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This is a collection of oral history interviews conducted primarily by Albert Lyons, MD, who was the founder of the Mount Sinai, now the Arthur H. Aufses, Jr. MD, Archives. The bulk of the interviews take place between the 1960s and the 1990s. Some of the later interviews were conducted by Archives Director Barbara Niss, and a hand full are conducted by various other persons. Early interviews focus on various physicians and researchers of note, and later interviews add other employees of the Hospital.

This is a recording of a conversation between John Garlock, MD and Ralph Colp, MD circa 1946. In this recording they discuss a conversation Colp had with Frank Lahey regarding why Garlock was not yet a member of the American Surgical Association or taken into the American Gastroenterological Association. They also discuss why Colp has not proposed Garlock to the American Surgical association. Colp mentions cases and examples that have led him to doubt Garlock's intellectual honesty. Garlock defends himself and explains why Colp’s statements have unsettled him. Together they dispute these instances and determine that once Garlock shows Colp that he did in fact report a case in which he attached the wrong loop of ileum to the bowel at a surgical conference then they would go together to talk to Frank Lahey and let him arbitrate.

Alfred R. Stern served as Chairman of the three Boards of Trustees of Mount Sinai from 1977 to 1985 (the Medical Center, the Hospital and the Medical School). He explains the leadership structure of the institution, and how and why it changed over time, and discuses some of the strengths of Mount Sinai, “town and gown” tensions, and funding difficulties on State and Federal levels. He describes Gus Levy’s personality and working style. He adds some of his background growing up in Chicago area, shares some of the family history and stories, his business dealings in broadcasting (NBC radio & TV) and in cable, which he sold to Warner Communications, before moving onto work in another business. Finally, he touches on his hobbies and interests and his children.

Kark discusses his life and training (originally from South Africa); his work in South African hospitals and the University of Natal medical school; his arrival at Mount Sinai as Director of the Dept. of Surgery; his impressions of the program; affiliations with Greenpoint Hospital and the City Hospital Center at Elmhurst and the reasons for them; his contributions; planning of space in Annenberg; why he resigned; his opinion of Drs. George James, Solomon Berson, Kermit Osserman, John Garlock, Ralph Colp, Leon Ginzburg and Samuel Klein; his opinion of the residency training program. (Interview starts on August 16, 1973 and is continued on August 21, 1973.)

Barry Freedman discusses his career as an administrator at The Mount Sinai Hospital, starting in 1978. He details the changing structure of the hospital organization, changes in hospital reimbursement and relations with government; labor relations in a changing hospital, in particular with the nursing staff; the current state of hospitals in the United States; and the care center model that The Mount Sinai Hospital adopted.

This is a recording of the oral history of Bella Trachtenberg conducted by Albert S. Lyons on October 31st, 1985. Some of the significant topics represented in this oral history include: working as a stenographer; stories from life in France while working in the laboratory at Base Hospital No. 3 AEF during World War I; her experiences with and opinion of the men of the Board of Trustees and Medical Board; recalling controversies and tensions between surgeons, as well as the first and second woman externs, Isabel Beck (finished training in 1924) and Gertrude Felshin (class of 1925), and the first woman intern Rose Speigel; and George Baehr’s work with the Consultation Serivces and early animal kidney transplants, including her own role in Baehr’s kidney transplants as an anesthesiologist.

The recording begins in mid-sentence without context.

Dr. Bryan Brooks is a British surgeon who apparently was a patient in Mount Sinai Hospital and was well enough to speak with Dr. Lyons about his life and career. They discuss the British medical system, why some British doctors are referred to as "Mr." while others are called "Dr." and particularly the way ileostomy surgeries are done in England. He describes the British school system starting in early grades up through medical schooling, the salaries of medical professionals in England, how ostomy clubs began in England, and how he came to be in Mount Sinai Hospital. Lastly, he mentions his hobbies.

Dr. Crohn speaks about his early years in practice, when he came to Mount Sinai Hospital, the start of the gastrointestinal service there and the researchers with whom he worked . He relates his side of the story of ileitis, how the concept was developed at Mount Sinai, and what his part in it was, and the part that others played. He also describes some of his hobbies and interests.

Names mentioned: Dr. Berg; Dr. Edward Aronson; Dr. Lewisohn; Dr. Libman; Dr. Leon Ginzburg and Dr. Oppenheimer

Dr. James discusses his background and early training in public health work; his tenue at the New York City Health Department; how he was chosen as the first Dean and President of Mount Sinai; the role of government and medicine and the impact title 19, Medicare will have on that relationship; plans for the new Medial School.