures 1954 Dec. (1 folder) 1954 2. Guide for Maternal Death Studies 1956 Oct. (1 folder) 1956 3. Rules for Obstetrical Department [ca. 1957] (1 folder) [ca. 1957] 4. Maternal Death Outline 1959 Sep. (1 folder) 1959 5. Committee on Maternal Welfare Procedures [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 6. Maternity Department Rules [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] Box Ser. 2 2.1 7. Philadelphia Department of Public Health: Regulations for the Conduct of Maternity Hospitals, Maternity Divisions of General Hospitals, and Nurseries for the Newborn [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 2.2 Codes and Formats 1. Codes for the Philadelphia Neonatal Mortality Study 1952 Jun. 27 (1 folder) 1952 2. Maternal Welfare Code Sheet 1954 Dec. 9 (1 folder) 1954 3. Maternal Welfare Code Sheet 1955 Feb. 10 (1 folder) 1955 4. Code Numbers for Philadelphia Hospitals and Institutions 1955 May 26 and Jun. 16 (1 folder) 1955 5. Instructions for Obstetrical Code Sheet 1955 Dec. 13 (1 folder) 1955 6. Obstetrical Code Sheets [ca. 1959] (1 folder) [ca. 1959] 7. Codes for Deliveries and Complications of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Puerperium [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 8. Abortion Codes [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 9. Key to Using the Records of the Committee on Maternal Welfare [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 2.3 Sample Forms 1959 Sep. 1960 Dec. (1 folder) 1959-1960 [n.d.] (1 folder) [n.d.] 2.4 Check Sheets for Follow Up of Maternal Deaths 1958 Feb. 17-Jul. 28 (1 folder) 1958 1958 Aug. 1-Dec. 25 (1 folder) 1958 2.5 Notebook of Maternal Mortality Statistics for Participating Hospitals and Institutions 1951-1954 (1 folder) 1951-1954 Box Ser. 2 2.6 Record Book 1961-1971 (1 volume) 1961-1971 3 3 MATERNAL MORTALITY REPORTS, 1944-1972. 3.1 Case Reports 1955 18 and 19 (1 folder) 1955 1956 36 and 38 (1 folder) 1956 1957 24, 37-42 (1 folder) 1957 1958 [cases unnumbered] Feb. 17-Nov. 4 (1 folder) 1958 Dec. 5-Dec. 31 (1 folder) 1958 1959 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9 (1 folder) 1959 12-15 (1 folder) 1959 16-20 (1 folder) 1959 22-26 (1 folder) 1959 1960 1-5 (1 folder) 1960 6-10 (1 folder) 1960 11-15 (1 folder) 1960 16-19 (1 folder) 1960 1961 1-5 (1 folder) 1961 6-10 (1 folder) 1961 11-15 (1 folder) 1961 16-20 (1 folder) 1961 4 21-25 (1 folder) 1961 26-29 (1 folder) 1961 30 (1 folder) 1961 1962 1-5 (1 folder) 1962 6-10 (1 folder) 1962 13-15 (1 folder) 1962 16-20 (1 folder) 1962 21-23 (1 folder) 1962 bBox Ser. 4 3.1 1963 1-5 (1 folder) 1963 6, 7, and 10 (1 folder) 1963 11, 13-15 (1 folder) 1963 16-19 (1 folder) 1963 22-25 (1 folder) 1963 26-30 (1 folder) 1963 31 and 32 (1 folder) 1963 5 1964 1-5 (1 folder) 1964 6-10 (1 folder) 1964 11-15 (1 folder) 1964 16 and 18 (1 folder) 1964 1965 1-5 (1 folder) 1965 6-10 (1 folder) 1965 11-15 (1 folder) 1965 16-20 (1 folder) 1965 21-23 (1 folder) 1965 1966 1-5 (1 folder) 1966 6-10 (1 folder) 1966 11-15 (1 folder) 1966 16-20 (1 folder) 1966 21-24 (1 folder) 1966 6 1967 1-5 (1 folder) 1967 6-10 (1 folder) 1967 11 and 12 (1 folder) 1967 16-18 (1 folder) 1967 1968 1-5 (1 folder) 1968 8-10 (1 folder) 1968 1969 1-5 (1 folder) 1969 6-10 (1 folder) 1969 11 and 12 (1 folder) 1969 1970 1-5 (1 folder) 1970 6-9 (1 folder) 1970 11, 12, 14, and 15 (1 folder) 1970 16 and 17 (1 folder) 1970 Box Ser. 6 3.1 1971 6-10 (1 folder) 1971 11-15 (1 folder) 1971 1972 1 (1 folder) 1972 7 3.2 Monthly Reports 1944 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1944 1945 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1945 1946 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1946 1947 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1947 1948 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1948 1949 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1949 1950 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1950 1951 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1951 1952 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1952 3.3 Annual Reports 1944-1948 (1 folder) 1944-1948 1951-1959 (1 folder) 1951-1959 1960-1971 (1 folder) 1960-1971 4 CORRESPONDENCE, 1945-1973. 4.1 Correspondence from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1945 Jul. Dec. (1 folder) 1945 1946 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1946 1947 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1947 1948 Jan. Dec. (1 folder) 1948 1949 Jan. 13-Mar. 15 (1 folder) 1949 1950 Feb. 10-Sep. 27 (1 folder) 1950 1951 Jan. 4-Dec.7 (1 folder) 1951 1952 Jan. 9-Dec. 2 (1 folder) 1952 1953 Jan. 13-Dec. 8 (1 folder) 1953 1954 Jan. 12-Dec. 31 (1 folder) 1954 1955 Jan. 11-Dec. 13 (1 folder) 1955 1956 Jan. 9-Dec. 11 (1 folder) 1956 1957 Jan. 14-Dec. 31 (1 folder) 1957 1958 Jan. 21-Sep. 4 (1 folder) 1958 1959 Jan. 6 and Oct. 27 (1 folder) 1959 1960 Jul. 14 and Aug. 9 (1 folder) 1960 1961 Oct. 4 (1 folder) 1961 1962 Jan. 29 and Dec. 18 (1 folder) 1962 1966 Oct. 10 (1 folder) 1966 1967 Mar. 10-Nov. 21 (1 folder) 1967 1968 Jan. 3-Dec. 6 (1 folder) 1968 1969 Apr. 2-Oct. 14 (1 folder) 1969 Box Ser. 7 4.1 1970 Jan. 27-Dec. 3 (1 folder) 1970 1971 Jan. 27 and Feb. 16 (1 folder) 1971 1972 Dec. 8 (1 folder) 1972 1973 Oct. 12 and Dec. 12 (1 folder) 1973 8 4.2 Correspondence General 1946 Aug. 13-Oct. 18 (1 folder) 1946 1947 Sep. 22 and Dec. 16 (1 folder) 1947 1948 Jan. 17-Aug. 31 (1 folder) 1948 1949 Jun. 28-Aug. 9 (1 folder) 1949 1950 Jan. 13-Dec. 8 (1 folder) 1950 1951 Jun. 12-Aug. 27 (1 folder) 1951 1952 Jan. 30-Jun. 27 (1 folder) 1952 1953 Jan. 15-Dec. 29 (1 folder) 1953 1954 Jan. 5-Nov. 17 (1 folder) 1954 1955 Feb. 11-Dec. 7 (1 folder) 1955 1956 Jan. 4-Aug. 27 (1 folder) 1956 1956 Sep. 10-Dec. 14 (1 folder) 1956 1957 Feb. 6-Dec. 9 (1 folder) 1957 1958 Feb. 14-Oct. 21 (1 folder) 1958 1959 Jan. 5-Oct. 30 (1 folder) 1959 1960 Jun. 17-1965 Sep. 12 (1 folder) 1960-1965 1966 Oct. 17-Nov. 11 (1 folder) 1966 1967 Oct 18 and Nov. 17 (1 folder) 1967 1968 Jan.5-Oct. 29 (1 folder) 1968 1970 Aug. 31-Nov. 16 (1 folder) 1970 1971 Jan. 25-1972 Feb. 18 (1 folder) 1971-1972 1944-1973 8 boxes (3.5 linear ft.) 9/5/1991 wvg