Records of the Nottingham Medico-Chirurgical Society, a medical society,1828-1996

• Minute books including minutes of annual general meetings and council meetings. 1851-1996 (MCH1);
• Printed reports. 1945/46-1992/1993 (MCH 2);
• Printed rules for the society. 1846-1993 (MCH 3);
• Registers of members and attendance at meetings. 1952-1979 (MCH 4);
• Administrative records. c. 1945-c.1995 (MCH 5);
• Records relating to the administration of the society's library comprising: manuscript andprinted catalogues, 1828-1955 (MCH 6/1); suggestion books for the Society's library and Lewis'slibrary giving the names of titles proposed by members, 1885-1910 (MCH 6/2); transcription of thelibrary's 1836-1878 suggestion book and 1828-1831 catalogue, 1971 (MCh 6/3); issue books for theSociety's library recording loans of particular books to members, 1832-1964 (MCH 6/4); signing-inbook for the library, 1903-1907 (MCH 6/5); assorted printed signs and leaflets that would have beendisplayed, produced or received by the Society and its library including sets of library rules andagenda for Society meetings, 1888-1950 (MCH 6/6); and a volume recording books from Lewis's libraryrequested by members, 1910-1948 (MCH 6/7);
• Printed works and research papers relating to the society's history; including a proof copy ofthe 150th anniversary history and copies of photographs used in that publication. This series alsocontains two published works that do not relate to the society. They are a bicentenary history ofAberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society and an autobiography of R.G. Hogworth about his time atNottingham General Hospital. 1928-1989 (MCH 7);
• Photographic negatives and prints of former presidents of the Society, the old General Hospital and itsstaff and associated hospitals, undated (MCH 6/8 and MCH 8).

The Nottingham Medico-Chirurgical Society was founded in 1828 as a book society. It became theNottingham Medico-Chirurgical Book Society in 1843 with the intention of establishing a medicallending library. It is believed to be the second oldest medical society in the country. In the 19thcentury, it met at Nottingham General Hospital and the General Dispensary. From 1910 to 1972, thesociety occupied premises at 64, St. James Street, Nottingham. The society is still in existence andhas an active programme. It meets in the board room of the Postgraduate Centre at Nottingham CityHospital. Its thousand members are drawn from general practice, academia, industrial medicine andthe community. The society was established as a registered charity by trust deed in 1977.

The Society's library, the bulk of which came to be only of historical interest, fell intoneglect and was practically lost in 1911 when the society moved to new premises. A substantialproportion, some 1160 volumes, was bought by The University of Nottingham in 1971 with theassistance of a gift by Mrs. Miriam Kaplowitch OBE. Another considerable part of the collection wasacquired in 1973. The volumes remained physically in the University's Medical Library until 1994when they were transferred to the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections.

The collection has been divided into 8 series. Within these series, items have been arrangedchronologically where possible.

ACCESS: Pending full cataloguing, access to thecollection is limited and is only possible after advance notice and agreement.

LANGUAGE: English

This description is the only finding aid available for this collection. Copyright in thedescription belongs to The University of Nottingham.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposesonly, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of any material from this collection must be soughtin advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections(email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). TheDepartment will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but this can be difficult and theresponsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the person wishingto publish.

Manuscript items from the society's library were acquired by The University of Nottingham'sDepartment of Manuscripts and Special Collections on a number of separate occasions between 1996 and2003.

• The University of Nottingham; Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections: Printedmedical treatises collected by the Medico-Chirurgical Book Society, 16th-19th centuries. Books inthe collection are recorded on the university's library catalogue, UNLOC.