MS042
Solis-Cohen Family Collection
1838-1960
113 Linear Feet (282 Boxes)

Introduction
The papers were chiefly collected by Dr. Myer Solis-Cohen (1877-1960), son of Jefferson Medical College faculty member Jacob Solis-Cohen (1838-1925). Received in the Thomas Jefferson University Archives in 1981 by gift, the materials came primarily from four family sources: Mrs. Charles Rosenthal of Binghamton (NY), Mrs. George D. Keller of Philadelphia, Kathe Solis-Cohen Jacoby and Rosebud Solis-Cohen. Through a grant received in 2000 from the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission, the papers and materials have been processed, arranged, described, and made available for research.

Biographical Note
The Solis-Cohen family began with the 1827 marriage of Myer David Cohen (b. 1811) and Judith Simha de Silva Solis. During the mid-nineteenth century, the couple's descendants joined the two surnames to form Solis-Cohen. Myer and Judith's children included Jacob Da Silva (1838-1927), Leon (1840-1884), and Solomon (1857-1948). Leon married Lucia Ritterband (b. 1840) in 1872; their children included Jessie Myra (b. 1874) and Gertrude (b. 1880). In 1885, Solomon married Emily Grace Solis (b. 1859) and their children included Emily Elvira (b. 1886), David Hays (1887-1978), Leon (1889-1965), and Francis Nathan (b. 1892). Jacob married Miriam Binswanger (1852-1909) in 1875 and the couple had 11 children, including Myer (1877-1960). In 1925, Myer married Rosalind (Rosebud) Lotta Teschner (1903 -); their child, Kathe Teschner, was born in 1926.

Jacob Da Silva, Solomon, and Myer Solis-Cohen were all physicians. Jacob received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1860, Solomon from Jefferson Medical College in 1883, and Myer from the University of Pennsylvania in 1900. During their careers, both Jacob and Solomon served on the faculty at Jefferson. Myer was primarily associated with the University of Pennsylvania, the Jewish Hospital, and the Women's Medical College. Myer's wife, Rosebud worked as a research analyst with the US Department of Justice.

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of the papers of the Solis-Cohen family of Philadelphia (PA) from 1838-1960. Contained within the collection are the papers of Dr. Jacob daSilva Solis-Cohen (1829-1937), Dr. Solomon Solis-Cohen (1886-1952), and Rosebud Solis-Cohen (1911-1949). But the largest portion of the collection consists of the papers of Dr. Myer Solis-Cohen (1872-1960). Materials within the collection include correspondence, patient records, x-rays, medical publications, unpublished manuscripts, subject files, photographs, printed materials, account books, financial records and legal documents, subject files, and artifacts.

The majority of the items document the medical specialties, clinical research, and publications of Jacob, Solomon and Myer. This includes materials relating to Jacob's work in laryngology, Solomon's in pharmo-therapeutics, and Myer's work with infectious diseases (particularly tuberculosis, vaccine therapy, pathogen selective cultures), as well as women's and family health. In addition, the collection documents the family's interest and research into their history and genealogy - primarily undertaken by Myer and his wife Rosebud. Also noteworthy are the papers of Rosebud documenting her education, family relationships, and her work as a research analyst in the research unit of Immigration and Naturalization Services at the Department of Justice in Philadelphia.

Organization and Arrangement
The collection is divided into six groups and within each group, into series and subseries. Each of the groups listed below are described separately with its own finding aid and box list. Record series organization is uniform across the groups, but not every group includes materials in every series.

1. Genealogy
2. Jacob Solis-Cohen
3. Solomon Solis-Cohen
4. Myer Solis-Cohen
5. Rosebud Solis-Cohen
6. Photographs