Box 01

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence congratulating Waterhouse on a speech he gave to the Humane Society, and commenting on potential benefits of trade between the United States and Great Britain, as well as the growing number of "Dutch Quacks" in the medical field.

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence to Harvard President Joseph Willard resigning his chairmanship of the University's department of medicine.

Scope and Contents:

Document signed by Harvard President Joseph Willard regarding Corporation votes related to Waterhouse in his position as professor at the Harvard Medical School from 1788 April 9 to 1798 April 20. The votes granted permission for Waterhouse to deliver his annual course of lectures on Natural History, to receive a cabinet of minerals from John Coakley Lettsom, and to increase his fees for lectures.

Scope and Contents: Correspondence from Harvard Chairman Lathrop informing Waterhouse his application to receive teaching privileges in the Almshouse in Boston would not be considered by the Corporation until he conforms to University policies regarding the "extension of the medical establishment to Boston," referring to the proposed relocation of Harvard Medical School from Cambridge to Boston. The document includes a postscript, possibly written by Judge Oliver Wendell, regarding the Corporation's decision to...

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence to Howell, a law professor at the College of Rhode Island (Brown University) and secretary of the school's Corporation, in which Waterhouse says he is open to giving another course of lectures at the college on natural history.

Scope and Contents: Copy of correspondence to the former president in which Waterhouse expresses grief over the recent death of Benjamin Rush, and his hope to be able to leave Boston and enter the service of the government. Waterhouse writes that Federalist opposition has thwarted his medical practice in Boston, and he would be interested in succeeding Rush as treasurer of the United States Mint in Philadelphia, or serving in the newly created position of surgeon general. The correspondence is unsigned and...

Scope and Contents: Correspondence mainly regarding smallpox vaccine matter Waterhouse sent to Jefferson and efforts to vaccinate the population of Virginia. In one letter, Jefferson writes that 20 of his family members were successfully inoculated, and he describes the symptoms they have and the appearance of their sores. He also writes of his efforts to store and transmit matter: "I have this day impregnated some thread, & half a dozen toothpicks, which I forward to Doct. Gant, who writes me that his...

Scope and Contents: Correspondence regarding literature and books sent to him by Waterhouse, including Robinson Crusoe, and politics. Jefferson alludes to Waterhouse's "persecution" by Federalists opposed to his practice of vaccination. Jefferson also discusses the origins of the American Revolution in relation to a quote attributed to him in a biography of Patrick Henry. He further writes of his own state of health at age 75: "I am much debilitated in body, and my...

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence to his son Andrew's tutor, asking "whether any expedient can be hit upon to induce Master Andrew to write as well at school as he does at home?"

Scope and Contents:

Copy of correspondence by Jenner in which he writes he is sending Waterhouse copies of a paper he wrote on the origins of vaccination and inoculation.

Scope and Contents:

In correspondence to Jenner in London, Waterhouse describes the difficulties he has encountered with opponents of vaccination and asks for some additional matter, specifying that it be sent on soaked threads pressed between glass and sealed with wax. In a postscript, he writes he has found that the vaccine matter will be destroyed at temperatures of 98 degrees, and asks if Jenner thinks it might similarly be affected by extreme cold.

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence in which the French physician recounts a conversation he had with a visitor from Boston to his apothecary, who gave him news of Waterhouse and his Harvard colleagues, including progress made with inoculation. Laterrière was the first foreign graduate of Harvard Medical School in 1789. He also writes about his sons and plans for their education. Included is undated correspondence to Waterhouse from his eldest son, Pierre-Jean de Sales Laterrière.

Scope and Contents:

Unaddressed correspondence, most likely to United States Surgeon General James Tilton, regarding the provision of liquor to soldiers in the Army and the ill effects of alcohol consumption.

Scope and Contents:

Unaddressed correspondence to the commanding officer of his son Andrew, possibly Colonel Long, that was enclosed with 10 dollars, which Waterhouse sent for Andrew after he was robbed.

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence to unknown recipient, possibly Colonel Long, the commanding officer of son Andrew's army regiment, requesting advice on whether Andrew should reenlist. Waterhouse further inquires about a promotion for his son.

Scope and Contents: Correspondence in which Waterhouse laments Harvard Corporation's choice of Fisher Ames as university president, describing him as "a man no one ever thought of; a sort of negative character; a man without friends or enemies; a man as ignorant of the world as if he had never been born into it; a mere mathematician, to which brand of science he is a bigot; a man who thinks that all the rest of the world are busy about trifles, mathematicians excepted!" Ames declined the presidency due to his...

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence discussing the Army's attempts to relocate Waterhouse from his post in Boston to an unwanted posting at the hospital department in Jackets Harbor, New York, which he attributes to the work of his "professional & political enemies.".

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence discussing Canadian politics and the decision by Harvard Corporation to combine the botanical and natural history professorships. Waterhouse also comments on the decline of student enrollment at Harvard.

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence expressing his wish that Waterhouse and wife Louisa pay him a visit at home, and addressing Waterhouse's Essay on Junius and his letters.