Sugar urn with cover

This tea/coffee service was made to accompany a tea/coffee urn [2009.420.1-2] and tray that were presented to Dr. Philip Syng Physick by the Board of Managers of the Marine and City Hospitals for his dedication during the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1798. Physick graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied medicine, in 1785. He also completed medical degrees at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, 1791, and at the University of Edinburgh, 1792. The first yellow fever epidemic broke out in 1793 shortly after his return to Philadelphia and Physick became the attending surgeon at the hospital at Bush Hill. Despite becoming sick with the disease Physick continued to minister the sick. In 1798 another bought of yellow fever broke out and Physick grew sick but again continued his work.

Soon after the receipt of the tea/coffee urn [2009.420.1-2] by the Board of Managers of the Marine and City Hospitals, Physick returned to its maker, John McMullin to commission additional pieces and create a full tea/coffee service. Those pieces here made by McMullin, a creamer and a waste bowl are part of that additional commission made circa 1799. According to family tradition Dr. Physick had two tea/coffee services, a so-called "evening service," to which the tea/coffee urn and the McMullin silver presumably belonged, and a "morning service" which was made circa 1830 by Robert & William Wilson. The later service was made in imitation of the first and therefore being visibly identical the two sets were mixed up during the disbursement of the silver after Physick's death. The service here contains pieces from each the evening and morning service, and therefore pieces made by both McMullin and the Wilson brothers.