History and Origin

Founder's List - February 11, 1881

History of the Baltimore Monthly Medical Reunion - 1881-2004

Remarks by Dr. William A. Baumgartner, at the 569th Reunion dinner at the Center Club, February 12, 2004

My being the host at this 569th gathering for the dinner, prompted me to learn more about the history of this august Baltimore physician diner club.  I decided to seek the help of Ned Campbell and Phil Mackowiak and, of course, the previous essays of Carmichael Tilghman.  I have borrowed much of what I have to say from the archives of this organization which are maintained at the Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.  Dr. Tilghman provided the archives with the first three minute books from 1881 to 1979.  In addition to reviewing these, I reviewed the minutes from 1980 to our last meeting in January, 2004.  As I mentioned, I borrowed liberally from a number of historical documents primarily written by Carmichael Tilghman, but also including essays by Drs. Houston Tolson, John King, and J. Albert Chatard.

In borrowing a paragraph from a letter by Dr. Dick Ross inviting the Honorable Harry Hughes, then Governor of Maryland, in 1980, to speak at dinner, he said “Past experience indicates that the attention span of this group after cocktails, dinner, wine and brandy is limited to about 30 minutes.”  In keeping with this saga advice, I promise that my talk tonight will be less than 30 minutes.

As you know, Dr. Alan Penniman Smith was founder of this organization with the initial dinner occurring on February 10, 1881. There were 30 invited physicians who met for dinner at his home on 45 Franklin Street, where it was determined that a social professional club should be organized and promoted.

The minutes of that meeting describe the regulations that were adopted.

The undersigned, in order to promote social intercourse between themselves as members of the medical profession, and that more frequent opportunities may be afforded for interchange of opinions have determined to hold a series of monthly reunions at their respected houses.  The meetings will be devoted to medical conversation and will also be accompanied by a slight collation.  Each subscriber pledges himself to the acceptance and strict observance of the following regulations:

Invitations to the reunion shall be limited to the subscribers.

The host of the evening shall have the privilege of 5 extra invitations to be confined strictly to the members of the profession.

The Viands on occasions of meetings shall be limited to a single dish.

The introduction of Champagne will not be permitted.

The order of the entertainments shall be determined by sequence of the signatures.

There shall be appointed at the first reunion an executive committee of three to whom shall be referred all matters connected with the management of the reunion and all violations of the rules.  Their action shall be final.

When 30 subscribers shall have been obtained, the list shall be closed, and no new members received except to fill vacancies made by death or resignation and then only upon recommendation by the executive committee and with the unanimous consent of the members.

These rules were followed by the 30 names of the founders, all in the same handwriting, most likely that of Dr. Alan P. Smith. The first Executive Committee consisted of Drs. Alan P. Smith, J.C. Thomas, and D.I. McKew. Phil Mackowiak is the 6th Secretary and Chairman of the Executive Committee.  Dr. Pat Walsh has been a member of the Executive Committee since 1992.  The third member of this Committee is Dr. Joe McLaughlin.

At the February 11, 1971 meeting of the Monthly Medical Reunion, Dr. Houston Toulson made a few additional comments about the newly formed organization. He commented that the club was founded:

"in the days of easy and gracious living.  The population of the city was a little over 300,000.  The members lived modestly and for the most part within easy walking distance of each other.  Most of the practice then was outside the hospital, hence the members did not see each other at the hospital as we do.  Medical meetings were not frequently held, so that dinner meetings were important not only for the conviviality as for the impromptu consultations that took place.”

Dr. Carroll Lockard, the third secretary of the Reunion wrote one of the first summaries of the history of the club in 1934, shortly after the 50th anniversary.  Dr. Lockard made a number of pointed comments:

Since its organization there has been relatively little change in the administration of the club.  Incidental expenses were met then, as now, with assessments, or as they were first termed “voluntary contributions” of usually two dollars.

Even as early as the Sixth Reunion, meeting on the evening of September 8th, at the residence of Dr. McSherry, the reported Executive Committee called “attention of the Members to violations of the sumptuary law, alluding to the dangers threatening the society from this course, honestly asked the cooperation of the members in enforcing obedience to his law.” The following resolution was then adopted “resolved that the acceptance of invitations to any reunion is based upon the pledge of the host to observe strictly the sumptuary law in regard to the collation.”  At this reunion, too, was held the first selection to membership, that of Professor H. Newell Martin.

At the January 10, 1884 meeting, the Executive Committee suggested that: "in the future, two principal dishes be allowed in the place of one; that expensive ices should be excluded from the table and that simplicity in the entertainment should be constantly kept in view by the members when giving entertainment to the society." In the discussion of the report, Dr. O’Donovan, Sr., moved that the “whole matter of menu be left to the lady hostess of the evening.”  This motion was lost and the executive Committee’s report adopted.

In 1889 the plan of entertainment was changed from a nine o’clock supper to a seven thirty dinner.  The dress too became formal. Dinners were discontinued during World War 1 (1917-1921) and the Depression (1932-1934).  During World War II dinners were held only twice a year.  As the members became busier, the monthly meetings were gradually spaced until the arrangement of four meetings a season was put into practice with dinner planned for 7:00 p.m.  November was always a month for the business meeting, which is called to order at 6:30 p.m.  At the November 10th meeting in 1955, Dr. J. Albert Chatard, 4th Secretary of the organization, arranged for a photograph of the members.  A list of all members was put in a small pamphlet with the photograph of its founding members on the front page and with a picture of the members present at the 75th anniversary on the back page.  This idea was continued by Dr. Ted Woodward who put together the current “green booklet” of members of the medical reunion which was distributed to the membership in 1988.

The Oldest Medical Dinner Organization in Continuous Existence

Dr. Tilghman has written on more than one occasion that the Baltimore Monthly Medical Reunion is the oldest continuous medical dinner club in the United States.  Two other clubs in Boston, the Roxbury Society for Medical Improvement and the Dorchester Medical Club challenged that assertion as both of these organizations were established in May, 1866 and July, 1866, respectively.  Both of these organizations lapsed during the two World Wars as did our own organization.  To challenge this assertion, Dr. Tilghman pointed out in his remarks at the 500th reunion that while 1881is a firm date, there is reason to believe that this reunion may have been the successor to an earlier club.  This assumption was based on a letter from Dr. Samuel Claggett Chew who was one of the founders.  His letter, dated March 19, 1912 was written to Dr. John N. MacKenzie:

Dear Dr. MacKenzie,

The names given in your letter comprise the full number of those who constituted the original Medical Club-ten in all-all of whom I am the sole survivor.  Permit a tergo senectus.  The club was formed soon after my dear friend Ferd Chatard and I returned together from Paris where we had been pursuing our professional studies in 1864, and I think it was in 1865 that the club took its origin.

Its continuance in that form was not very long, how long I do not remember accurately, but the suspension was probably occasioned by your father’s death, which was a sorrow to all of us.

The present Medical Reunion was the successor or revival of the former one and was founded February 10, 1881.  It has continued, I believe, without interruption since then, or more than thirty years.  This is a very dignified degree of antiquity and it would be interesting to have sons if any of the first members in the present brotherhood.

Very sincerely your friend for the sake of yourself, your father and your grandfather.

(signed) S.C. Chew

If we assume that this is correct, our organization is truly the oldest in the United States.

Dr. Alan Penniman Smith

I’d like to make e few comments about Dr. Alan Penniman Smith who was the son of Dr. Nathan Ryno Smith and the grandson of Dr. Nathan Smith.  He not only initiated the organization of this Reunion, but he had an influence on the establishment of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. His father, Dr. Nathan Ryno Smith was a distinguished surgeon of Baltimore and the Professor of Surgery at the University of Maryland in the early 1800’s.  He arrived in 1827 to find he had been granted the Chair in Surgery, precipitously abandoned by Granville Sharp Pattison. His grandfather, Dr. Nathan Smith, was well recognized as the founder of the Medical School of Dartmouth College, the Medical School of Yale, as well as the colleges of Vermont and Bowdoin.

Dr. Alan Penniman Smith followed his father and was elected to the Chair of Operative Surgery at the University of Maryland in 1873.  It is interesting to note that he has no real love for the duties of a lecturer or teacher and sought release from them.  As Dr. Tilghman points out in his essay delivered at the 500th Reunion, which was held at Dr. Pat Walsh’s home on January 8, 1987, this portion of Dr. Alan Penniman Smith’s life is best told by his widow in an essay entitled, “The Life and Letters of Nathan Smith-The Story of the Remarkable Life and Work of Nathan smith, B.M., M.D.” which also contains a brief essay about Dr. Nathan Smith’s grandson:

In visiting among the poor in those early days, Dr. Alan Smith saw there was great need of a free dispensary where medicines as well as medical attention could be had by them, and as at that time he was making every effort to obtain experience in his profession, he determined to undertake to benefit the poor as well as himself by trying to interest his wealthy friends in the founding of such an institution.  He accordingly, among the first, applied to his friend and neighbor, Mr. Johns Hopkins, to ask for a contribution towards the subject.  Mr. Hopkins listened with evident interest to Dr. Smith’s explanation of the need and drew forth from the young doctor particulars in regard to it raising his hopes that a liberal amount would be donated, but only disappointment awaited him for Mr. Hopkins declined to give anything. After the expiration of several months, Mr. Hopkins sent for Dr. Smith and questioned him even more particularly about his ideas for giving free attention and medicine to the poor and more details of the work as proposed.  But again no subscription towards Dr. Smith’s dispensary was forthcoming, and of course a still greater disappointment followed the second visit. Sometime lapsed before Dr. Smith heard again from Mr. Hopkins and the doctor imagined that the proposition so dear to his heart had been entirely forgotten by his wealthy friend, when a request came to him to call on Mr. Hopkins for an important conference. Dr. Smith then heard to his great surprise and delight that a more important enterprise than he had ever dreamed of had been planned by Mr. Hopkins, the bequeathing of the part of his vast fortune for the establishment of a great free dispensary, connected with a vast hospital equipped with every advantage for the care of the sick among the rich as well as the poor.  It was on this occasion that Mr. Hopkins invited Dr. Alan Smith to become one of the trustees of the Hospital, the youngest member and only physician appointed by him to serve on the Board.  It may be possible that some previous suggestion had reached Mr. Hopkins for the great need of such an institution, from the foregoing evidence it is quite clear that Dr. Alan Smith was an important factor in securing for Baltimore the great gift of the Johns Hopkins Hospital."

In addition to being on the Board of Trustees of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Smith was also a Trustee of the Johns Hopkins University for a number of years.  It would appear from the brief sketch of him by his mother that he was a good friend of Mr. Johns Hopkins as well as Mr. Hopkins’ personal physician.

Dr. J. Albert Chatard

The second major figure in the Reunion was Dr. J. Albert Chatard who was secretary from 1948 to 1956.  His father, Ferdinand E. Chatard, Jr. was a founding member of the organization. Albert Chatard’s role in the organization began with his election in 1911. In February of 1949, a gift from Dr. Carroll Lockard, the outgoing Secretary, was presented to Dr. Albert Chatard as “Senior” member of the Medical Reunion.  The gift was a silver bell at and chain inscribed on one side ‘J.A.C. 1949.” Dr. Chatard promised to wear the bell at each Reunion which has continued as a tradition of the organization, with each host wearing the bell during the dinner.  The other inscription on the bell reads:

“The Bell Wether of The Baltimore Medical Reunion This Bell to be worn at each Dinner by the Host in Greeting The ‘Straying Sheep’ 75th Birthday 1881-1956”

Dr. Huntington Williams then became the Secretary and served in that role from 1956 to 1972.  Dr. Williams was the host for the 100th anniversary dinner.

Recent History

In tracing the history of the Reunion since Dr. Tilghman’ s superb summary presented in 1987 at the 500th Reunion, I reviewed the minutes primarily maintained by Dr. Ned Campbell, who was secretary from 1989 to 2003.

A recent tradition of the Reunion has been an annual Christmas party initiated by Dr. Carmichael Tilghman in 1975 and continued at his home, “Four Winds” until 1989.  Dr. Joe McLaughlin then hosted this wonderful Holiday event each Christmas Season at his home until 2003.

I was also interested to find correspondence from Dr. Alfred Blalock.  He became a member in 1941 but like a number of individuals over the years decided to resign in 1947.  He had a number of reasons for his resignation which are in part summed up in this quote.  “Among these is the fact that meetings are held on Thursday evening and I really need time to prepare for the work of Friday which is an unusually busy day for me. Furthermore, I am sure that I am not as deserving of membership in this organization as some of those who were voted upon unfavorably at the last meeting.”

In reviewing the minutes over the last 15 years, there have been a variety of sites for the dinners.  Of course, as has always been the preference, these dinners have been held in homes of various members. In addition, the following sites have been selected for these dinners: Maryland Club, The Cloisters, Mount Vernon Club, Elkridge Club, L-Hirondelle, Greenspring Valley Hunt Club, Evergreen House, Baltimore Country Club, Hamilton Street Club, Center Club, and the caves Valley Country Club.

Talks have addressed diverse topics illustrative of the interest and expertise of the members.  Some have been given by members, others by invited guests. A sampling of these topics include: historical Reunion comments, Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland reflections by its respective leaders, multiple vignettes, of medical history, philosophical topics, healthcare and practice of medicine vignettes as well as a diverse assortment of other subjects such as competing for a position in the astronaut program, the space telescope, music and medicine, impersonations of Edgar Alan Poe, and a description of an investigation of an outbreak of pfiesteriosis in the Chesapeake Bay.

Another common trait I’ve observed in reading the history of this Reunion is that many of the members have had extended life spans.  Several members have lived into their 90’s, a couple into their 100’s.  When I was invited to join, I didn’t realized that this was an added benefit of belonging to this organization!

At the 524th Reunion dinner on January 14, 1993 hosted by Dr. Robert Welch at the Elkridge club, Dr. Tilghman presented a short history of the Reunion where he again stated that this organization is “The oldest medical dinner club in continuing existence in the United States.” In 1994 Dr. John Cameron hosted the Reunion dinner at the Elkridge club.  His invited guest was Dr. Jean Baker a noted historian and author and a past Professor of History at Goucher College. I believe Jean was the first woman guest as well as speaker.  She provided the Reunion members with a vivid portrayal of the 1952 presidential campaign of Adalai Stevenson. It should also be noted that at this point Dr. Tommy Turner was a major advocate for admitting women as members, as reflected in the minutes beginning in 1994.

At the November meeting of 1996, the minutes reflect that Dr. Campbell suggested that the February meeting of the Reunion be held in April.  At this meeting held at Tilghman’s home, the majority supported the measure. The first meeting was hosted by Dr. John Dennis at the Maryland Club in 1997.

The second April meeting in 1998 was hosted by Dr. Joe McLaughlin at his home. In 1999 the meetings reverted back to the original schedule and the February meeting was hosted by Dr. Paul McHugh at the Mount Vernon Club. It is unclear to me from the minutes why the meetings were returned to the month of February.

An intestine discussion occurred at the march 6, 1997 meeting at Dr. Victor McKusick’s home. Dr. Ed Miller, then acting Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, spoke of the Medical School and the administrative structure of John’s Hopkins Medicine.  It is interesting to note that in the ensuing discussion, there was considerable support for limiting the number of medical students as it was thought there was an overabundance of physicians then being trained.  Six years later, several new manpower studies predict a shortage of physicians in the next 20 years and the AAMA has advocated that schools increase the number of students and/or create new medical schools.

I’ve very much enjoyed my membership in this organization. I’ve also had great fun in reviewing the records and talking to several of the members about the history of this organization.  Over the course of time it has been the home of many physician leaders, recognized as such not only in their own institutions but also nationally and internationally.  I’ve enjoyed the comradery and collegiality of the members as well as the education that is often provided by the topics discussed at the dinner meetings.  A number of changes have occurred within the Reunion over time.  These changes have involved the actual meeting dates, the times of the meetings, the topics discussed, the allowance of alcoholic beverages, and the size and composition of the membership.  Another important change has been the inclusion of women and minorities into the organization as members.