Repository

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Title

Robert J. McCready Physician's Records

Creator

McCready, Robert J., 1830-1911

Collection Number

AIS.2024.01

Extent

.21 Linear Feet (1 document case)

Date

1894-1897

Abstract

Dr. Robert J. McCready (1830-1911) was a physician in and around the Sewickley, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania area starting in 1857 and working for over 50 years. The records include two patient ledgers that include documentation of patient visits from 1894-1897, including pricing and notation of medical procedures and diagnoses.

Language

English .

Author

Zion Thomas

Publisher

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Address

University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Zion Thomas in September 2024.

Acquisition Information

Purchased from Dan Casavant Rare Books of Waterville, Maine, on January 10, 2024.

Biographical / Historical

Dr. Robert J. McCready (1830-1911) worked as a physician for over 50 years in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, starting his practice in 1857 and serving the growing community in its early years of development. He was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, and began his education at the local Alderlick school, later attending Eldersville Academy (Eldersville, Washington County, Pennsylvania). From there, he attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania and then graduating with a medical degree from Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York City. He began his medical practice in Finleyville, Washington County, Pennsylvania and subsequently moved to Sewickley, then a small village, in 1857 where he began to practice medicine. He took his nephew, Robert J. McCready (1850-1936), into his home to study under him, and the two began to practice together after the younger's graduation until 1880 when the younger McCready began his own practice in Allegheny City. Outside of his work, Robert McCready was active in his community, serving as Burgess of Sewickley as well as president of the local school board and as a member of the Republican Party and the Methodist Protestant Church. He was married to Rachel Catharine Miller (1834-1899) and together they had eight children, many of whom went on to become doctors themselves. Robert McCready died in January of 1911 and was buried in Sewickley Cemetery.

Sources of information: Dan Casavant (Rare Books Dealer), Find A Grave website, Obituary from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the The Robert McCready Family book (1931, Privately Published)

Arrangement

Records consist of two individual ledgers, which are arranged chronologically.

Scope and Contents

The records consist of two ledgers, which contain a list of the names of individuals visited by Dr. Robert J. McCready in and around the Sewickley, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Names are typically accompanied by a fee for their visit, and are frequently attributed notes detailing the visit. These notes typically indicate if the visit was for the named individual or one of their relatives, and sometimes indicate a treatment provided or an ailment diagnosed. Some individuals are identified as "colored" or have a C marked near their names. These notes infrequently include details of births and deaths witnessed by Dr. Robert J. McCready.

Preferred Citation

Robert J. McCready Physician's Records, 1894-1897, AIS.2024.01, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Copyright

No copyright restrictions.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Subjects

Genres

• Medical records
• Ledgers (Account books)

Other Subjects

• Physicians -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
• Physicians -- Pennsylvania -- Sewickley
• Physician and patient
• Patients -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
• Clinical medicine

Container List

Patient Ledger #1, April 22,1894 – March 9,1895

Containers

box 1, volume 1

Scope and Contents

Notes of potential interest are arranged here by their associated dates, in absence of page numbers.

May 14: A note at the top of the page indicates that Dr. McCready was in New York from May 13 to 28.

May 29: A note here indicates the acceptance of an insurance policy.

June 2: A visit is accompanied with the note "Diphtheria"

July 8: A visit indicates 3 children seen for measles.

July 17: A note indicates a visit to an individual from Leetsdale (the first of multiple across both ledgers).

July 18: Details the birth of a baby to Alex McMurdo and his wife, which is followed by visits for the next two days and a note detailing the baby's death from "heart trouble".

Sept 24: Note details a consultation with another doctor.

Sept 29: Note details an amputation of a patient's little finger.

Oct 19: Note details a difficult (potentially early) birth that "all came together" with a surviving child.

Dec 20: Note details a pregnancy defect with multiple doctors named as present.

Patient Ledger #2, February 20, 1896 – February 28,1897

Containers

box 1, volume 2

Scope and Contents

Notes of potential interest are arranged here by their associated dates, in absence of page numbers.

April 12: A marking indicates that a patient was visited in Haysville.

April 23: A section of notes has been crossed out, indicating a dating issue that has been corrected.

April 26: A large payment (10.00) from a Mrs. Ambercrombie is noted, which precedes a period of time where she is visited nearly daily by Dr. McCready.

August 12 - September 30: This range indicates a long period of uncharacteristically low visit notes (0-3 a day). Some of the following days are labelled with location names, including Steubenville (September 2-4); Wheeling (September 8, 10 and 11); and South Hamilton (September 13). In this period are a few recurring names/notes, including "Han Cook daughter" and "Mrs. Holinger".

November 16: Between these pages is a single loose pamphlet from the pharmacist Morris Einstein, with a printed advertisement on one side and handwritten notes from Dr. McCready further detailing interactions with a specific patient on the other. The notes describe treatment of a knee injury originating from a visit on Nov. 5th, noted earlier in the book.