The "Saga of Dr. Samuel Humes" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Snapping a few photos that I had been meaning to take for a few years now.  One was of a bright blue Pennsyl- vania historical sign that stands in front of the First United Church of Christ in Lancaster, PA which is located at the intersection of North Duke and East Walnut Streets.  Sign reads : Pennsylvania Medical Society.  Founded April 11, 1848, at the First Methodist Episcopal Church on this site.  

The First United Church of Christ.  This
church originally was the site of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church.

Its purpose was to foster the advancement of medical knowledge, relieve suffering, and promote the health of the community.  Samuel Humes, M.D. of Lancaster was the first president.  Naturally had to do some research on the Medical Society as well as Dr. Humes.  The Medical Society was easy to find, but Dr. Humes was a bit tougher.  Seems that in Dr. Humes time, the mid-1800's, just about anyone could hang a sign and claim to be a medical doctor.  As can be imagined, the practice disturbed legitimate medical doctors so in response to the problem the Pennsylvania Medical Society was founded.  Doctors from the counties of Chester and Lancaster counties gathered on April 11, 1848 at what was then the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Lancaster.  

An old hitching post for horses which
sits on the brick pavement across
from the church in Lancaster, PA.

It was during that meeting that the REAL physicians founded the Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania and elected Samuel Humes, MD of Lancaster as the first president.  Their mission at the time was to focus on ethics, public health and legislation to protect patients and the physicians it represented.  The mission of the organization remains much the same today, but with more services such as the establishment of Blue Shield and an insurance program to supply doctors with malpractice insurance.  The historical marker pays tribute to the founding of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and recognizes the role it has played in promoting the health of our community.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.