Nils P. Larsen, MD
Queen's Historical Room

Clippings Collection
Papers Regarding Dr. Nils P. Larsen, 1924-1999
1 box (0.4 linear feet)

Table of Contents

• Descriptive Summary
• Biography
• Scope and Contents Note
• Access Points
• Container List
• Administrative Information

Descriptive Summary

Title
Papers Regarding Dr. Nils P. Larsen, 1924-1999

Creator
Margery Hastert, Historian
Queen's Historical Room

Processor
Helen Wong Smith
Date: October 15, 1998
Last updated by: Helen Wong Smith
Last updated: March 14, 2000

Repository
Mamiya Medical Heritage Center
Hawaii Medical Library
Honolulu, Hawaii

Biography

Nils Paul Larsen was born in Stockholm, Sweden, June 15, 1890, the son of Emil and Maria (Freeman) Larsen. Coming to the United States with his family at the age of three, he became a citizen by virtue of his father's naturalization.

His early education was received in the public schools of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Being interested in agriculture, he attended Massachusetts State College, earning his B.S. in 1913. Three years later he graduated from Cornell University Medical College. He then went to New York Hospital where he was a special research intern and assistant pathologist.

World War I cut short his hospital work, and Dr. Larsen entered the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a Lieutenant in April, 1917. He went overseas with the 106th Infantry in 1918, and participated in a number of major engagements. Awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action, his citation stated "he crawled well forward of the front elements of the 106th Infantry, and, finding a wounded soldier who had lain in an exposed position for 36 hours, he carried him upon his back to safety; afterwards searching the shell holes in front of the lines until all the wounded or killed of his regiment had been found." In 1919, at the conclusion of his Army service, he held the rank of Major.

In the summer of 1919 Dr. Larsen came to visit his brother, and it was then he met Sara Lucas who was to become his wife.

After his visit he returned to the University of Cornell where he was an instructor in medicine and bacteriology and assistant visiting physician on the pediatric service at Gouverneur Hospital, New York City. He was also assistant visiting physician at Bellevue Hospital where he conducted research on pneumonia and asthma, later publishing his findings in The Journal of the American Medical Association and The Journal of Immunology. He also found time to be commanding officer of the First Field Hospital of the New York National Guard.

On September 1, 1921, Dr. Larsen married Miss Sara Elizabeth Lucas at Kensington, New Hampshire. A daughter, Lila Elizabeth (Mrs. James F. Morgan, Jr.), and a son, Jack Lucas, were born to the doctor and his wife.

The following year in July Dr. Larsen returned to Hawaii; this time to accept an appointment as pathologist at Queen's Hospital in Honolulu. Very shortly thereafter he became Medical Director in addition to his duties as pathologist. For twenty years Dr. Larsen served the hospital in these dual roles. During that time he established an occupational therapy service, organized a research department, helped develop a training school for nurses and instituted a lively and weekly clinic, which, while it left many a doctor licking his wounds, was always well attended. For many years he served on the hospital's Nursing Advisory Committee, and on the Medical Advisory Committee and edited The Queen's Hospital Bulletin.

He led the fight to improve Hawaii's milk supply, which resulted in a precipitous drop in the infant mortality. Serving for a dollar a year, he lectured on social hygiene at McKinley High School for many years. In 1930 he became medical advisor to the Hawaii Sugar Planters' Association and developed a medical and health education program which gave Hawaii's plantations the lowest incidence of disease and mortality among American industries. Founder of Plantation Health the year he joined the staff of the Planters' Association, Dr. Larsen remained its editor until his death.

In 1927 the doctor became president of the Honolulu County Medical Society, and he held that post a second time in 1945. In 1929 he was chairman of the first Pan-Pacific Surgical Congress. He was medical consultant to Tripler General Hospital. Always interested in birth control, Dr. Larsen was a member and post president of the Planned Parenthood Association and in 1955 was a United States delegate to the International Conference of the Planned Parenthood Association in Tokyo.

A man of many talents, the doctor found time to sketch and print in oils, but he is best known for his etchings and his color photographs, which were exhibited often on the Mainland. He was an authority on Ancient Hawaiian medical practices. Using this knowledge, in 1954 he wrote and directed a pageant, "Birth and Growth of Surgery in the Pacific," put on at the dedication of the new surgical wing at Queen's Hospital. On the occasion of the Hawaii Medical Society's 100th anniversary in 1956, he produced a pageant depicting a century of medicine in Hawaii. He was founder of the Swe-Nor-Den Club. Boy Scouts was an organization to which he gave years of service, and shortly before his death he was presented with the Silver Beaver, the highest award in scouting.

His interests extended to the field of politics. In 1950 he was a delegate to the Hawaii Constitutional Convention. He was a member of the Hawaiian Group for World Government, a movement which he firmly believed to be the answer to the world's problems.

The list of Dr. Larsen's awards and honors is long and impressive. His first award was an honorary doctor of science degree for his work in public health bestowed upon him by Massachusetts State College. In 1951 he was made the first honorary president of the Pan-Pacific Surgical Association. The following year Cornell Medical College made him the recipient of their fourth annual alumni achievement award for his work in raising public health and medical standards in Hawaii. In 1954 the Industrial Medical Association presented him with the William S. Knudsen Award. Two years later the Hawaii Medical Association honored him with its distinguished service award. The Gold-Headed Cane, considered the outstanding award of the University of California Medical School, was presented to him in 1957, the second time this award had been won by a physician outside of continental United States. One of his last awards was an honorary medical doctor's degree given by the ancient University of Lund in Sweden. This impressive service took place in May, 1961, and was some of historical splendor. In addition to the honors listed above, Dr. Larsen had decorations from the Governor of New York, the King of Cambodia and the King of Sweden.

Dr. Larsen died in Honolulu on March 19, 1964, at the of 73.

He was a member of the American Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Association, Honolulu County Medical Society, American College of Physicians (Governor for Hawaii 1949 to 1958), American Board of Internal Medicine, American College of Allergy, Clinical Research Society, American Association of Immunologists, Society for the Study of Asthma and Allied Conditions, Harvey Society, Far Eastern Association of Tropical Medicine, Industrial Medical. Association of American, Pan-Pacific Research Institute, Hawaii Academy of Science (President 1928), and Oahu Health Council.

He also belonged to the Society of American Etchers, Honolulu Print Makers, Honolulu Academy of Arts (trustee 1951-1956), Honolulu Chamber of Commerce, Honolulu Rotary Club (past director), and the Social Science Club.

Dr. Marvin A. Brennecke writing of Dr. Larsen in the April, 1964, issue of Plantation Health said,

You can see him--and this he did--sitting in the waiting room (of the Medical Group office in Waialae-Kahala), two hours before his death, holding an oxygen mask over his face and reading a current lay magazine. He was waiting to receive the report on his EKG that a colleague had just taken. He had just finished writing a note to Dr. Paul White of Boston describing his symptoms, believing that this may be of value in the study of heart disease in the future. He was endowed with a great mind. Hawaii was blessed when he gave it to her. Paul is not gone. He will be with us and he will walk among us for a long time to come.

Scope and Contents

Dr. Nils P. Larsen, 1890-1964 (1 box) contains material written by or about the long time medical director of Queen's Hospital. The Historian determined the inclusion of material for this collection group. The collection includes both unpublished and published material. Unpublished items include drafts of presentations, correspondence and interviews. Published material includes selected copies of The Queen's Bulletin which was edited by Larsen for many years in addition to numerous newsclippings. The original order was amended slightly to facilitate retrieval. The collection is arranged into four series. Provenance was maintained by keeping materials donated by Mrs. Charles (Mary) Judd within one series.

The first series, Papers regarding Larsen, n.d. (2 folders), contains material written by others regarding Larsen and items relating to him. Of note is the "Interview with Dr. Larsen," conducted by Captain Lucius W. Johnson (U.S.N.) for his 1944 Survey of Honolulu Hospitals. This study was undertaken at the request of the Honolulu County Medical Society and the Public Health Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu. A copy of an address to the Wilcox Memorial Hospital by the HML Archivist in January of 1999 covers Larsen's influence on plantation medicine. The second folder contains correspondence regarding the issue whether the Medical Director should be a full or part time position. A copy of the four page letter sent out by J.R. Galt, president of the board of trustees, and copies of the responses are included. The outgoing letter lists Larsen's accomplishments while engaged on a part-time basis. Without exception all opinions express their high regard for Dr. Larsen and his accomplishments and many express that based on these accomplishments and Larsen's dedication to Queen's, the decision should be left to him.

The second series, Papers by Larsen, n.d. (5 folders), contains manuscripts, personal research notes, and excerpts from other material as compiled by Larsen. The first sub-series, Personal notes, n.d. (4 folders), contains Larsen's pre-draft notes on to-be-published articles and manuscripts. One folder contains thirteen typed pages of excerpts from the Trustees' files including minutes, reports, and correspondence, including letters as published in newspapers. Topics include the death of Mr. L. Desha, the poor supply of water to the hospital, quarters for indigent foreigners, support of paupers by the community by imposing a tax, syphilitic diseases among the Hawaiians, the care of females and sanitary legislation. These papers were singed by a fire and were accompanied by a note by Maude Jones, archivist. The last folder contains an incomplete set of photocopies of Larsen's scrapbook. The second sub-series, Drafts of address (1 folder), contains the copies of various addresses given by Larsen, most of which refer to Queen's history.

The third series, Correspondence, 1952-1959 (1 folder), contains only three items. The first letter is in reference to Dr. Larsen's recognition by his alma mater, Cornell. The second is a letter of thanks to Larsen from E.E. Black, president of the board. The final letter is by Larsen to the Historian and is written on Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association letterhead. [Note: Two letters penned by Larsen regarding G.N. Wilcox Memorial Hospital are located in the Other Hospitals collection in box 3, folder 8.]

The fourth series, Published works, 1924-1962 (3 folders), contains works either written or edited by Larsen. It also includes works written about Larsen. The first sub-series, Newsclippings, 1940-1995 (1 folder), includes articles or ads in the public newspapers, clippings from the house organ. Of note is a broadside entitled, "Symbol of a King and Queen : The Queen's Hospital," reprinted from Paradise of the Pacific, June 1953 on the occasion of the hospital's 93rd anniversary.

The second sub-series, The Queen's Hospital Bulletin, 1924-1939 (1 folder), contains selected issues of this house organ which was edited by Larsen. Undated pages preceded dated issues. The early issues are titled The Queen's Hospital Bulletin with Palama Clinic Section. Two copies of the last issue celebrates the 80th anniversary, September 1939.

The third and final sub-series, Articles on Plantation Health, 1929-1962 (1 folder), contains photocopies of articles identified and secured in preparation of an address made on January 21, 1999 by the HML archivist, Helen Wong Smith, at Wilcox Hospital. A few of the articles were provided by Mrs. Lila Larsen Morgan, daughter of Nils P. Larsen. In addition to published articles, several unpublished items are included which were secured from Hamilton Library of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. The arcticles are preceded by a print out of on-line searches to various collections with Larsen as the search strategy.

Notes
The Hawaii Medical Library holds a small collection of papers by and re Dr. Larsen. Provenance is assumed to be Nils P. Larsen. For access to these files contact the Mamiya Medical Heritage Center.

Access Points

Main Entry
Larsen, Nils Paul, 1890-1964.

Subjects
Hospitals, Rural. mesh
Medical Staff, Hospital. mesh
Personnel, Hospital. mesh
Plantation life--Hawaii.
Plantation workers--Hawaii.
Queen's Hospital (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Queen's Medical Center (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Research. mesh
Rural health service.
Tuberculosis--Hospitals (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Container List

Series 1: Papers regarding Larsen, n.d. (2 folders)

Series 2: Papers by Larsen, n.d. (5 folders)

     Sub-Series 2.1: Personal notes (4 folders)

     Sub-series 2.2: Drafts of address (1 folder)

Series 3: Correspondence, 1952-1959 (1 folder)

Series 4: Published works, 1924-1999 (3 folders)

     Sub-Series 4.1: Newsclippings, 1940-1995 (1 folder)

     Sub-Series 4.2: The Queen's Hospital Bulletin, 1924-1937 (1 folder)

     Sub-Series 4.3: Material regarding Plantation Health, 1929-1999 (1 folder)

Administrative Information

Contact Information
Mamiya Medical Heritage Center
Hawaii Medical Library
1221 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 536-9302, x112
Fax: (808) 524-6956
Email: mmhc@hml.org

Access
By appointment only. No access on evenings, weekends or holidays.

Conditions of Use
Please credit the Mamiya Medical Heritage Center.

Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to Mamiya Medical Heritage Center. All requests for permission to publish or quote from the materials must be submitted in writing. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Mamiya Medical Heritage Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred Citation
Clippings Collection, Queen's Historical Room, Queen's Medical Center.

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