Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland records

The Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland records span the years 1884 to 2020. This collection includes financial records, meeting minutes, activity ledgers, publications, membership records, member portraits, photographs of society events, correspondence, and artifacts. The collection is divided into five series: 1. Foundational and operational records, 2. Meeting minutes, 3. Publications, 4. Images, and 5. Crawshaw papers.

The “Foundational and operational records” series spans from 1903 to 2005, and includes most of the documents and artifacts contained within this collection related to the foundation and operations of the Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland. These include records such as membership applications and annual dues, certificates and award plaques, amendments to the organization’s by-laws and articles of incorporation, and a history of the organization written by George Robins, M.D. Other items of interest include two maternity ledgers, as well as an embosser and candlestick telephone from the organization’s telephone exchange. This series is arranged chronologically. Some items in this series have restrictions on access.

The “Meeting minutes” series spans from 1884 to 1984, and is arranged into two subseries: “2a. Board of Trustees and administrative meetings, 1925-1984" and “2b. General meetings, 1884-1980.” Records within this series document the matters discussed and decisions made during the organization’s various meetings at all levels of function, the most general and common of which occurred on a monthly basis. There is a noticeable gap of records in the “General meetings” subseries, from 1905 to 1930, but otherwise the series documents organizational changes chronologically over time. Several minute books are housed within this series, including the minutes of the organization’s first meeting in 1884. This series is arranged alphabetically, with further chronological arrangement when needed.

The “Images” series spans from 1920 to 2004, and includes photographs of the Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland’s main headquarters, the telephone exchange, and portraits of board members, presidents, and general members of the organization throughout its 136 years of operation. Objects of interest include the aforementioned presidential portraits, which document every president of the organization from 1920 to 1978, as well as candid portraits from various meetings in the early 1990s. This series is arranged alphabetically.

The “Publications” series spans from 1947 to 2020, and contains copies of most known publications distributed by the Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland. These include the Bulletin (1947-1968), The Doctor’s Little Black Book (2010-2012), the Member Photo Rosters (1969-1993), the Physician’s Resource Guide (1993-2012), and the Portland Physician/The Scribe (1969-1984; 1983-2012; 2013-2020), as well as assorted brochures and a written history of the annual Salishan conferences (1967-2000). MSMP's archived website is also available in the OHSU web archive. The bound volumes of the Portland Physician/The Scribe may be of interest to researchers seeking to see the organization’s “public” positions on health and medical issues throughout the mid-to-late 20th century. This series is arranged alphabetically by publication title, with each publication being further arranged chronologically.

The “Ralph Crawshaw papers” series spans from 1961 to 2007, and contains personal papers and correspondence from Ralph Shelton Crawshaw, M.D. (1921-2014) documenting his involvement with the Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland, including his tenure as the organization’s president in 1975. These papers may be of interest to researchers seeking more information about Crawshaw and his individual contributions to the organization. This series is arranged alphabetically. Some items in this series have restrictions on access. Additional records for Crawshaw are also held at OHSU in the Ralph S. Crawshaw papers.