ROSALIE SLAUGHTER MORTON PAPERS
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Rosalie Slaughter Morton, M.D. were transferred to the Herbert
Hoover Presidential Library from Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida, in
September 1972. Rollins College had obtained them from Miss Helen Duke, niece
of Dr. Morton. The papers had been stored in a garage for some time and over
one third of them were lost to insects and dampness. The contents of the unsalvagable
materials is unknown.
Among the more interesting and informative elements of the collection are two
diaries recording her medical experiences at home and abroad at the turn of the
century. After that time there is intermittant personal correspondence through
1955 when the chronology of the collection terminates. Her autobiography
A Woman Surgeon, offers the best source of personal information about Dr. Morton.
Unfortunately, important correspondence pertaining to the origin and early adm-
ministration of the American Women's Hospital, has been lost. Dr. Morton used
many of these letters as paper for clipping and pasting together the draft for
her book on Iran. There is, however a useful file of correspondence between
Dr. Morton and Surgeon-General Hugh S. Cummings. Also, there is a substantial
amount of materials relating to the Internationl Serbian Education Community.
Drafts and source material for Dr. Morton's books, A Woman Surgeon and A Doctor's
Holiday in Iran are also included. Published copies of both books are in our
reference collections.
The balance of the materials consists of travel literature, clippings and notes
acquired and written during her world travels. Also included in her papers is
a large group of picture postcards from around the world along with an extensive
collection of prints and photographs.
Size of collection: 14 linear feet
Approximate number of items: 15,000
Biographical Note
1876
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia
1897
Graduated from Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania
1898
Resident Physician, Alumni Hospital & Dispensary, Philadelphia
1899-1902
Post graduate study in Europe and Asia
1903-05
Gynecologist, Women's Clinic, Washington, D.C.
1905
Practice in New York City
1916
Volunteer service in French Military Field Hospital on the
Salonica front
1919
Provided hospital equipment for 2 Yugoslav hospitals and
tuberculosis camp for children under Serbian Red Cross.
1919-23
Visiting surgeon and consultant, Volunteer Hospital
1919-28
Founder and chairman International Serbian Educational Committee
under which 60 Yugoslav students were educated in American
Universities.
1921-26
Commissioner on International education to England, France,
Germany and Italy.
1923
Delegate Pan Pacific Scientific Congress, Australia
1924
Delegate to Congress of Societies to Promote League of Nations,
France
1926
Commissioner from League of American Pen Women and Women's
Medical Society of New York to South Africa.
1926
Tree in Honor Grove, Central Park, New York, planted in her honor
"for distinguished patriotic service"
1927
Awarded Palm of Officer French Academy
1928-29
Ambassador of goodwill from various organizations to Mexico,
Haiti and Porto Rico
1929
Honorary Doctor of Humanities, Rollins College
1930
Practiced medicine at Winter Haven, Florida, specializing in
endocrinology and arthritis
1930
Member visiting staff, Orange General Hospital
1934
Presented with loving cup by a group of members of American
Medical Association
1935
Commissionary from League of American Pen Women and Women's
Medical Society of New York State to Iraq and Persia
Honorary President and Ambassador of goodwill to medical
women in Near East and Middle East
Business and professional commissionery of national and
international associations to Greece, Turkey and Syria
1939
Doctor of Science, Rutgers University
Special accomplishments:
Invented 9 surgical instruments and appliances
Lectured widely in United States, also Serbia, Australia and South Africa
Has studied sociological and economic problems in Sweden, Finland, Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania
Organizations:
Fellow American Medical Association
Florida Medical Association
Orange County (Florida) Medical Society
Women's Medical Association, New York City (Pres. 1917-18)
Women's Medical Society, State of New York, (Pres. 1927-28)
National Institute of Social Sciences
Colonial Dames
Daughters of the American Revolution
United Daughters of the Confederacy
National Society Patriotic Women of America
Society of-Virginia Women in New York
Veterans of Foreign Wars
American Association of University Women
League of American Pen Women
Sociedad Medica Yucateca (honorary since 1928)
Zeta Phi (Pres. 1926-28)
Zonta (Pres., twice)'
Episcopalian
Author:
Numerous articles on gynecology, arthritis and other scientific subjects
Books:
A Woman Surgeon (autobiography) 1937 published in U.S. and Sweden
A Doctor's Holiday in Iran, 1940.
Home: 667 Osceola Ave., Winter Park, Florida
Died: 1968, May 5, Winter Park, Florida
(Blanche) Rosalie Slaughter Morton, M.D. was born in Lynchburg, Virginia
on October 28, 1876, to John and Mary (Harker) Slaughter. She was educated
in private schools in that state and in Maryland. In 1897 Dr. Morton
graduated from The Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. She won 2 of
the 3 honors open to her graduating class and went on an extensive course
of post-graduate work in Europe. This period of study culminated with a
six month tour of India studying the bubonic plague.
In 1902, Dr. Morton began the practice of medicine in Washington, D.C. After
her marriage to George B. Morton in 1905 she moved her practice to New York.
Following Mr. Morton's death in 1912, she began to plan trips every few
years so that by 1955 she accurately claimed that she had visited every main-
land country in the world except in Patagonia, Greenland, and Tibet. These
travels generally combined business with pleasure as she often served as a
good will ambassador for various organizations.
In 1916 Dr. Morton served in a French Army hospital on the Salonica front
as a special commissioner of the American Red Cross to the Serbian Army.
While there she studied the organization of the hospitals in general and in
particular the contributions of women to the war effort. Upon her return to
the United States she was appointed chairman of the War Service Committee
of the Medical Women's National Association. During this period (1917-1918)
she organized and directed the American Women's Hospitals. At this time she
also represented women physicians through her appointment by the U.S.
Government to the Council of National Defense.
After the war, Dr. Morton organized and directed the Virginia Hospital Fund
which provided equipment for two Yugoslavian hospitals, and a tuberculosis
camp for children operated by the Serbian Red Cross. She then brought 61
Serbian students to be educated in American Colleges and Universities under
the International Serbian Education Committee, an organization also founded
and chaired by Dr. Morton.
Dr. Morton was the first woman to be appointed to the faculty of Columbia
University Medical School; she served there as an attending surgeon at the
Vanderbilt clinic of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and as a lecturer
on clinical and minor surgery (1916-1919). Other important positions held
during her career included being the first chairman of the Public Health
Education Committee of the American Medical Association (1909-1910), a staff
member of the New York Polyclinic Hospital and Post-Graduate Medical school
(1912-1918), and other posts with hospitals in Washington, New York, and
Florida.
In 1930 after recurring bouts with pneumonia, Hamilton Holt, then president
of Rollins College, persuaded her to move to Winter Park, Florida. There
she remained active for many years, setting up a new practice, traveling,
publishing two-books (her autobiography was a best seller), and attending
professional meetings.
Series Description
Subject File:
An alphabetical file pertaining to biographical information
memberships, professional and outside interests. 9 containers
Writings and Lectures:
Writings by Aline Shane Devin, book drafts, articles
notes and clippings. 8 containers
Travel Series:
Correspondence, notes and clippings, printed material, receipts
and tickets from world travels. 11 containers
Memorabilia:
Prints, photographs, postcards, and scrapbooks. 6 containers
Subject File
Box Contents
1
American Women's Hospital
1917-1934
1935-1939
1940
Biographical Data
Biographic publishers
Data sheets for
Biographers
Colonial Dames
Veteran's of Foreign Wars
Data sheets
Service to Serbia
War Work
Who's Who
Data Sheets
Folder 1
Folder 2
Incomplete Data Sheets
Folder 1
2
Folder 2
Folder 3
Clippings
SEE ALSO: "A Woman Surgeon"
Information for Colonial Dames and The Daughters
the American Revolution
Diaries
1898-1899
1901-1902
Folder 1
Folder 2
Financial Papers and Will
General Correspondence Unarranged
Folder 1
Folder 2
Folder 3
Folder 4
3
Folder 5
Folder 6
Folder 7
Hobby Lobby
Honors
Nomination for Distinguished Service Medal by VFW
Tree Planting
Miscellaneous
International Serbian Education Committee
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926-1927
1947-1955
Clippings, Programs, Photos
Correspondence re-students 1939; ’45
Correspondence re-students 1946
Miscellaneous
4
Related Materials
Lynchburg Monument
Medicine and Practice
"American Men Doctors"
Clippings
Correspondence
Arthritis
"Fresh Air"
"Interesting Patients"
Medical Clippings
Medical Literature
Advertisements
Women
New York Polyclinic
1912-28 & undated
Publications
Practice
"Primitive Medicine"
Miscellaneous 1910-1915
Memberships
American Medical Association Public Health Committee-Corres.
5
Colonial Dames and the Daughters of the American Revolution
League of Nations--Nonpartisan Association
Medical Society of New York
New York Peace Society
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Women's Medical Society of New York
Zonta
Folder 1
Folder 2
Miscellaneous
Missionary Literature
Railroad Accident
1937
1938
1939
1940
Miscellaneous
6
Rollins College
1933-1940
Clippings
Rollins Printed Material
Folder 1
Folder 2
United Nations
Winter Park and Florida
Unorganized clippings, correspondence, & printed material
Women
Writings and Lectures Series
Box Contents
7
Aline Shane Devin
1930
Travelogues
"A Little Maid of Brittany"
Plays
Fiction
Unidentified drafts
"Constitutional States in Relation to Gynecological Conditions"
Drafts
Africa
"Ireland the Giant's Causeway"
League of Nations
"On Board the City of Rome"
8
South Africa
South America
"Trip North"
Miscellaneous
Folder 1
Folder 2
Folder 3
Iran Book (A Doctor's Holiday in Iran)
Correspondence
Folder 1
Folder 2
Clippings
Criticisms
Missionaries
Photos
Table of Contents
Preface
9
Chapters
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Unidentified Drafts
Folder 1
Folder 2
10
Booknotes
Folder 1
Folder 2
Folder 3
Folder 4
Folder 5
"Life In New York," clippings and notes
"New Book," 1955
11
Notes and Clippings
Folder 1
Folder 2
Folder 3
Pamphlets
"Report of Work of Women Physicians in the Near East"
"With the French Fleet of Mercy"
A Woman Surgeon
Correspondence
Abstract
Chapters
1
2
3
7
9
10
25
30
Clippings
Criticisms
Preface
Source Material
Unidentified Drafts
Travel Series
Box Contents
12
Africa
Correspondence
1924-25
1926 January-August
1926 September-December
1927
1928-33
Clippings
1896-25
1926 January-June
1926 July
1926 August 1-15
1926 August 16-31
1926 September-December
1927
13
1928 December 15 The Cape Argus
1928
1929
1930-35
1936-39 and undated
Miscellaneous
Egypt
Government publications
Folder 1
Folder 2
14
Guidebooks
Folder 1
Folder 2
Guidebooks--South Africa
Folder 1
Folder 2
Lectures and Interviews
Missions of South Africa
"Natives" Clippings
Notes, South Africa
Receipts, Menus, Tickets, etc.
Trip Arrangements
Miscellaneous
Australia
15
England
1931-34
Clippings
France
1923-24
Clippings
Notes
Printed Material
Greece
Iran
1895-1935
1936-45
Alborz College
Colleges
Iraq
Clippings
Notes
Java and Bali
17
Orient--clippings
Passports
Portugal
Serbia
Correspondence
Folder 1
Folder 2
18
Folder 3
Folder 4
Folder 5
Folder 6
Folder 7
Folder 8
Folder 9
Atrocities
Circle of Serbian Sisters
Clippings
Maestrovitch, Ivan
Photos
Publications
Miscellaneous
Folder 1
South America
Folder 1
19
Folder 2
Spain
Clippings
Notes
Sweden Accident
Syria
American University
Clippings
Guidebooks
Notes
Publications
Receipts
Turkey
20 .
Miscellaneous
MEMORABILIA
21-23
Photographs and Prints
24-25
Postcard Collection (Alphabetical by country)
26
Scrapbooks (2), lantern slides, and 20 oversized certificates, etc.
NOTE: Both of Rosalie S. Morton's books are in the
Hoover Library reference collection.