– by Paige Randazzo, Digital Projects intern
The year 2017 marks the centennial of the United States’ entry into World War I. In memory of those Fellows of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia who served in times of war, the Historical Medical Library will be creating a geo-referenced digital timeline using the letters and photographs of College Fellow and World War I surgeon George Outerbridge (1881-1967). The collection was donated to the Library in 1972 after they were found by the residents of George Outerbridge’s former home.
The collection consists of three series: letters to his family, a diary consisting of only two days of entries, and three albums of photographs. Outerbridge’s experiences in France are well documented in his 1917-1919 letters. While a majority of the letters were written to his aunt, Laura C. Outerbridge, others are addressed to his father, A.E. Outerbridge, whom he calls “Papa”, his stepmother Margaret, and his Aunt Harriet. Outerbridge’s letters give modern readers a glimpse into the minutiae of military life, such as the frequency with which mail was lost, and how a soldier obtains leave from duty. He explained his duties, and complained about the occasional lack of work at the hospital caused by a lack of patients. Outerbridge discussed at length his excursions around the countryside of Le Tréport, where his hospital was located. His passion for hiking and adventure is very evident. On September 23, 1917, Outerbridge wrote to his Aunt Laura that he had to hand in his camera immediately upon arriving at the hospital. As a result, the subjects of the photographs are mostly hospital buildings, posed pictures of officers, landscapes of various French cities, and the naval journey to France. It is unclear as to how he was able to capture the photographs in this collection after his camera was confiscated, but we’ll have to assume he was granted access to it during certain circumstances or excursions.
Born in Philadelphia, Outerbridge received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1907 and went on to become the Chief Gynecologist at the Methodist Hospital. He was also the Chief Surgeon at the Gynecean Institute, and was on faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. Outerbridge was elected a Fellow of the College of Physicians in 1913. In 1916, he would leave Philadelphia to serve in the Pennsylvania Base Hospital Unit No. 10 in Le Tréport, France, where he stayed until 1919.
There were many moments in reading George Outerbridge’s letters that made me laugh; I became quite fond of him. In one of my favorite letters, Outerbridge thanks his Aunt Laura for the socks she sent him for Christmas. He makes sure to point out that they say “made in Germany” on them and jokes that he hopes they do not have “poisoned bristles or anything of that sort” in them. Another is his letter from January 27, 1918 where he says all the men have finally received their Christmas stockings from home, but they are marked “do not open until Christmas” and he exclaims that he just cannot stand to wait that long!
The corresponding photograph from that Christmas similarly left me chuckling. In the letters, he talks about patients making decorations to string about the hospital, even lamenting that they had unfortunately used all of his special surgical glue to do so. He notes the delicious feast of tomato bisque soup, olives, celery, lobster, roast turkey, currant jelly, potato croquettes, asparagus salad, plum pudding, fruit cake, nuts, raisins, fruit, coffee, champagne, and of course cigars and cigarettes. Against army regulations, the men decide to have a party in one of the base tents, and the nurses went around caroling. In stark contrast, the Christmas photograph shows nurses and patients solemnly sitting in one of the recovery tents posing for the camera in the midst of the most elaborately decorated room. Garlands are strung from wall to wall, which adds a festive touch to the room. Despite the merry decorations and the joyous time that is detailed by Outerbridge, you do not get the same feeling from looking at the picture. The subjects look less than happy, and I got quite the giggly at the staunch difference!
During my research, I found a marvelous book entitled History of the Pennsylvania Hospital Unit (Base Hospital No. 10, U.S.A) in the Great War, in the Historical Medical Library. Written in 1921 by Paul B. Hoeber, who was a member of the unit, the book details how the unit was commissioned, and discusses the details of their arrival and activities, beginning before the arrival of Outerbridge. In this book, I found explanations for many of the often simple descriptions Outerbridge provided for his photos. For example, one photo of a building was accompanied by the description “Lady Murray’s.” Hoeber’s book explains that the building functioned as the officers’ hospital, and was named after the woman who managed it. Once engaged in this book, I began to notice that the pictures in it seemed familiar. I looked back at the photographs and realized they were reproductions of Outerbridge’s photographs, the same images that I had been scanning all along for the upcoming exhibition!
As I come to the end of my summer in the Library, I want to thank everyone at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia who helped with this project. I hope to be back one day!