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Dr. Lewis A. Sayre Casebooks

This guide provides an introduction to the casebooks of Dr. Lewis A. Sayre, which are housed in the Lillian & Clarence de la Chapelle Medical Archives at NYU.

The Sayre Casebooks

What are the Sayre casebooks?

The Sayre casebooks contain the records of hundreds of interactions between Dr. Lewis A. Sayre, his fellow physicians and assistants, and the patients in their care. Most entries date from between the 1870s and 1890s, during which time Sayre was Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Bellevue Hospital Medical College. Sayre treated patients at Bellevue and through his private practice. The patient case histories do not always indicate where he saw individual patients.

Who are the patients in the Sayre casebooks?

Sayre’s patients came from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. Although he is known for his revolutionary surgical treatments for young children, he also saw adult patients. Some patient case histories describe a single meeting on one specific day. Others describe treatment plans lasting for years.

Who kept the records in the Sayre casebooks?

The author of an individual entry in the casebooks is rarely indicated. Writers include Sayre, his sons Dr. Lewis H. Sayre and Dr. Reginald H. Sayre, medical students, assistants, and other physicians at Bellevue.

What kinds of records are in the Sayre casebooks?

The patient case histories are only one type of record found in the casebooks. Many case histories are illustrated with sketches and diagrams. There are also photographs taken by the pioneering medical photographer Oscar G. Mason, who started the first hospital photography department in America at Bellevue in 1867, and Dr. Reginald H. Sayre, an amateur photographer. Sayre frequently preserved correspondence from his patients, their families, and other medical practitioners alongside entries in the casebooks.