W. Bruce Fye Center For the History of Medicine: A Century of Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Born Maud Headline in Faribault, Minnesota, she graduated from nursing school in Chicago in 1887 and married Ernest J. Mellish, M.D., in 1899. Following his death in 1905, Maud came to Mayo Clinic in 1907 to organize the library and edit papers for publication. Maud married Louis B. Wilson, M.D., in 1924, taking the name Maud Mellish Wilson. She was appointed director of the Division of Publications in 1914 and served as head of the Editorial Department until her death in 1933. 

Maud Mellish Wilson standing on the steps of the 1914 Building, undated.
 

Maud Mellish Wilson reading in the Mayo Clinic library, undated.

Ellen Guldberg and Eleanore Clappier, assistant managing and managing editors, work on future issues of Proceedings, 1952.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings was sent to subscribers around the world. These cards are surviving samples from the old mailing list. (Courtesy of Scientific Publications)

In this 1961 photograph, custodial staff (left to right) Laor Betts, Edward Duffy, and Walter Gerber transport one of the biweekly Proceedings mailings to the Rochester post office.

Maud Mellish Wilson published the first edition of The Writing of Medical Papers in 1922. The handbook, intended for “writers of medical papers, and for those who edit, or read proof on such papers”, includes grammar rules, abbreviations and terminology specific to the medical field, and general writing guidelines, some of which are listed below.

• Do not invent words.
• Before using unfamiliar words, thoroughly investigate their meaning.
• Study punctuation thoroughly; the art cannot be learned from a few rules.
• Don’t estimate measurements in terms of cocoanuts, oranges, fists, eggs, beans, and so forth; use the metric system.
• Practice thinking accurately before transcribing ideas.
• Begin promptly.
• End promptly.
• Verify all references; be positive that they are complete and accurate.
• Do not write unless you have something original or instructive to contribute.

To view an online version of the book, go to: https://archive.org/details/writingofmedical00melluoft

Staff meetings were initially held in the assembly room of the 1914 Building (above), located where the Siebens Building now stands.

Following the completion of the Plummer Building in 1928, staff meetings were held in Plummer Hall on Plummer 14. In this 1952 photo (above), Mayo Clinic Proceedings assistant managing editor, Ellen Guldberg, records a presentation by George G. Stilwell, M.D.

This clock came from the Section of Publications. A note found with the item states that it was “used to time early staff meetings”. The research presented at these meetings was published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 

This cake, decorated to look like an issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, was made for a party celebrating the 25th work anniversary of Donabeth Postier, managing editor. (Photo courtesy of Scientific Publications)