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American Fund for French Wounded Collection

 Collection
Call Number: Ms Coll 56

Scope and Contents

This collection contains letters of Anna Murray Vail and Isabel S. Lathrop to Miss Murray Ledyard, a donor in the United States; circular letters written by Anna Vail and other American women in Paris describing visits to hospitals, the devastation in France, the bravery of the soldiers and hospital workers, and the gratitude of recipients for the gifts received; the AFFW's Monthly Report, and Weekly Bulletin, both published in Paris; card photographs of devastated villages and individual buildings in France; postcards; photographs showing the depot and the motor vehicles used for distribution; and miscellany.

Dates

  • 1915-1918

Creator

Language of Materials

In English and French.

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials are in the public domain.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased 2016.

Related Materials

Related material: two American Fund for French Wounded enameled lapel pins. The first has rooster and crossed American and French flags, inscribed "Vive La France." The second is shaped like a "V" with American and French flags on the obverse. Cushing/Whitney Medical Library, Historical Library Medical Commemorative Medals collection. Gifts of Kent Hackman (Yale College 1959), from the collection of Alden Frick Megrew (1910-1987). To request access contact historical.library@yale.edu

Extent

.25 Linear Feet (1 box)

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/med.ms.0056

Abstract

The American Fund for French Wounded (AFFW), founded in 1915, by American women living abroad, was a women's relief agency to aid wounded soldiers in France in World War I. The materials in this collection originated from the Paris Depot of the organization and include correspondence, circulars, newsletters, and images.

Biographical / Historical

The American Fund for French Wounded (AFFW), founded in 1915, by American women living abroad, was a women's relief agency to aid wounded soldiers in France in World War I. Its American offices were in New York City and there were some 60 chapters in cities in the United States. The organization collected dressings, blankets, pillows, clothing, food, and amusements for French soldiers in French hospitals. These were stored and distributed to hospitals through the Paris Depot. Isabel S. Lathrop was president of the Board of Administration of the Paris Depot and Anna Murray Vail, formerly a botanist and librarian at the New York Botanical Garden, was treasurer and managed the Depot. Dr. Alexis Carrel served as medical advisor. Carrel was in charge of a hospital and laboratory in Compiegne funded by the Rockefeller Foundation for Medical Research in New York. After the war, the mission of the AFFW was continued by the American Committee for Devastated France.

Custodial History

This collection appears to have descended from Murray Ledyard Burr of Cazenovia, NY. An issue of AFFW's Monthly Report and a few issues of Weekly Bulletin were added from the Yale University Library.

Title
American Fund for French Wounded Collection
Status
Completed
Author
Toby A. Appel
Date
2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Part of the Medical Historical Library, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library Repository

Contact:
Yale University
333 Cedar St.
New Haven CT 06520-8014 US
203-737-1192
203-785-5636 (Fax)

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