Letters and programs

This addition to the Isaac Arthur Abt Papers is arranged in seven main categories: biographical materials, correspondence, clippings, materials relating to Abt's 85th birthday celebration, honors, obituaries, and publications.

The biographical material includes personal notes (one, not to Abt, written and signed by Abraham Jacobi); professional and membership cards; notes and cards from Abt's student days in Vienna (1892-93); programs of meetings in which Abt took part; his filled-out application for membership in the Volunteer Medical Service Corps (September 8, 1918); and '“The Debutante”, yearbook from Johns Hopkins University, for Abt's graduating class of 1889.

The correspondence (mostly letters to Abt with a few drafts and copies of replies) includes a personal folder (arranged chronologically by day) and letters and telegrams written for his 70th, 75th, 80th, and 86th birthdays. The personal material contains a postcard (May 29, 1907) of Vienna from Joseph B. De Lee; three handwritten letters from Fielding H. Garrison: August 9, 1917 (thanking Abt for his excellent picture, mentioning his specific needs of pictures for the history of pediatrics Garrison was then writing, and commenting on the likelihood of seeing overseas duty in the war); August 17, 1932 acknowledging Abt's approval of Garrison's recent tribute to Steinschneider and commenting at some length on Steinschneider's personality and philosophy. Garrison “understands” that most of Steinschneider's correspondence is to be given to the Morningside Seminary; and December 19, 1932 briefly thanking Abt for letter and kind invitation which he must decline. Also here is a handwritten letter (May 25, 1935) from Bela Schick reporting the possibilities of putting together a Festschrift for Knoepfdmacher or, more likely, an honorary membership in an important pediatric society. Schick earnestly requests Abt's advice. This folder includes two letters from Northwestern University President Walter Dill Scott (April 29, 1931) inviting Abt to receive an honorary degree (Doctor of Science) from Northwestern and taking delight in Abt's acceptance (May 5, 1931). Finally there are letters from Charles Huggins (October 23, 1944) thanking Abt, his patient, for the beautiful wristwatch; from Ross Harrison (April 20, 1954) inviting Abt to their 65th reunion at Johns Hopkins, with handwritten postscript; and from Abraham Jacobi (undated, handwritten on letterhead of The Blackstone Chicago) thanking Abt for his hospitality.

The remaining correspondence consists of congratulatory letters and telegrams for various birthdays.

The clippings include items about Abt (interviews, events) and articles by Abt on public health and other medical matters. The Pure Milk Hearing clippings refer to Abt's testimony during a public meeting in Chicago set up to improve the quality of commercially produced milk. The Miriam Rubin Case folder contains two reprinted announcements (in a Wayne, Nebraska, paper) concerning Abt's consultation regarding this girl's treatment by a chiropractor in Waukegan, Illinois.

The 85th birthday celebration materials (Box 11) contain 2 albums of congratulatory letters and a folder of additional letters and the programs and publicity pertaining to the dinner and the movie (“Stars and Stripes Forever”).

The honors material includes letters and clippings about the presentations of the American Medical Association's Distinguished Service Award (1948) and France's Cross of the Legion of Honor (1927). Abt was elected president of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago for 1933 and there are a few items related to this.

Obituaries of Abt appeared in several newspapers. The major element in the publications section is concerned with Abt's autobiography, Baby Doctor, published in 1944. In addition to letters from friends, colleagues, “Abt babies”, and the general public, there are many ads, flyers, and reviews.