Philip Reichert, MD Papers

Dr. Philip Reichert was born in New York City on March 29, 1897. He received an A.B. degree from College of the City of New York in 1917. After graduation, he worked as a chemist at Harrimann Research Laboratory. In 1918, he enlisted at the rank of Sgt. in the U.S. Army during World War I. After the war, he entered Cornell University Medical College, where he graduated with a M.D. in 1923. After graduation, he served as an intern and resident in medicine and pathology at Willard Parker Hospital. In 1924, he reenlisted in the medical corps reserves serving mostly at the Carlisle Barracks. He rose to commanding officer of the 10th Surgical Hospital in 1939 and was discharged in 1940. From 1924-1925, he was a fellow and then an assistant in pathology and bacteriology at Rockefeller Institute of Medical Research. From 1926-1934, he was a fellow in pediatrics, clinical assistant in medicine, and research assistant in bacteriology at Mount Sinai Hospital. Next he was the associate in medicine, associate cardiologist, and chief of the Cardiac Clinics at Beth David Hospital. From 1938-1940, he was the acting director of the Cardiographic Laboratory at Witkin Foundation. In 1940 after his discharged from the medical corps, he worked on the development of penicillin for the U.S. government. Next he was the vice president and director of the Professional Division of Doherty, Clifford, Steers and Shenfield, a public relations firm from 1947-1952. He was a founding member, trustee, and governor of the American College of Cardiology and served as its executive director from 1952-1962. He was in private practice as a cardiologist from 1962 until he retired in 1970.

Dr. Reichert had a lifelong interest in the history of medicine. He enjoyed working with gadgets since his boyhood when he assisted his uncle who was a watchmaker. He invented several medical devices which are described in the Reichert Patent series. He collected a substantial instrument collection. Some of the instruments were donated to this archives as well as the Smithsonian and Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine. He also collected archival materials on the history of medicine found here in this collection. He and his wife Faith Keane Reichert were married in 1939. He died on March 19, 1985 at the age of 1987.