Established in 1788, the Historical Medical Library at the College of Physicians Philadelphia served as Philadelphia’s main medical library for more than a century. Today, the library boasts hundreds of thousands of physical and digital collections including an impressive collection of books printed prior to 1501. The Library has a close relationship with the Mutter Museum and has all kinds of niche health-related ephemera.
Within the stacks a researcher can find treasures like Cocoa and chocolate; a short history of their production and use, with full and particular account of their properties, and of the various methods of preparing them for food – An 1899 illustrated pamphlet advertising the benefits of chocolate products for Walter Baker & Company.
The Archive accepts visitors in-person in Philadelphia by appointment, or materials can be accessed online 24/7.
Images courtesy of the Historical Medical Library Collections at the College of Physicians Philadelphia.
This post was inspired by a suggestion presented during the 2022 SJSU SAASC Scavenger Hunt.
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