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Margaret G. Smith Papers

Historical Note

Margaret G. Smith (1896-1970) was born on February 10, 1896 in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. In 1918 she received an AB degree from Mount Holyoke College, and in 1922, she received an MD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Smith joined the Hopkins faculty as an Assistant Pathologist following graduation and remained there until she accepted a position in at Washington University in 1929. Dr. Smith began her career at Washington University as an Assistant Professor in the Pathology Department. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 1943, and in 1957 Dr. Smith was among the first women to be named full professor at the university.

Prominent in the field of pediatric pathology, she is best known for her work in isolating the St. Louis encephalitis virus and the salivary gland virus. She was the first to propagate the herpes simplex virus in a mouse, and was the first to discover the cytomegetic inclusion disease virus. Dr. Smith was the author of more than seventy scientific publications. In 1967, she and John M. Kissane, also Professor of Pathology, published the classic textbook, Pathology of Infancy and Childhood.

In 1959, the Globe Democrat named Dr. Smith a St. Louis Woman of Achievement, a significant community recognition for that period. In 1964, Washington University presented her a faculty citation at the Founders’ Day ceremonies. In that same year, she was also honored at the dedication of the Children’s Research Center in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Smith remained active in the Pathology Department as Professor Emeritus until her death in 1970.

Provenance

The items in this collection were the gift of John M. Kissane and the Washington University Department of Pathology.  (Accession number 1971-006)

Access and Use

The collection is open and accessible for research. Certain categories of documentation, however, may carry restrictions on access. For detailed information, contact the Archives and Rare Book Department of the Becker Medical Library (arb@wusm.wustl.edu).

Scope and Content

The Margaret G. Smith Papers have been organized into seven organizational series. The majority of these files include items relating to her work in the Pathology Department at the Washington University School of Medicine. Noteworthy are Dr. Smith’s twenty-nine scientific notebooks in Series 1 as well as the files in Series 4 regarding Dr. Smith’s work on the St. Louis encephalitis outbreaks.

Preferred Citation

Margaret G. Smith Papers, Washington University School of Medicine.

 

Organization of the Collection (Series List)

Total Boxes: 13

Series 1: Scientific notes and notebooks.

Series 2: Dr. Smith’s bible.

Series 3: Salivary gland disease files.

Series 4: Poliomyelitis virus and St. Louis encephalitis files.

Series 5: Public Health Service grant files.

Series 6: Miscellaneous.

Series 7: Card files.

Container List

Series 1: Scientific notes and notebooks.

Box 1

1.	Notebook 1.
	Robert A. Moore. Lecture Notes. a) Kleine Zettel. Pathologische Anatomie. Prof. Erdheim. Anatomisch Pathologische Institut. b) Professor Erdheim. Krankenhaus der Stat Wien. 1932. Wiener Universitbtskurs. c) Vorlesungen in Pathologie. Prof. Steinberg. Poliklinik. Wien. 1932. Wiener Universit6tskurs. d) Vorlesungen in Pathologie. Prof. Maresch. Allgemeines Krankenhaus. Vienna, 1932. Wiener Universit-ltskurs. e) Lectures in Pathology. Dozent Chiari. Allgemeines Krankenhaus. Vienna, 1932. (American Course).
2.	Notebook 2.
	Miscellaneous data. Experiments with Titration-Complement-Fixation. St. Louis Encephalitis Virus. Egg Antigen. January 5, 1938 - February 2, 1940.
3.	Notebook 3.
	Rabbit Record #1. Rabbit #1-82. October 10, 1938 - November 8, 1947.
4.	Notebook 4.
	Guinea Pig Book. Immunization of Mice (Hubbard). Lot 1 - Lot 56. September 27, 1939 - September 17, 1942.
5.	Notebook 5.
	Schedule of topics to be discussed in class. Schedule of classes in Pathology. October 6, 1945 - February 25, 1946.
6.	Notebook 6.
	Notes on article, Parker, “Methods of Tissue Culture.” American Journal of the Medical Sciences 220 (1950): 316.
7.	Notebook 7.
	Baby Serum. Blood Serum. Mouse Serum. Mouse Virus. Human Virus. Spady. Pathology Department. Dr. Smith Research. April 13, 1951 - May 14, 1956.
8.	Notebook 8.
	Methods. Helen V. Leidler. Pathology. Washington University Medical School. Techniques of Kolmer Wasserman Test. Army Manual. Procedure for Complement Fixation Test. Complement Fixation Revised Method. Revised Methods for Human Virus. May 31, 1951.

Box 2

1.	Notebook 9.
	Cultures. Worthey. Pathology. Human Tissue Experiments. Mouse Tissue Experiments.
2.	Notebook 10.
	Virus I (V). #15824. First Isolation and Subcultures (15). September 7, 1953 - December 10, 1955.
3.	Notebook 11.
	PV. Oct. 1954 - Dec. 1956. Virus 11. #15995. First Isolation. Virus III (PV). #16977. First Isolation. Virus Culture 2 22. 1st Subculture 21st Subculture. Virus Culture 2 22. October 13, 1954 December 29, 1956. A Strain of Salivary Gland Virus isolated by Dr. Margaret G Smith from a case of cytomegolic inclusion disease.
4.	Notebook 12.
	Through 1957. 21st - 58th Subculture. Virus Culture 22 59. December 10, 1955 - January 25, 1958.
5.	Notebook 13.
	Roll Tube Cultures. Mouse Cultures. September 26, 1956 November 10, 1959.

Box 3

1.	Notebook 14.
	PV. Jan. 1957. PV 21st 133rd Subculture. PV Virus Culture 22 129. January 5, 1957 - February 13, 1961.
2.	Notebook 15.
	SV (Stall Virus). 1957. 1st - 48th Subcultures. March 18, 1957 - October 4, 1959. Note: 5 loose pages, April 16, 1955 - September 23, 1957
3.	Notebook 16.
	V (Virus) 1958-1959. 58th - 124th Subcultures. January 10, 1958 - October 22, 1960.
4.	Notebook 17.
	Tissue Culture. August 28, 1960 October 6, 1960.
5.	Notebook 18.
	SGV (Salivary Gland Virus). PV Virus. February 20, 1961-May 6, 1962. UV. March 29, 1964 - December 23, 1965.
6.	Notebook 19.
	Tridiated Thymidine. Purpose: To study the effect of tridiated thymidine on Salivary Gland Virus. September 15, 1961 - August 10, 1962.
7.	Notebook 20.
	Tridiated Thymidine. Purpose: To study the effect of tridiated thymidine on Salivary Gland Virus. September 15, 1961 - August 10, 1962.
8.	Notebook 21.
	Tritiated Thymidine. HID H23. September 11, 1962 - July 15, 1964.

Box 4

1.	Notebook 22.
	Johnson I Wiley, Jr. “Congenital Galactosemia.” Pathology Project. May 31, 1963.
2.	Notebook 23.
	Tissue Culture. May 11, 1964 - August 21, 1965.
3.	Notebook 24.
	Mouse Book. June 23, 1965 - January 7, 1966.
4.	Notebook 25.
	Tissue Culture. August 23, 1965 - May 14, 1966.
5.	Notebook 26.
	Pneumocytis. April 1969 - July 25, 1969.
6.	Notebook 27.
	Titrations. Includes: MAF cells. PV 7 day bottle fluid. PV 5 day bottle fluid. PV infected cultures 6 day cells.
7.	Notebook 28.
	Note: This notebook covers various types of staining methods and techniques. Includes four reprints on the subject of stains.
8.	Notebook 29.
	Tyson, Robert N. “Morphology of Hepatitis in Infants.” Abstract and Summary. Note: This study was done under the direction of Dr. Smith.

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Series 2: Dr. Smith’s bible.

Box 4

	Note: Dr. Smith’s bible was donated to the Becker Medical Library on behalf of Dr. Phyllis Merritt Hartroft and Dr. Marie Greider. (Accession 2009-022)
9.	Dr. Smith’s bible.

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Series 3: Salivary gland disease files.

Box 5

1.	Smith, MG. “The salivary gland viruses of man and animals (cytomegalic inclusion disease).” Progress in Medical Virology 2 (1959): 171-202.
	Note: Draft
2.	Handwritten autopsy notes, undated.
3.	Drafts of published papers on salivary gland virus.
	a) Smith, MG and F Vellios. “Inclusion disease or generalized salivary gland virus infection.” AMA Arch Pathol 50, no. 6 (December 1950): 862-884. b) Smith, MG. “Propagation of salivary gland virus of the mouse in tissue cultures.” Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 86, no. 3 (July 1954): 435-440. c) Rowe, WP, Hartley, JW, Waterman, S, Turner, HC, and RJ Huebner. “Cytopathogenic agent resembling human salivary gland virus recovered from tissue cultures of human adenoids.” Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 92, no. 2 (June 1956): 418-424. d) Smith, MG. “Propagation in tissue cultures of a cytopathogenic virus from human salivary gland virus (SGV) disease.” Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 92, no. 2 (June 1956): 424-430.
4.	Handwritten notes on clinical histories, undated.
5.	Notes on case studies relating to salivary gland virus, undated.
6.	Note cards, undated.
7.	Lectures, salivary gland virus, undated.

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Series 4: Poliomyelitis virus and St. Louis encephalitis files.

Box 6

8.	Poliomyelitis virus, rough drafts of papers and grant progress reports, undated.
9.	Insect vectors (mosquitoes and mites) and experimental animals, tables and lab notes, undated.
10.	Lists of encephalitis cases in St. Louis, undated.
11.	Mosquito room specifications, undated.
12.	Experiments, progress reports, 1941.
13.	Smith, MG, Blattner RJ, Heys FM. “St. Louis Encephalitis: Infection of chicken mites, dermanyssus gallinae, by feeding on chickens with viremia; transovarian passage of virus into the second genderation.” Journal of Exp Med 84, no. 1 (July 1, 1946): 1-6.
	Note: Folder includes draft and reprint
14.	Smith, MG, Blattner RJ, Heys, FM, and A Miller. “Experiments on the role of the chicken mite, dermanyssus gallinae, and the mosquito in the epidemiology of St. Louis Encephalitis.” Journal of Experimental Medicine 87, no. 2 (January 31, 1948): 119-138.
	Note: Folder includes rough drafts, correspondence, and galley proofs
15.	Lectures, encephalitis, undated.
16.	Bibliography of papers on St. Louis Encephalitis.
	Note: Folder includes: McCordock, Howard A. “The St. Louis epidemics of acute encephalitis.” Reprint from the Washington University Medical Alumni Quarterly, April 1938.
17.	Grant progress reports, National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, undated.
18.	“Transfer of passive immunity to the virus of St. Louis encephalitis to suckling mice through the milk, demonstrated by foster nursing.”
	Note: Draft of paper written by one of Dr. Smith’s students

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Series 5: Public Health Service grant files.

Box 7

19.	Department budget statements for funds from PHS.
20.	PHS Grant RG 2976, April 1, 1951-March 31, 1952.
21.	PHS Grant E158 (C1), April l 1952-March 31, 1953.
22.	PHS Grant E158 (C2), April l 1953-March 31, 1954.
23.	PHS Grant E158 (C3), April l 1954-March 31, 1955.
24.	PHS Grant E158 (C4), April l 1955-March 31, 1956.
25.	PHS Grant E158 (C5), April l 1956-March 31, 1957.
26.	PHS Grant E158 (C6), April l 1957-March 31, 1958.
27.	PHS Grant E158 (C7) (Sl), April l 1958-March 31, 1959.
28.	PHS Grant E158 (C9), April 1, 1951-May 1, 1960.
29.	PHS Grant E158 (C1O), April 1, 1961-March 31, 1962.
30.	PHS Grant E158 (C11), April 1, 1962-March 31, 1963.
31.	PHS Grant AI 00158-13, AI 00158-14, and AI 00158-15, April 1, 1963-March 31, 1964.

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Series 6: Miscellaneous.

 

Box 8

32.	Personal correspondence and tax documents, 1932-1970.
33.	Programs and invitations for luncheons, banquets, symposiums, and meetings, 1937-1965.
34.	Autopsy notes, 1940-1970.
35.	Tissue culture techniques, 1951-1963.
36.	Notes on lab techniques, 1965.
37.	Copies of articles by Dr. Smith’s colleagues and related correspondence, 1957-l970.
38.	Travel, 1931-1970.
	Note: Folder includes notes from vacations, travel diaries, and passport
39.	Miscellaneous notes, undated.
40.	Infant Mortality Study in Greater St. Louis. Joint Committee of the St. Louis Academy of General Practice, the St. Louis Gynecological Society, the St. Louis Pediatric Society, 1953.
41.	History of the Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, 1965.
	Note: two copies.

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Series 7: Card files.

Box 9

	File cards, encephalitis. 1933-1934.
	Note: Each file card includes the patient’s name, address, race, sex, marital status, age, county case number, onset date, reported date, hospital, and other cases in family. The cards are arranged alphabetically by the patient’s last name.

Box 10

	Encephalitis Reports, January 4-August 18, 1944.
	Note: Each file card includes the serum number, date collected, patient’s name, address, and date tested. The cards are arranged in numerical order by serum number.

Boxes 11-13

	Virus Cards. 1937-1948.
	Note: Each file card includes the lot number, strain of virus, date, inoculums and route of inoculation, strain of mice, and researcher note under each day tested. The cards are arranged in numerical order by lot number.

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