A STATEMENT 
OF THK 
LI HR ARY COM M ITT EE 
OF Till'; 
Rhode Island Medical Society, 
May 1, JSSS. A STATEMENT 
OF THK 
LIBRARY COMMITTEE 
OF THE 
Rhode Island Medical Society, 
May 1, 1883. 
PROVIDENCE) t— 
PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY, PRINTERS, 
188.*!. The Library is open daily between 12 and 1 
o’clock, at Room 0, Arnold’s Block, 54 North 
Main street, Providence. HE idea of establishing a Medical Li- 
P brary, was first suggested to the Rhode 
Island Medical Society by Dr. Caleb Fiske in 
1824, who donated to the Society a collection 
of books, accompanied with the following con- 
siderations : 
" Believing it to be an object of considerable 
interest, to establish a Medical Library for the 
use of the Society, and as no successful effort 
hath hitherto been made to effect so desirable 
a purpose, I am induced to commence the work 
by presenting to the Society seventy-two vol- 
umes, (including numerous instructive plates). 
This small beginning may serve as a nucleus 
for the accretion of useful matter, and it is to be hoped will be followed with additions from 
time to time by the Society or some of its 
members. Such an establishment, by furnish- 
ing the means of intellectual improvement will 
probably excite a propensity for medical read- 
ing and research, and lead to results honorable 
to the Society and beneficial to the commu- 
nity.” 
Dr. Fiske was the fourth President of the 
Society. He was a surgeon in the revolutionary 
army, and for many years a successful physician 
in Scituate, this State, and founder of the Fiske 
Fund, which, according to Dr. Parsons, has 
already awarded thirty-two premiums for dis- 
sertations, and published and distributed thirty- 
one essays. 
But the hopes of Dr. Fiske in the founding 
of a Medical Library were not realized. His 
gift received few, if any additions. The books 
became obsolete, superceded by more modern 
works, and were finally donated to the lihode 
Island Hospital in 1868. The time had not 
come for a successful effort for the foundation 5 
of a Library. After the lapse of a little over 
half a century the effort was again renewed. 
At the December meeting in 1876 the idea of 
a Medical Library was revived. The few books 
belonging to the Society were scattered among 
its members and liable to be lost. The ex- 
changes from other Medical Societies througrh- 
out the country were increasing rapidly, hence 
it seemed important that some safe place of de- 
posit for these publications should be furnished, 
where they would be accessible to the members 
of the Society and form the nucleus of a library. 
Furthermore it was of the utmost consequence 
that the medical profession of this State, both 
for its own benefit and that of the community 
should have a Medical Library, containing val- 
uable medical literature of this and other coun- 
tries, and which should be a depository of the 
libraries of deceased physicians. Accordingly 
a move was made to bring about this most de- 
sirable object. But through the indifference of 
the many and the opposition of the few, it was 
not till two years subsequently that any import- ant steps were taken for the formation of a 
Library. At this period in the history of the 
scheme it received anew impulse. 
To the wisdom and generosity of Dr. Chase 
Wiggin belongs the honor of suggesting and 
initiating a comprehensive plan for the forma- 
tion and growth of a Medical Library. He 
said this was a subject that he had long had at 
heart, and, although it would never be of bene- 
fit to him, it might be of great benefit to others. 
He offered to give $1,000 towards a building 
fund of $20,000, provided the balance could be 
raised, and $25.00 annually for ten years, pro- 
vided an annual sum of $600, could be raised for 
the Library. These conditions were subse- 
quently accepted by the Library Committee, 
and they went to work to fulfil them. The 
plan and offer of Dr. Wiggin having been an- 
nounced at this meeting, December, 1878, the 
Society was almost unamimously in favor of 
taking the necessary steps for the formation of 
a Library. 
A Library Committee was chosen at the annual meeting in June, 1879. As this com- 
mittee was then constituted, with the exception 
of one change, it has continued up to the pres- 
ent time. 
Financial Statement. 
The physicians of Providence have quite uni- 
formly contributed liberally towards the found- 
ing of the Library, pledging an annual contri- 
bution, for ten years, of from $5.00 to $25.00. 
One physician donated $100, another $50. 
Physicians have paid into the treasury of the 
Library as follows : 
The first year, - $220 00 
The second year, - 335 00 
The third year, - 385 00 
The fourth year, so far, - - - 227 00 
Sum total, - $1,167 00 
Sum total given and pledged by physicians, 8 
$3,060.00. Dr. Chase Wiggin has pledged his 
$1,000, as he proposed, to the building fund. 
We have received generous aid from persons 
outside of our profession. The following are 
the names and sums contributed: 
The Hon. Wm. S. Hayward, $50; Beriah 
Wall, Hon. Geo. H. Corliss, B. A. Jackson, 
Prof. William Gammell, Royal C. Taft, Dr. 
Wm. Grosvenor, each $25 ; total $200. Mrs. 
Elizabeth A. Shepard has donated to the Libra- 
ry $125, and to the Building Fund $500, and, 
in addition, has pledged an annual contribution 
for nine years of $25, making in all $850. We 
feel under great obligation to Mrs. Shepard for 
her liberal donations and the interest she has 
taken in the growth of the Library. 
Amount given and pledged for Library and 
Building Fund, $5,080. 
Nearly all our funds designed for the Library 
are expended in books and in binding Medical 
Journals. Little goes for rent and none for the 
care of and attendance on the Library, this ser- 
vice being rendered gratuitously. Library 
The Library now contains 2,480 volumes. 
There are 665 bound volumes of Medical 
Journals, 
360 volumes of Transactions of 
. Medical Societies, 
108 volumes of Hospital Reports, 
90 volumes of Sanitary and 
Board of Health Reports. 
A total of 1,223 volumes of periodical publi- 
cations of the greatest value, and which are in 
almost daily use as works of reference. 
The remaining 1,257 volumes are classified 
by subjects, as books on Anatomy, Physiology, 
Chemistry, Therapeutics, Pathology, Surgery, 
Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Dis- 
eases of the Nervous System, etc. 
The Library is particulary well supplied with 
books on Surgery, including the works of the 
leading English and American authors. We have 
purchased full sets of the publications of the old 
and new Sydenham Societies, and besides the beautifully illustrated folio atlases issued with 
their imprint we have many valuable plates and 
illustrated works relating to Diseases of the 
Skin, Anatomy, Operative Surgery and Obstet- 
rics. We have imported several hundred vol- 
umes from England. The Library received, 
through the generosity of Dr. L. W. Clapp, 275 
volumes from the library of his father, the late 
Dr. Sylvanus Clapp, of Pawtucket. Contribu- 
tions of value have also been received from the 
heirs of other deceased physicians. 
Our Wants. 
In view of what we have already accomplished 
and of what we have yet to do, we feel that we 
can reasonably call upon our professional breth- 
ren for their continued and enlarged support; 
and we respectfully entreat all other persons 
who have an interest in the highest develop- 
ment of the medical profession, to aid us in 
this undertaking. It is not the medical profes- 
sion alone who should feel an interest in the at- 
tainments of the large number of young physi- cians now establishing themselves in our com- 
munity. Every citizen who receives their 
ministrations is daily concerned in their profi- 
ciency; and he can fully appreciate the blessing 
of "the wise physician skilled to heal.” The 
example of those who have so generously and 
appreciatively given us aid leads us to hope that 
our great undertaking will soon become a pop- 
ular object of support. 
We now need more extensive accommoda- 
tions. Our shelves will soon be overflowing. 
The completion of our plans will give us a 
building adapted to the requirements of a li- 
brary, and furnish a home for professional cul- 
ture and improvement. 
T. Newell, M. D. 
H. G. Miller, M. D. 
G. D. Hersey, M. D. 
O. C. Wiggin, M. D. 
G. W. Porter, M. D. 
Library Committee.