Pennsylvania Medical Society history

On February 23, 1850, the local group of doctors reorganized under the name of The Medical Society of the City of Reading and County of Berks.

Doctor Hiester was elected a vice president of the first body of officers of the Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania. (He would later be elected president of the state Society for the year 1853.)

There was no state meeting in 1861 “owing to the unsettled condition of the country from the war to suppress the rebellion. “

Doctor Israel Cleaver entered the Union Army in 1863 after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania.

For a list of ACMS presidents since its 1865 founding, click here.

And under that name a Table of Fees was adopted on January 16, 1866.

A revived organization was formed in January of 1871, under yet another permutation of the name (Medical Society o/the County o/Berks), headed by Doctor William Moore as president.

In 1880, member Doctor Israel Cleaver presented the subject of “Physical Culture” to the Society.

The Women’s Medical College adopted a 4-year curriculum in 1891, one of the first American medical schools to do so.

In 1896, the Society inaugurated the first publication presented by the group.

Businessman George D. Horst-of the Nolde &Horst knitting mill family purchased the house in 1912, after which the building was referred to as the Horst Mansion.

At the conclusion of the convention, the local Society was honored by having two of its members elected to state office for 1925.

[The Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania] [1952]; First Collected edition (January 1, 1952)

Dedicated on October 30, 1957, this new building at 429Walnut Street, Reading, was the headquarters of the Berks County Medical Society for 35years.