MS 4 P.C. Remondino Papers
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- San Diego History Center Document Collection
- Creator
- Remondino, Peter Charles, 1846-1926
- Title
- P. C. Remondino Papers
- ID
- MS 4
- Date [inclusive]
- 1734-1924
- Extent
- 3.25 Linear feet (7 boxes)
- Language
- English
- Language of Materials
- Collection materials are in English and Italian.
- Abstract
- This collection contains the papers and research of P.C. (Peter Charles) Remondino, San Diego physician.
Preferred Citation
P. C. Remondino Papers, MS 4, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Biographical / Historical Notes
P.C. (Peter Charles) Remondino was born in Turin, Italy on February 10, 1846. After his mother passed away, he and his father immigrated to America in the spring of 1854. Remondino spent his first year in America attending a private school in New York City to learn the English language. His father then brought the small family to Wabasha, Minnesota where he opened up a general store. At the age of 16, Remondino accompanied Dr. Francis H. Milligan, the local doctor and former professor, on his rounds in Wabasha. His profound interest and predilection in medicine grew and not long after, with the encouragement of Dr. Milligan, he was studying at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. While a student, Remondino, along with other classmates, responded to the call for surgeons during the Civil War’s Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. His service as a medical cadet in Virginia exposed him to the primitive battlefield medicine where petroleum was a typical medical treatment for many ills, from gunshot wounds to the amputation of a shattered limb. The winter session brought him back to Jefferson Medical College to resume his studies the same year. He graduated the following year in the spring of 1865.
Immediately after graduation, he returned to the army as an Acting Assistant Surgeon, serving at various hospitals, camps, and military prisons in Virginia. He also fell victim to malaria, which was prevalent in the area. He returned to Minnesota to start his own private practice until the declaration of war with Prussia by the Republic of France on September 4, 1870. He sought service as a Volunteer Surgeon with the French Army during the Franco-Prussian War and was one of two Americans to receive the French Military Medal for war service. During his tour of Europe, malaria plagued him again. As a result of the impairment of his health in both wars, he became interested in medical climatology and began his pursuit of a more suitable climate. After travelling by steamer and several weeks stay in San Francisco, he finally settled in San Diego in 1873. In January of 1874, he opened an office next door to an old classmate, Dr. Robert Gregg.
In 1875, Dr. Remondino was appointed City Physician and was the first President of the City Board of Health, a position he intermittently occupied until his death. He was the Surgeon of the Southern California Railroad Company and the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. For many years he was the Surgeon of the U.S. Marine Hospital Service.
Built by Dr. Remondino and Dr. Thomas C. Stockton, the first private hospital in San Diego opened its doors in 1881. The two-story, 24 bed structure was located on the corner of F and Columbia Streets. Dr. Remondino later sold his share of the hospital to Dr. Stockton in 1884. In 1886, Dr. Remondino temporarily retired from practicing medicine. In the same year he and his wife built the Saint James Hotel, located on the corner of 6th Avenue and E Street in Downtown, San Diego. Subsequently, he resumed full practice once again. On record, only eight physicians practiced in San Diego in the year of 1887. Dr. Remondino had 39 subscribers in 1881. His practice extended into Ensenada where he successfully operated on a number of cysts of the pancreas of parasitic origin from sheep.
Dr. Remondino’s interest in the history of medicine generated a collection of literature which at one point became the largest medical library in the state of California. One of his travels to Europe brought back a diversity of 3,000 medical books in various languages. For a period of time, he held the Chair of History of Medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Los Angeles, which is now the medical department of the University of Southern California. He urged the establishment of a Secretary of Health position in the United States President’s Cabinet as early as 1892. This development did not occur until the creation of the Cabinet-level Department of Health, Education and Welfare under President Eisenhower in 1953. He occupied many distinguished positions including San Diego County Physician, Vice President of the California Medical State Society, President of the Southern California Medical Society, and President of the San Diego County Medical Society. He also served on the State Board of Health of California. He was associated with the American Public Health Association, the American Medical Association, and the New York Medico-Legal Society.
In 1877, Dr. Remondino married Sophia Ann Earle, a niece of the Bishop of Marlborough of London, the late Honorable Alfred Earle. In 1891, Dr. Remondino and his wife Sophia built one of the first houses on San Diego’s Banker’s Hill. They had four children, Caroline Katherine, Frederic Earle, Luisa, and Charles Earle. Daughter Luisa’s last name is documented as “Re Mondini” in her published book “Fancy’s Garden and Other Poems.” Dr. Remondino died from cerebral thrombosis on December 10, 1926, leaving his autobiographical work unfinished.
Scope and Content
This collection contains papers of P.C. (Peter Charles) Remondino, including autobiographies, published works, manuscripts and drafts dated from 1891 to 1922. Published works include “History of Circumcision,” “The Modern Climatic Treatment of Invalids with Pulmonary Consumption in Southern California,” and “Medical Education,” among others. An assortment of transcribed articles of Remondino’s interests extend from 1734 to 1911. Also included in the collection are some of Remondino’s personal papers, including military and pension documents, as well as poems and musical compositions written and/or collected by his daughter, Luisa Re Mondini.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged into seven series:
Series I: Autobiography and Memoirs
Series II: Manuscripts and Published Works
Series III: Research Notes
Series IV: Research Articles
Series V: Personal Papers
Series VI: Luisa Re Mondini Papers
Items in each series are arranged by subject.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
San Diego History Center Document Collection March 6, 2012
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number 790607.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Aimee Santos on March 6, 2012.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- California State Board of Health.
- Jefferson Medical College.
- New York Medico-Legal Society.
- Pacific Coast Steamship Company.
- St. James Hotel (San Diego, Calif.).
Geographic Name(s)
- San Diego (Calif.)
- Santa Fe Depot (San Diego, Calif.)
- Wabasha (Minn.)
Personal Name(s)
- Gregg, Robert
- Milligan, Francis H.
- Re Mondini Stahel, Luisa
- Remondino, Peter Charles, 1846-1926
- Stockton, Thomas Coates, 1837-1910
Subject(s)
- Air embolism
- Alcohol intoxication
- Animal psychology
- Certificates of death
- Circumcision
- Climatology
- Ethnology
- Gunshot wounds
- Hospital buildings
- Impotence
- Longevity
- Malaria
- Medical care
- Medical climatology
- Medical education
- Medical examinations
- Medical libraries
- Medical treatment
- Medicine
- Medicine, Preventive
- Military medicine
- Physician
- Stab wounds
- Surgeons
- Surgery
- Transfusion medicine
- Tuberculosis
- Veterinary medicine
- War — Medical aspects
- Wounds and injuries
Collection Inventory
Series I: Autobiography and Memoirs |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| Autobiography (2 copies), undated | 1:1 | |||
| Autobiographical drafts (13 items), 1921 August 6-1922 January 7 | 1:2 | |||
| Autobiographical drafts (13 items) undated | 1:3 | |||
| Autobiographical drafts (13 items), undated | 1:4 | |||
| “Some Reminiscences of Wabashaw from the Middle Fifties to 1873” (manuscript), undated | 1:5 | |||
| “Some Reminiscences of Wabashaw from the Middle Fifties to 1873” (draft), undated | 1:6 | |||
| “Some Reminiscences of Wabashaw from the Middle Fifties to 1873” (draft), undated | 1:7 | |||
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Series II: Manuscripts and Published Works |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (Contents, Preface, Chapter 1), undated | 1:8 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (Chapter 2), undated | 1:9 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (Chapter 3), undated | 1:10 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (Chapter 4), undated | 1:11 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (drafts) (7 items), 1919 June 3-1922 October 23 | 1:12 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (drafts) (13 items), undated | 2:1 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (drafts) (14 items), undated | 2:2 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (drafts) (11 items), undated | 2:3 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (drafts) (8 items), undated | 2:4 | |||
| “Animal Psychology and Medicine” (drafts) (17 items), undated | 2:5 | |||
| “Certificates of Death” (2 copies), 1893 April 7 | 2:6 | |||
| “Circumcision” (book), 1891 | 2:7 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Prolegomena, Contents), undated | 2:8 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2), undated | 2:9 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapters 3-7), undated | 2:10 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapters 8-10), undated | 3:1 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapters 11-13), undated | 3:2 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapters 14, 15), undated | 3:3 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapter 16), undated | 3:4 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapter 17), undated | 3:5 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapters 18, 19), undated | 3:6 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Chapters 20, 21), undated | 3:7 | |||
| “Circumcision” (Bibliography, Index), undated | 3:8 | |||
| “Medical Education” (book), 1908 | 3:9 | |||
| “Medical Examinations and Other Essays” (book), 1908 | 4:1 | |||
| “The Modern Climatic Treatment,” 1893 | 4:2 | |||
| “The Origins of the French Infantry,” undated | 4:3 | |||
| “Some Observations on the History, Psychology and Therapeutics of Impotence,” 1899 November | 4:4 | |||
| “Why France is Napoleonic,” 1894 | 4:5 | |||
| “Why France is Napoleonic” (draft) (1 item), undated | 4:6 | |||
| Correspondence, 1892 March 9-May 4 | 4:7 | |||
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Series III: Research Notes |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| Alcohol intoxication (5 items), undated | 4:8 | |||
| Bacteriology (2 items), undated | 4:9 | |||
| Climate – influences on health (5 items), 1919 January 9-1921 July 20 and undated | 4:10 | |||
| Drug addiction (1 item), undated | 4:11 | |||
| Education (2 items), 1922 August 4 and undated | 4:12 | |||
| Ethnology (14 items), 1920 May 1-1921 May 7 | 4:13 | |||
| Ethnology (15 items), 1921 May 7-December 24 and undated | 4:14 | |||
| Ethnology (18 items), undated | 4:15 | |||
| Human development (9 items), 1919 October 13-1922 July 26 and undated | 4:16 | |||
| Influenza (11 items), 1919 January 3-11 and undated | 4:17 | |||
| Language (15 items), 1920 January 20-1921 June 2 | 5:1 | |||
| Language (8 items), undated | 5:2 | |||
| Longevity and civilization (1 item), 1917 September 12 | 5:3 | |||
| Mental disease (1 item), 1921 May 7 | 5:4 | |||
| Preventative Medicine (4 items), 1920 May 23-1921 October 7 | 5:5 | |||
| Religion (16 items), 1920 May 27-1922 August 12 and undated | 5:6 | |||
| Transfusion and Infusion (8 items), undated | 5:7 | |||
| Transfusion and Infusion (4 items), undated | 5:8 | |||
| Transfusion and Infusion (5 items), undated | 5:9 | |||
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Series IV: Research Articles |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| A Medical Index – index reference book of articles, 1881 and undated | 5:10 | |||
| List of articles, undated | 5:11 | |||
| Animals – Psychology and Medicine (2 items), undated | 5:12 | |||
| Artificial pneumothorax – artificial air in pleura (1 item), 1830-1831 | 5:13 | |||
| Cosmogony (1 item), undated | 5:14 | |||
| Dyspepsia (1 item), undated | 5:15 | |||
| Education, Moral (1 item), undated | 5:16 | |||
| Embolism, Air – Air in Veins (26 items), 1818-1862 | 5:17 | |||
| Embolism, Air – Air in Veins (17 items), 1864-1889 | 6:1 | |||
| Embolism, Air – Air in Veins (15 items), 1889-1911 and undated | 6:2 | |||
| Ethnology (7 items), undated | 6:3 | |||
| Injuries, Fall (1 item), 1906 September 22 | 6:4 | |||
| Injuries, Gunshot Wounds (22 items), 1734-1867 | 6:5 | |||
| Injuries, Gunshot Wounds (21 items), 1867-1906 and undated | 6:6 | |||
| Injuries, Incised and Stab Wounds (8 items), 1750-1882 and undated | 6:7 | |||
| Language (5 items), undated | 6:8 | |||
| “Transfusion: Notes on the Technic of Transfusion of Blood” (pamphlet), 1910 | 6:9 | |||
| Correspondence, 1892 March 8-1926 June 14 | 6:10 | |||
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Series V: Personal Papers |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| Official documents, 1870 October 10 and 1901 June 27
Includes: Statement of Residency (Minnesota); San Diego Academy: Certificate of completion; United States Passport, October 18, 1870 (in Oversize Collections D4). |
6:11 | |||
| Military documents, 1870-1871 and undated | 6:12 | |||
| Pension documents, 1889-1890 | 6:13 | |||
| Photographs, undated | 6:14 | |||
| Photographs, undated | 6:15 | |||
| Miscellanea, 1916 July 26-1926 June 1 and undated
Includes: Newsletter from Jefferson Medical College Alumni Association; Monthly Bulletin of the Department of Public Health, City of San Diego, California; Business cards; Empty Envelopes with decorative return address for Remondino. |
6:16 | |||
| Miscellanea, 1911 December 23 and undated
Includes: Letter addressed to Katherine Howard; Prayers; Blue (baby?) pins; Photo and award of Guiseppe Remondini, possibly P.C. Remondino’s brother. |
6:17 | |||
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Series VI: Luisa Re Mondini Papers |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| “Fancy’s Garden and Other Poems” (book), 1924 | 7:1 | |||
| Poems, undated | 7:2 | |||
| Willie Wee stories, undated | 7:3 | |||
| Musical compositions, | 7:4 | |||
| Musical compositions, undated | 7:5 | |||
| Musical compositions, undated | 7:6 | |||
| Correspondence, 1917 December 31 | 7:7 | |||
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