Descriptive Summary
Special Collections of the University Libraries at The Catholic University of America
n.d.(1875-1938)1978
Lawrence Francis Flick, n.d.(1856-1938)1978
The Lawrence Francis Flick Papers
45 linear feet; 31 boxes, 3 oversize boxes
The Flick Papers consists of two series, one of bound volumes of
chronological correspondence, with index cards, divided into five subseries and the other a smaller group of alphabetical subject files. Some 100 volumes of Flick's strictly medical material was donated by his family to the Library of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Philadelphia and the numbers assigned to these may account for those missing below. Flick's primary concerns of combating Tuberculosis and promoting American Catholicism permeate throughout.
ACUA 040
English
Biographical Note
Lawrence Francis Flick was born 10 August 1856 in Cambria County, near present day Carrolltown, Pennsylvania, to German immigrants John Flick and Elizabeth Sharbaugh. He was educated at St. Vincent's College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and at Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, graduating in 1879. He became a physician, pathologist, and specialist in tuberculosis and its prevention and treatment. Suffering himself from pulmonary tuberculosis, his studies prompted him to argue that the disease was contagious and not hereditary. His efforts to isolate consumptives in special hospitals and to register tuberculosis cases was controversial and opposed by many within the medical profession.
Between 1892 and 1910, Flick's efforts to educate the public prompted him to found the Pennsylvania Society for Prevention of Tuberculosis; the Free Hospital for Poor Consumptives; the Henry Phipps Institute for the Study, Prevention, and Treatment of Tuberculosis, where he was President and Medical Director, 1903-1910; and a sanitarium at White Haven, Pennsylvania, that he directed until 1935. Catholics from all levels of society were generous in their contributions and assistance. Flick was a promoter of the National Association for Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis (1904) and of its International Congress on Tuberculosis (1908).
He was the author of many articles and book reviews that were published in journals such as The Ecclesiastical Review and the Catholic Historical Review as well as several books including Consumption, A Curable and Preventable Disease (1903) and Tuberculosis, A Book of Practical Knowledge to Guide the General Practitioner of Medicine (1937). He was also a founder of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, where he was President from 1893 to 1896 and again from 1913 to 1914, and he a founder and first president of the American Catholic Historical Association in 1919. He died in Philadelphia on 7 July 1938.
Scope and Contents
The Flick Papers consists of two series, one of bound volumes of
chronological correspondence, with index cards, divided into five
sub-series and the other a smaller group of alphabetical subject files.
Some 100 volumes of Flick's strictly medical material was donated by his
family to the Library of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Philadelphia and the numbers assigned to these may account for those
missing below. Flick's primary concerns of combating Tuberculosis and
promoting American Catholicism permeate throughout.
Subseries 1.1 of the correspondence comprises twenty-three bound
volumes, numbered 1-23, of letters Flick received, 1875-1908, described
as the "Second Series." There is no explanation in regard to this title
nor to the existence of any "First Series."
Subseries 1.2 is a group of bound letters received, 1909-1936,
numbered from volume 56 to volume 112. There is no information regarding
the numbering and where any volumes 24-55 might be, though there is no
apparent time gap between the first set of volumes and this set.
Subseries 1.3 is the oddly titled "Miscellanies" with volumes 2,
3 and 4, also bound, and covering the years 1862 to 1932. This materials
consists of a mix of routine correspondence about personal financial and
domestic issues as well as postcards (blank and used), Christmas and
sympathy cards, professional calling cards, and invitations. There is no
information in regard to a volume 1.
Subseries 1.4 consists of Letterpress copy books, thirty-one in
all, and numbered 87 to 117, which contact Flick's outgoing
correspondence for the period 1903 to 1938.
Subseries 1.5 has 3" x 5" index cards housed in three oversize
archival boxes. This rather comprehensive index has entries for the
numbered volumes not present in this collection.
Series 2 contains two boxes of general subject files, many
undated but generally covering the period of 1875 to 1929, but with some undated and a publication from 1978. This material
was not bound and is miscellaneous in nature and includes files on the
American Catholic Historical Association (ACHA), copies of hand written
and typed manuscripts by Flick and others, Flick's legal papers, family
correspondence, Third Liberty Loan (1918) flyers, and his poetry and
speeches.
Collection is open to researchers but due to the fragile nature of many
of the documents, it is not always possible to make photocopies.
Arrangement
The Lawrence Francis Flick Papers consists of two series:
- Series 1: Correspondence, 1875-1938 (Boxes 1-29; Oversize 32-34)
- Series 2: General Subject Files, A-Z, n.d.(1875-1929)1978 (Boxes 30-31)
Restrictions on Access
Collection is open to researchers, but due to the fragile nature of many of the documents, it is not always possible to make photocopies.
Related Material
Special Collections of the University Libraries at The Catholic University of America:
The Records of the American Catholic Historical Association
Other Repositories:
holds Flick materials in three parts. The first includes bound pamphlets: 158 volumes (ca. 7,500 pamphlets), which contain a vast amount of printed material on tuberculosis, ranging from reprints to asylum annual reports to the annual reports of state and local anti-tuberculosis associations to ephemeral notices and brochures produced by various national and international charity and medical agencies, dating from the end of the 19th century to the early 1930s. The second is 55 volumes which contain Flick's correspondence covering the topic of tuberculosis. The third in an unprocessed scrapbook.
Index Terms
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Persons:
Flick, Lawrence F. (Lawrence Francis), 1856-1938.
Gallitzin, Demetrius A. (Demetrius Augustine), 1770-1840.
Phipps, Henry, 1839-1930.
Organizations:
American Catholic Historical Association
American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia
Places:
Pennsylvania
Subjects:
Pathology
Tuberculosis
Acquisition Information
Donated by Ella M.E. Flick and Mercedes Seton Flick in 1955. Miscellanous accession of publications in 2020.
Processing Information
When the Flick papers were intially processed in 1996 by W. J. Shepherd and A. William Richardson, the volumes were wrapped in acid-free paper and identified by labels on the outside. In 2006 archives staff relocated the collection, placed the materials into acid-free boxes, and compiled a finding aid.
Processing completed in November 2006 by Mr. Shepherd with EAD markup completed in November 2006 by Jordan Patty. EAD revisions in 2013 by Michael J. Dobbs and in 2020-2021 by Mr. Shepherd.
Bibliography
Articles:
'Gallitzin,' Catholic Historical Review October 1927 n.s. VII (3): 394-469.
'The Pastor and Health Certificates for Marriage,' The Ecclesiastical Review October 1929 9^th Series - 1 (81) (4): 347-360.
'What the American Has Got Out of the Melting Pot from the Catholic,' Catholic Historical Review October 1925 n.s. V (3): 407-430.
Books:
Development of our Knowledge of Tuberculosis. Philadelphia, 1925.
Tuberculosis; A Book of Practical Knowledge to Guide the General Practitioner of Medicine. Philadelphia, 1937.
Consumption a Curable and Preventable Disease; What a Layman Should Know About It. Philadelphia: D. McKay, 1903.
The Crusade Against Tuberculosis in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, 1908.
The Prevention of Tuberculosis: A Century's Experience in Italy under the Influence of Preventive Laws of the Kingdom of Naples, enacted in 1782. New York, 1891.
About Flick:
Bates, Barbara. Bargaining for Life: A Social History of Tuberculosis, 1876-1938. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992.
Flick, Cecilia R. Dr. Lawrence F. Flick As I Knew Him. Philadelphia: Dorrance, 1956.
Flick, Ella. Beloved Crusader: Lawrence F. Flick, Physician. Philadelphia: Dorrance, 1944.
Gerrity, F. "Lawrence Francis Flick," New Catholic Encyclopedia, VII, 1967, 963-964.
Schmandt, Raymond H. 'Some Notes on Bishop J. F. Regis Canevin of Pittsburgh (1904-1921),' Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia 1984 95(1-4): 91-107.
Schmandt, Raymond H. 'Some Reaction to Dr. Lawrence F. Flick's Proposal for a Daily Catholic Newspaper,' Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia 1980 91(1-4): 85-103.
Schmandt, Raymond H. 'The Friendship Between Bishop Regis Canevin of Pittsburgh and Dr. Lawrence Flick of Philadelphia,' The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine October 1978 61(4): 283-300.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Correspondence,
1875-1908
(18 boxes; 1 oversize box)
Series 1 consists of bound volumes of chronological correspondence, with index cards, divided into five
subseries.
The first subseries of the correspondence comprises twenty-three bound
volumes, numbered 1-23, of letters Flick received, 1875-1908, described
as the "Second Series."
The second subseries is a group of bound letters received, 1909-1936,
numbered from volume 56 to volume 112.
The third subseries is the oddly titled "Miscellanies" with volumes 2,
3 and 4, also bound, and covering the years 1862 to 1932.
The fourth subseries consists of Letterpress copy books, thirty-one in
all, and numbered 87 to 117, which contact Flick's outgoing
correspondence for the period 1903 to 1938.
The fifth subseries has 3" x 5" index cards housed in three oversize
archival boxes. This rather comprehensive index has entries for the
numbered volumes not present in this collection.
Subseries 1.1: Second Series,
1875-1908
(7 boxes)
Volumes 1-23
1
1
Correspondence Second Series,
1875-1890
1
2
Correspondence Second Series,
1891-1892
2.
3
Correspondence Second Series,
January - December 1893
2.
4
Correspondence Second Series,
January - December 1894
2.
5
Correspondence Second Series,
January - December 1895
3
6
Correspondence Second Series,
January - December 1896
3
7
Correspondence Second Series,
January - December 1897
3
8
Correspondence Second Series,
January - December 1898
3
9
Correspondence Second Series,
January - December 1899
4
10
Correspondence Second Series,
January 1900-December 1901
4
11
Correspondence Second Series,
January 1902-December 1902
5
12
Correspondence Second Series,
January-December 1903
5
13
Correspondence Second Series,
January-May 1904
6
14
Correspondence Second Series,
June-September 1904
6
15
Correspondence Second Series,
October-December 1904
6
16
Correspondence Second Series,
January-March 1905
6
17
Correspondence Second Series,
April-June 1905
6
18
Correspondence Second Series,
July-October 1905
7
19
Correspondence Second Series,
January-June 1906
7
20
Correspondence Second Series,
July-December 1906
7
21
Correspondence Second Series,
January-June 1907
7
22
Correspondence Second Series,
July-October 1907
7
23
Correspondence Second Series,
November-December 1907
7
24
Correspondence Second Series,
January-December 1908
Subseries 1.2: Letters,
1909-1936
(16 boxes)
Volumes 56-112
8
56
Letters,
January-February 1909
8
57
Letters,
March-April 1909
8
58
Letters,
May-July 1909
9
59
Letters,
August-October 1909
9
60
Letters,
November-December 1909
9
61
Letters,
January-March 1910
9
62
Letters,
April-July 1910
10
63
Letters,
August-December 1910
10
64
Letters,
January-April 1911
10
65
Letters,
May-August 1911
11
66
Letters,
September-December 1911
11
67
Letters,
January-April 1912
11
67
Letters,
April-June 1912
11
68
Letters,
July-August 1912
11
69
Letters,
September-December 1912
12
70
Letters,
January-April 1913
12
71
Letters,
May-August 1913
12
72
Letters,
September-December 1913
13
73
Letters,
January-June 1914
13
73
Letters,
July-December 1914
13
74
Letters,
January-June 1915
14
75
Letters,
July-December 1915
14
76
Letters,
January-June 1916
14
77
Letters,
July-December 1916
15
78
Letters,
January-June 1917
15
79
Letters,
July-December 1917
15
80
Letters,
January-December 1918
16
81
Letters,
January-December 1919
16
82
Letters,
January-December 1920
16
83
Letters,
January-December 1921
17
84
Letters,
January-December 1922
17
85
Letters,
January-March 1923
17
86
Letters,
April-June 1923
17
87
Letters,
July-October 1923
18
88
Letters,
November-December 1923
18
89
Letters,
January-June 1924
18
90
Letters,
July-December 1924
18
91
Letters,
January-June 1925
19
92
Letters,
July-December 1925
19
93
Letters,
January-June 1926
19
94
Letters,
July-December 1926
20
95
Letters,
January-June 1927
20
96
Letters,
July-December 1927
20
97
Letters,
January-July 1928
20
98
Letters,
July-December 1928
21
99
Letters,
January-September 1929
21
100
Letters,
September-December 1929
21
101
Letters,
January-June 1930
21
102
Letters,
July-December 1930
21
102
Letters,
January-June 1931
22
103
Letters,
July-December 1931
22
104
Letters,
January-June 1932
22
105
Letters,
July-December 1932
22
106
Letters,
January-June 1933
23
107
Letters,
July-December 1933
23
108
Letters,
January-June 1934
23
109
Letters,
July-December 1934
23
110
Letters,
January-June 1935
24
111
Letters,
July-December 1935
24
112
Letters,
January-December 1936
Subseries 1.3: Miscellanies,
n.d.
(2 boxes)
Volumes 2-4
24
2
Miscellanies,
1885-1927
25
3
Miscellanies,
1862-1906
25
4
Miscellanies,
1905-1932
Subseries 1.4: Letterpress Copy Books,
1903-1938
(4 boxes)
Volumes 87-117
25
87
Letterpress Copy Books,
September 29,1903-April 7, 1904
25
88
Letterpress Copy Books,
April 7, 1904-December 30, 1904
25
89
Letterpress Copy Books,
December 30, 1904-October 31, 1905
26
90
Letterpress Copy Books,
November 1, 1905-July 27, 1906
26
91
Letterpress Copy Books,
July 27, 1906-February 1, 1907
26
92
Letterpress Copy Books,
February 1, 1907-November 2, 1907
26
93
Letterpress Copy Books,
November 4, 1907-April 4, 1908
26
94
Letterpress Copy Books,
April 4, 1908-September 7, 1908
26
95
Letterpress Copy Books,
September 7, 1908-March 2, 1909
27
96
Letterpress Copy Books,
March 1, 1909-December 29, 1909
27
97
Letterpress Copy Books,
December 30, 1909-December 10, 1910
27
98
Letterpress Copy Books,
December 10, 1910-October 17, 1911
27
99
Letterpress Copy Books,
October 17, 1911-October 10, 1912
27
100
Letterpress Copy Books,
October 10, 1912-July 31, 1913
27
101
Letterpress Copy Books,
July 31, 1913-August 26, 1914
28
102
Letterpress Copy Books,
August 27, 1914-December 3, 1915
28
103
Letterpress Copy Books,
December 6, 1915-February 20, 1917
28
104
Letterpress Copy Books,
February 20, 1917-September 17, 1918
28
105
Letterpress Copy Books,
September 18, 1918-May 16, 1921
28
106
Letterpress Copy Books,
October 2, 1922-March 12, 1924
28
107
Letterpress Copy Books,
March 13, 1924-January 30, 1925
28
108
Letterpress Copy Books,
January 31, 1925-January 28, 1926
29
109
Letterpress Copy Books,
January 28, 1926-November 19, 1926
29
110
Letterpress Copy Books,
November 20, 1926-November 4, 1927
29
111
Letterpress Copy Books,
November 4, 1927-August 15, 1929
29
112
Letterpress Copy Books,
August 16, 1929-April 16, 1931
29
113
Letterpress Copy Books,
April 17, 1931-February 22, 1933
29
114
Letterpress Copy Books,
February 23, 1933-November 23, 1933
29
115
Letterpress Copy Books,
November 24, 1933-June 1, 1935
29
116
Letterpress Copy Books,
June 1, 1935-April 11, 1937
29
117
Letterpress Copy Books,
April 12, 1937-June 18-1938
Subseries 1.5: Alphetical Index Cards to Correspondence,
n.d.
(3 oversize boxes)
32
Alphetical Index Cards to Correspondence,
n.d.
33
Alphetical Index Cards to Correspondence,
n.d.
34
Alphetical Index Cards to Correspondence,
n.d.
Series 2: General Subject Files, A-Z,
n.d.(1875-1929)1978
(2 boxes)
The second series contains two boxes of general subject files, many
undated but generally covering the period of 1875 to 1929, with one print item from 1978. This material
was not bound and is miscellaneous in nature.
30
1
American Catholic Historical Association
Correspondence, Minutes, Publications, 1919-1920
30
2
American Catholic Historical Association
Manuscripts - Miscellaneous (1), n.d.
30
3
American Catholic Historical Association
Manuscripts - Miscellaneous (2), n.d.
30
4
American Catholic Historical Association
Manuscripts - Miscellaneous (3), n.d.
30
5
"A Catholic Daily Newspaper", n.d.
30
6
(Facsimile) 'Beloved Crusader: Lawrence F. Flick - Physician' by Ella M. E. Flick, Philadelphia: Dorrance and Company, 1944
30
7
Diary Transcription (Typescript) 1879-1880, n.d.
30
8
'Dom Bosco's Messenger,'1915
30
9
(Photocopy)'Dr. Lawrence F. Flick As I Knew Him' by Cecilia R. Flick, Philadelphia: Dorrance and Company, 1956
30
10
Family Letters (1), 1888-1924
30
11
Family Letters (2), 1888-1924
30
12
Family Letters (3), 1888-1924
30
13
Family Letters, Cards, Photos (1), n.d.
30
14
Family Letters, Cards, Photos (1), n.d.
30
15
"Flick and Stone Familes
Ancestral Notes and Miscellaneous (1), n.d.
30
16
Flick and Stone Familes
Ancestral Notes and Miscellaneous (2), n.d.
30
17
'Fugitive Recollections......1868-1878'
Rev. Henry (illegible), St. Vincent College, n.d.
30
18
Gallitzen Data and Miscellaneous (1), n.d.
30
19
Gallitzen Data and Miscellaneous (2), n.d.
30
20
Gallitzen Data and Miscellaneous (3), n.d.
30
21
Gallitzen Data and Miscellaneous (4), n.d.
30
22
'Graded Spelling Books for City Schools'
Moran and Brelsford, 1901-1906
30
23
Henry Phipps
Biographical Notes on (1), 1902
30
24
Henry Phipps
Biographical Notes on (2), 1902
30
25
Laetare Medal, 1920
30
26
Legal Papers, Blueprints
House on Pine Street, Philadelphia, 1907-1921
30
27
'Marriage Certificate of Health'
Ecclesiastical Review Article, 1929
31
1
Medical Notes (1), n.d.
31
2
Medical Notes (2), n.d.
31
3
Miscellaneous, n.d.
31
4
Notebook, 1875-1887
31
5
Photos, Sketch, n.d.
31
6
Poetry, n.d.
31
7
Publications: Catholic
Miscellaneous, 1914-1915, n.d.
31
8
Publications: Catholic: New York
Miscellaneous, 1914-1916
31
9
Religious Society of Roman Catholics
Incorporation Papers, n.d.
31
10
St. Joseph College Speech, n.d.
31
11
'Samuel Castner, Jr.'
Notes and Miscellaneous, n.d.
31
12
Silver Shirts of Pennsylvania
Anti-Semitic and Anti-Communist Statement (Typescript), 1933
31
13
'Snatches of Early Novel of Dr. Flick' (Handwriting of Mrs. Flick), n.d.
31
14
Souvenir of the Cardinal Mercier Dinner, 1919
31
15
Sullivan-Clinton Expedition Sesquicentennial, ca. 1928
31
16
The Friendship Between Bishop Regis Canevin of Pittsburgh and Dr. Lawrence Flick of Philadelphia,' The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine (61:10), October 1978, No. 4, pp. 283-300, September 1913-May 1915
31
17
The Good Work" Magazine, September 1913-May 1915
31
18
Third Liberty Loan
Flyers, 1918
31
19
Tuberculosis
Reference, n.d.
31
20
What the American has Got Out of the Melting Pot from the Catholic
Manuscript, n.d.