Lewellys Franklin Barker Collection

Biography

Lewellys Franklin Barker was born in Norwich, Ontario. He received his Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1890 from the University of Toronto Medical School. After interning at Toronto General Hospital, he came to Johns Hopkins in 1892 to join the staff of William Osler’s Clinic. He later held a fellowship and served a residency in pathology. In 1897, he was appointed associate professor of anatomy. While at Johns Hopkins, Barker made several trips abroad to further his studies. He studied in Germany in Karl Ludwig’s physiological laboratory and toured the South Pacific, Asia, and India to study hospital diseases. In 1900, Barker was appointed professor of anatomy at the University of Chicago. Shortly after arriving in Chicago, he was appointed to the 1901 Federal Commission on Plague in San Francisco. In 1905, Barker was appointed director of medicine and physician-in-chief at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, succeeding William Osler. He established laboratories at Johns Hopkins for the study of infectious diseases, physiology, and chemistry. Barker specialized in the study of neurology, endocrinology, and internal medicine. He was highly regarded as a remarkable diagnostician. In the course of his career Barker received several honorary degrees, including an M.D. from the University of Toronto.

Scope and Content

The Lewellys Franklin Barker Collection spans his entire life. Series include correspondence with friends, colleagues, and family; correspondence relating to Barker’s autobiography Time and the Physician; correspondence, lecture notes, and articles (1931-1932) from Barker’s trip to Russia; material related to William H. Welch, including speeches, memorabilia, and clippings; Barker’s student and postgraduate notebooks; teaching notes; and ephemera. The collection is particularly strong in documenting the early years of the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Catalog Record

Policy on Access and Use
Permissions and Credits