MSS 2/0146-02			Acc. 1992-027

ABBE, ROBERT,
(1851-1928)
 Collector

Memoranda of Dr. Benjamin Rush,
 1781-1927


Biographical

Robert Waldo Abbe, New York surgeon, was born on 13 April 1851. 
He married Catherine Amory Palmer in 1891.  Abbe died of anemia, 
probably related to his work with radium, on 7 March 1928.

Abbe received an A.B. from the College of the City of New York 
in 1870 and an M.D. from the College of Physicians and surgeons 
in New York in 1874.  He then served an internship at St. Luke's 
Hospital, New York.

From 1877 to 1884, Abbe was Attending Surgeon in the outpatient 
Department of New York Hospital.  He was also surgeon at St. 
Luke's Hospital and the Cancer Hospital and attending Surgeon 
at New York Babies' Hospital.  Abbe held positions as Professor 
of Didactic Surgery at the woman's medical College of New York, 
1878-1880, and Professor of surgery at the New York Post Graduate 
Medical School, 18881897.  In 1898, he became Lecturer in Surgery 
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Robert Abbe was known for his pioneering work in intestinal anastomosis, 
spinal surgery, and the use of radium to treat cancer.  He was 
a member of the American surgical association, the International 
Surgical Society, and the New York Surgical Society.  In 1911, 
he became an associate fellow of the College of Physicians of 
Philadelphia.


Scope and contents

This scrapbook contains Benjamin Rush memorabilia collected by 
Robert Abbe.  It includes biographical information, copies of 
portraits, engravings, photo prints, and correspondence.  Also 
included are photo prints and correspondence documenting the 
establishment and the evolution of the Abbe Custodianship at 
the College of physicians of Philadelphia.

The scrapbook contains numerous pictures of Rush, including reproductions 
of portraits painted by Thomas Sully and Charles Wilson Pealed, 
as well as original engravings by St. Memin, R. W. Dodson, W. 
R. Jones, and David Edwin.  Also present are pictures of Rush's 
residences in Philadelphia, "Shippen Mansion" and "Sydenham". 
In addition, the scrapbook contains several items 
signed by Rush, including an 1781 autograph letter excusing 
an ill soldier from militia duty.  

Perhaps the most important item in the collection is a letter 
written by Rush in 1793 to Nicholas Belleville (1753-1831). 
In the letter, Rush describes a new treatment he has been using 
to combat Yellow fever.   According to Rush, the ingredient 
calomel (mercurous chloride), "saved 9 out of 10 when applied 
in [the] early stage [of the illness]".  Rush also explains 
that many Philadelphia physicians did not approve of this treatment. 
 
In addition to Rush memorabilia, the collection includes photographs 
and correspondence documenting the establishment of the "Custodianship 
of the Watch of Dr. Rush", later referred to as the Abbe Custodianship. 
Included are photographs of Rush's great granddaughter, Mary 
Theresa deBeelen Rush and her husband, the Rev. Richard L. 
Howell. Also present is a photograph and a letter from Gwendolen Whistler 
Howell, Rev. Howell's second wife, who presented Rush's watch 
to Abbe in return for his services in attending to her ailing 
husband.  Abbe then donated the watch to the college of Physicians 
and set up a custodianship for it. The collection includes 
photo prints and correspondence from. Weir Mitchell, Simon 
Flexner, William H. Welch, and William W. Keen, all of whom 
served as Abbe Custodians between 1910 and 1927.


Provenance

This scrapbook of Benjamin Rush memorabilia and records 
of the Abbe Custodianship was donated to the College of physicians 
of Philadelphia by Robert Abbe on 1 February 1911.  It is possible 
to trace the provenance of the some of the items in the collection; 
for example, the photo print of the Benjamin Rush portrait medal 
(item 13) was presented to Abbe for inclusion in the scrapbook 
by George M. Torney, Surgeon General of the United States, in 
1910.  Rush's 1793 letter on Yellow fever (item 24) was presented 
to John K.Mitchell by John William Wallace in a letter dated 
13 November 1855 (item 25).  John K. Mitchell's son, S. Weir Mitchell, 
presented both of these letters to Abbe in a letter dated 16 
December 1910 (item 26).  

After Abbe donated the scrapbook to the College, additional letters 
and photo prints were added as new Abbe Custodians were selected. 
The scrapbook was transferred from the care of the Mutter Museum 
to the Historical Collections of the library on 4 January 1983. 
It was processed and catalogued in 1992.


1781-1927
1 volume

3/13/92
wvg


MSS 2/0146-02			Acc. 1992-027

ABBE, ROBERT,
(1851-1928)
 Collector

Memoranda of Dr. Benjamin Rush,
 1781-1927

Page
1	 	1.  Abbe, Robert, 1851-1928.
	     	Biographical notes of Dr. Benjamin Rush, 
		[n.d.]	(1 item)
	
12		2. 	Savage, E[dward], 1761-1817.
			Portrait of Benjamin Rush [copy],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)
15	 	3.	Characteristic phrases from the writings
		of Dr. Rush : selected by Dr. Weir
		Mitchell,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

17		 4.	Portrait of Benjamin Rush
		[copy of portrait in Independence Hall], 
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

19	 	5.  Reprint of biographical piece on
		Benjamin Rush,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

21	 	6.  Engraving of Benjamin Rush
		from the Thomas Sully portrait,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

25	 	7.	St. Memin.
			Engraving of Benjamin Rush,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

27 	 8.	Portrait of Benjamin Rush
		[copy of portrait in Independence Hall],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

29	 	9.	Pealed, Charles Wilson, 1741-1827.
			Portrait of Benjamin Rush [copy],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

31		10.	Sully, Thomas, 1783-1872.
			Portrait of Benjamin Rush [copy],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

33		11.	Dodson, R. W. 
			Engraving of Benjamin Rush 
		from the Thomas Sully portrait,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

35		12.	Jones, W. R. 
			Engraving of Benjamin Rush 
		from the drawing by W. Haines,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

37		13.  Photograph of Benjamin Rush
		portrait medal,
		[ca. 1910]	(1 item)

39		14.  Photograph of the Benjamin Rush Portrait
		from the Council Room of Princeton University,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

41		15.  Edwin, [David?], 1776-1841.
			Engraving of Benjamin Rush 
		from the Thomas Sully portrait,
		1813	(1 item)

43		16.  Pealed, Charles Wilson, 1741-1827.
			Portrait of Benjamin Rush [copy],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

44		17.	Pealed, Charles Wilson, 1741-1827.
			Portrait of Julia Stockton [copy],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

45		18.  Engraving of Benjamin Rush [copy],
		from the American Universal Magazine,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

48 	19.  Poulson, C. A. 
			Engraving of "Shippen Mansion" [copy],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

49		20.	Photograph of "Sydenham",
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

51		21.  Rush, Benj[ami]n, 1746-1813.
			Autograph letter signed : [n.p.], to
		Capt[ai]n Jer[e]miah Fisher, [n.p.],
		1781 Mar. 10						
		With Fisher, Jere[miah].
			Autograph letter signed : [n.p.], to
		W[illia]m Henry Esq., Philadelphia [Pa.],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

52		22.	Rush, Benj[ami]n, 1746-1813.
			Bill : [n.p.], to Mrs. Ann Potts, [n.p.],
		1804	(1 item)

53		23.  Rush, Benj[ami]n, 1746-1813.
			Death certificate for Joseph Clark's child,
		1807 Sept. 4	(1 item)

55		24.  Rush, Benj[ami]n, 1746-1813.
			Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia [Pa.], to
		[Nicholas] Belleville, [n.p.],
		1793 Sept. 3	(1 item)

57		25.	Wallace, John W[illia]m, 1815-1884.
			Autograph letter signed : [Philadelphia, Pa.], to
		John K. Mitchell, [Philadelphia, Pa.],
		1855 Nov. 13	(1 item)

59		26.  Mitchell, [S.] Weir, 1829-1914.
			Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia [Pa.], to
		[Robert] Abbe, [n.p.],
		1910 Dec. 16	(1 item)

60		27.  Reprint of Richard Rush biography,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

61		28.  Pease, J[oseph] I[ves], 1809-1883.
			Engraving of Richard Rush [copy],
		from U. S. Magazine and Democratic Review,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

63		29.	Rosenthal, Max, 1833-1918.
			Engraving of Richard Rush,
		1899	(1 item)

67		30.  Photograph of Mary Theresa 
		de Beelen Rush Howell,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

69		31.  Photograph of Rev. Richard
		L. Howell,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

71		32.  Photograph of Gwendolen
		Whistler Howell,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

73		33.	Howell, Gwendolen Whistler.
			Autograph letter signed : Newport [R.I.], to
		[Robert] Abbe, [n.p.],
		1910 Sept.	(1 item)

75		34.	Photograph of Robert Abbe,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

76		35.  "Description of the Watch",
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

77		36.	Five photographs of the watch,
		[n.d.]	(5 items)

81		37.	Abbe, Robert, 1851-1928.
			Autograph letter signed : New York [N.Y.], to
		[George] De Schweinitz, [n.p.],
		1910 Sept.	(1 item)

82		38.	"Conditions of the Custodianship of
		the Watch of Dr. Benjamin Rush",
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

85		39.	Abbe, Robert, 1851-1928.
			Autograph letter signed : Bar Harbour [Me.], to
		[S. Weir] Mitchell, [n.p.],
		1910 Sept. 18	(1 item)

87		40.	Mitchell, S. Weir, 1829-1914.
			Autograph letter signed : [n.p.], to
		Robert Abbe, [n.p.],
		1910 Sept. 23	(1 item)

89		41.  Photograph of S. Weir Mitchell,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

91		42.	Mitchell, S. Weir, 1829-1914.
			Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia [Pa.], to
		Unnamed correspondent, [n.p.],
		1913 May 22	(1 item)

92		43.	Flexner, Simon, 1863-1946.
			Typescript letter signed : New York [N.Y.], to
		Thomas R. Neilson, Philadelphia, Pa.,
		1914 May 7	(1 item)

93		44.	Photograph of Simon Flexner,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

95		45.	Flexner, Simon, 1863-1946.
			Typescript letter signed : New York [N.Y.], to
		President and Fellows of the College of 
		Physicians, Philadelphia, Pa.,
		1920 Jan. 12	(1 item)

97		46.	Photograph of William H. Welch,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

97		47.	Welch, William H., 1850-1934.
			Typescript letter signed : Baltimore, Md., to
		[William J.] Taylor, [n.p.],
		1921 Feb. 24	(1 item)

99		48.	Photograph of Abbe Cabinet,
		[n.d.]	(1 item)

101	49.	Abbe, Robert, 1851-1928.
			Typescript letter : New York [N.Y.], to
		[William J.] Taylor, [n.p.],
		1921 May 18	(1 item)

103	50.	Welch, William H., 1850-1934.
			Autograph letter signed : Baltimore, Md., to
		Thomas R. Neilson, [n.p.],
		1924 June 4	(1 item)

109	51.	Keen, W[illiam] W., 1837-1932.
			Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia [Pa.], to
		[William H.] Welch, [n.p.],
		1924 June 4	(1 item)

111	52.	Photograph of William W. Keen,
		1927 Jan. 19	(1 item)

112	53.	Abbe, Robert, 1851-1928.
			Autograph letter signed : [New York, N.Y.], to
		[William W. Keen, n.p.],
		1927 Apr. 14	(1 item)

		54.	Engraving of Alexander 
		James Dallas [copy],
		[n.d.]	(1 item)


1781-1927
1 volume

3/13/92
wvg