Thomas F. and William A. Madill papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS 2/035

Scope and Contents

This collection of twelve of Thomas F. Madill's daybooks (1857-1892) spans almost his entire professional career and gives a comprehensive view of the daily practice of a country physician in the towns of central Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The daybook entries are chronological and provide each patient's name, a brief description of the medical work, and the charge involved. Many entries refer to pages in a ledger which has not survived as part of the collection. An interesting adjunct to the daybooks is a volume listing Madill's accounts which were turned over to William Lewis and John A. Codding, who was a professional bill collector in Wysox.

The William A. Madill daybook gives similar, though sketchy, information about this more obscure Pennsylvania physician and his practice. The three series of entries, 1859-1860, 1866, and 1881-1882, contain information similar to that found in the daybooks of Thomas F. Madill. The William A. Madill daybook also includes, however, a breakdown of his patients and charges by town most refer to towns in Bradford County.

Dates

1857 - 1898

Creator

Madill, Thomas F. (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Thomas F. Madill was born circa 1828. He received his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in 1855 and proceeded to practice medicine in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He was based in

Towanda or Wysox but served many of the surrounding towns. Madill was retired by 1902 and died of acute laryngitis at the age of 78 on 27 June 1906.

Little is known of William A. Madill, except that he had a medical practice based in Dunsmore, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, circa 1874-1878. His daybook indicates a practice from 1859 to 1882, covering a large area of Bradford County. William A. Madill was probably some close relation of Thomas F. Madill.

Extent

0.8 Linear feet (2 document boxes containing 14 volumes and 1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

This collection of Madill daybooks and related financial records was purchased by the Historical Collections of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia from Carmen D. Valentino, 2956 Richmond Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134 on 22 September 1988. The purchase was made possible by a gift from Eleanora Gordon.

The collection was processed in August, 1989.