Finding Aid
|
Papers of George Royal Access and Restrictions: This collection is open for research. Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department. Copyright: Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials. Use of Collections: The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement. Acquisition and Processing Information: These materials were transferred to the University Archives prior to 1970. Finding aid created January 2010. Photographs: None |
Homeopathy composition book of Dr. George Royal. |
Scope and Contents
The papers of George Royal consist of 24 undated composition books filled with notes by Dr. Royal, professor and dean of the State University of Iowa Homeopathic Medical Department from 1892 to 1921. The first book covers general education courses and appears physically to be from an earlier period than the others, perhaps from his high school studies or while at Amherst College during the early 1870s. Notebooks two and six cite materials published during the early 1890s, which were likely current, and this connects the notes with Royal's early years at SUI.
Each of the composition books describes the medical uses of several plants, which are identified by their scientific names in the box list below. These notes are a product of Royal's research on the efficacy of homeopathic remedies, for which he was internationally known.
Some of the notebooks were singed, presumably in the 1929 fire which destroyed the Homeopathic Hospital.
Biographical Note
George Royal was born in Alford, Massachusetts on July 15, 1853. He attended high school in Willimantic, Connecticut, followed by Amherst College from 1874 through 1875. Dr. Royal received an honorary M.S. from Amherst College in 1929. During the 1870s, Royal taught at a private school in Coventry, Connecticut, and served as principal at East Hampton High School in Connecticut. He received his Medical Doctor degree from the New York Homeopathic Medical College in 1882 and moved to Des Moines, Iowa. He served as president of the Des Moines school board from 1888 to 1892.
In 1892 Dr. Royal was appointed professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics within the Homeopathic Medical Department at the State University of Iowa. In 1899 he was named dean of the Department of Homeopathic Medicine, succeeding Dr. James G. Gilchrist. Dr. Royal was active in societies, having served as treasurer of the Iowa Homeopathic Medical Society in 1901 and as president of the American Institute of Homeopathy in 1905. He was editor of the Iowa Homeopathic Journal for a number of years. In 1919 he was appointed head of the SUI Department of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Therapeutics, and served until his resignation in the spring of 1921. Royal's research focused on the efficacy of homeopathic remedies. He authored four books on the subject between 1920 and 1930 with two of these titles having later editions. Text-Book of Homeopathic Materia Medica was published in 1920 and 1962 and Homeopathic Therapy of Diseases of Brain and Nerves was published in 1928 and 1992.
George Royal married Ella J. Kingsbury and the couple had one son, Dr. Malcolm A. Royal of Des Moines, Iowa. George Royal died in Des Moines on December 27, 1931.
[D. Anderson; 01/2010]
Historical Note
According to historian Stow Persons, Dean Royal informed President Walter A. Jessup on January 9, 1918, that he would close the Homeopathic College in June 1919, due to a decline in enrollment. Persons posits the decline was in part due to the stricter admission requirements which were adopted following the influential discussions of William R. Boyd, chair of the Board of Education's finance committee, with Abraham Flexner just prior to publication of Flexner's report, Medical Education in the United States and Canada, in 1910. After the college closed in 1919, the Department of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Therapeutics was established within the College of Medicine, with courses in homeopathy listed in the University catalog until 1961.
Related Materials
Folder, "Royal, George," Faculty and Staff Vertical Files collection (RG 01.15.03)
Records of the College of Homeopathic Medicine (RG 13)
Folders, "Homeopathic Hospital," and "Homeopathic Medical Building," Buildings and Grounds Vertical Files collection (RG 01.15.02)
Manuscript File Collection on Early University History (RG 01.01.01)
Persons, Stow. "The Decline of Homeopathy -- the University of Iowa, 1876-1919." Bulletin of the History of Medicine 65 (spring 1991): 74- 87, notes. Hardin; Historical Papers Collection in Archives (RG 01.01.03)
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Medical Museum online exhibit and timeline of the Homeopathic Department at http://www.uihealthcare.com/depts/medmuseum/wallexhibits/homeo/homeopathy.html
Box Contents List
Box 1
Notebook 1 [1870s?]
---. General education notes
Notebook 2 [1890s?]
---. Stramonium
---. Dulcamaria
---. Tabacum
---. Bryonia
Notebook 3 [1890s?]
---. Bryonia (cont.)
---. Colocynthis
---. Citrillus
---. Eucurbila
---. Elaterium
---. Aloe
Notebook 4 [1890s?]
---. Opium
---. Sanguinaria
---. Chelisdonium
Notebook 5 [1890s?]
---. Aconite
---. Hellebore
---. Clematis Erecta
Notebook 6 [1890s?]
---. Heydrastis Canadensis
---. Staphisagrid
---. Actea Ract Spicata
Notebook 7 [1890s?]
---. Raunnculus bulbosus
---. Pulsatilla nigricans
Notebook 8 [1890s?]
---. Pulsatilla
---. Paeonia
---. Aesculus Hippocartaumm
---. Aethusa leynapinum
---. Rheum Officinale
---. Dioscosea Villora
---. Iris Versicolor
Notebook 9 [1890s?]
---. Rubiaceae dehiva
---. Ipecacuanha
Notebook 10 [1890s?]
---. Coffea Arabicum
---. Veratrum Album
---. Colchicum Autuminale
---. Veratrum Viride
---. Sabadilla
---. Notebook 11 [1890s?]
---. Cocculus Indicus
---. Abies
---. Sabina Juniperus
---. Thija Occidentalis
---. Euphorbium Officiuarum
Notebook 12 [1890s?]
---. Apocynaceal
---. Nux Vonica
Box 2
Notebook 13 [1890s?]
---. Ignatia
---. Oleander
---. Vinca Minor
---. Berberis
---. Caulophyllum
---. Podophyllum Peltatum
Notebook 14 [1890s?]
---. Conium Maculatum
---. Cicuta Virosa
---. Oenanthe Crocata
---. Phellandrium Acquaticum
---. Asafoetida [pages missing]
---. Osura Annerouiacum [pages missing]
---. Nux Moschata [pages missing]
Notebook 15 [1890s?]
---. Spigelia Authelmis
---. Curare
---. Gelsemium Semipervirens
---. Araceae
---. Caladium Sequinum
---. Pothos
Notebook 16 [1890s?]
---. Digitalis
---. Verbascum
---. Euphrasia
---. Cactus Grandifloris
---. Magnolia Grandiflora
---. Convallaria Majalis
Notebook 17 [1890s?]
---. Anacardiaceae
---. Comocladium
---. Rhus Toxicodeudron
Notebook 18 [1890s?]
---. Rhus Tox.
---. Rhus Ven.
---. Arnica
---. Chamomilla
---. Artemesia Vulgaris
---. Millefolium
---. Taraxacum
Notebook 19 [1890s?]
---. Cina Artemisia
---. Eupatorium Perfoliatum
---. Eupatorium Purpura
---. Baptisia Tinctoria
---. Phytolacca Decandra
Notebook 20 [1890s?]
---. Rhododendron Chrysanthum
---. Kalmia Latifolicum
---. Cyclamen Europaeum
---. Ledum Palustre
---. Cedron Simaba
---. Gnaphalium
---. Rumex Crispus
Notebook 21 [1890s?]
---. Helonias Dioica
---. Erigerou Cauadeuse
---. Secale Corutum
---. Lillium Tigrinum
---. Senecia Aureus
---. Viburnum Opulus
---. Trillium Peudulum
Notebook 22 [1890s?]
---. Drosera Rotundefolia
---. Allium Cepa
---. Coca
---. Copaiva
---. Crocus Sativus
---. Equisetum
---. Squillia
---. Agaricus Muscarius
---. Hamamelis
Notebook 23 [1890s?]
---. Kreosotum
---. Carbo Vegetabilis
---. Cannabis Indica
---. Cannabis Sativa
---. Cinnamonum
Notebook 24 [1890s?]
---. Lycopodium Claratus
---. Mezerium
---. Hydrocotyle Asiatica
---. Collinsonia
