New York Neurological Society Records, 1874-1935

Historical Note

The New York Neurological Society was founded in 1872. Two years later, several members called for a reorganization saying that the Society “beyond the transaction of some business of minor importance…had thus far never accomplished anything.” The revived society was for the “study of clinical cases and pathological specimens, leaving to our sister society [The New York Society of Neurology and Electrology] the discussions of papers of a heavy and theoretical character.” The Society was incorporated in 1882.

Early on, the Society became active in political areas. Among its first causes were lobbying against a proposed law to prohibit medical experimentation on animals and concern for abuses in the management of the city’s insane asylum.

The society often had joint meetings with the New York Academy of Medicine’s Section on Neurology and Psychiatry. To reduce the number of meetings members had to attend each year, in 1931 it was proposed to hold all meetings jointly with the Academy’s section.

Collection Description

Scope and Content

This small collection is largely the minutes of the Society. The minutes are fairly sparse; details of presentations and discussions are lacking beyond the names of the presenter and those that participated in the discussion. The membership records are extensive, and the minutes of the Executive Council are almost entirely about membership.

Arrangement of Collection

Organized into three series:

• Organization
• Executive Council
• Membership

Administrative Info

Collection processed and described by Dorothy Truman

Requests for permission to quote from or publish any materials should be directed to the referemce librarian or curator in writing.

Preferred Citation

New York Neurological Society Records. The Drs. Barry and Bobbi Coller Rare Book Reading Room, New York Academy of Medicine Library.

Collection Contents

Find Similar Resources

As the New York Neurological Society held meetings jointly with the New York Academy of Medicine Section on Neurology and Psychiatry after 1931, researchers may also be interested in the Section’s records, which are available in this library.

Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of The New York Academy of Medicine Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.