Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Physick, Philip Syng (1768-1837) to George Vaux

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02542.17 Author/Creator: Physick, Philip Syng (1768-1837) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 6 November 1828 Pagination: 1 p. ; 12.7 x 10.1 cm. Order a Copy

Business letter written by Physick, the well-known Philadelphian surgeon, to Vaux. Mentions that he had an opportunity to discuss the difficulties of dividing the lots yesterday evening, but forgot to mention the marriage settlement. Physick claims she should not be a problem to facilitating the division.

A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Physick became one of the most well-known surgeons in the United States after working with Benjamin Rush through the 1793 yellow fever epidemic. He worked at the Philadelphia Hospital 1794-1816. Taught at the University of Pennsylvania 1805-1831. Responsible for various medical inventions, including a stomach pump. He is remembered for removing an estimated 1000 bladder stones from Chief Justice John Marshall in 1831.

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