History
John H. Phillips, MD, Henry P. Welling, MD, James B. Coleman, MD, John McKelway, MD and Francis A. Ewing, MD founded the Mercer County Medical Society in 1848. On May 23, 1848 at 10 o’clock in the morning the first meeting of the District Medical Society of the County of Mercer was held at the home of Samuel Kay, MD, Kay’s United States Hotel on North Warren Street (site of the old Trent Theatre) in Trenton. John McKelway, MD was chosen President; Francis A. Ewing, MD, Vice President; John H. Philips, MD, Secretary; and George R. Robbins, MD, Treasurer. At the time James K. Polk was President of the United States of America and Abraham Lincoln was an obscure Congressman. The most exciting topic that year was the propriety of physicians having professional contacts with homeopaths. It was reported that an epidemic of typhus fever was spreading over the northern part of the state but that it was yielding to “treatment with aperients, acidulants and chalybeates.” There were reports that sulfuric ether was really effective in alleviating pain during surgical operations but few New Jersey practitioners had tried it and they viewed the proposed anesthetic with proper scientific caution. There was some speculation as to whether anesthesia was here to stay or whether it was just a passing fad.
In October 1855 the Society recommended to the city government that a municipally owned hospital should be established and by 1870 the need for a permanent hospital was presented resulting in St. Francis Hospital. Medical journals dating back to 1848 will be duplicated and featured on the website for the community to read.
Such was the national and professional setting in which the Mercer County Medical Society was born. The county itself had come into existence only ten years before when it was formed by consolidating pieces carved out of Hunterdon, Middlesex and Monmouth counties.
Mission Statement
Today our mission is to empower physicians through education, social and political awareness giving them a voice to create positive change. Within the Mercer County Medical Society network physicians will enjoy collegial support and outstanding Continuing Medical Education seminars. We advocate for implementation of patient protection policy to ensure that the people of our community receive the highest quality medical care and that their healthcare insurance companies obey the law.