# Mary McMillan

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mary_McMillan
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mary_McMillan.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McMillan
> Source revision: 1355698270
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American physical therapist

Mary McMillan Mary McMillan, from a 1919 newspaper Born Mary Jennie Livingston McMillan November 28, 1880 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Died October 24, 1959 (age 78) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Occupation Physical therapist

**Mary Jennie Livingston McMillan** (November 28, 1880 – October 24, 1959) was an American physical therapist, and the founding president of the [American Physical Therapy Association](/source/American_Physical_Therapy_Association).

## Early life and education

McMillan was born in [Hyde Park, Boston](/source/Hyde_Park%2C_Boston),[1] the daughter of Archibald McMillan and Kate McMillan. Her father was born in Scotland. She was raised by Mary Livingston, an aunt in England, after her mother and sister died.[2][3] She trained as a physical educator, and graduated from [Liverpool Gymnasium College](/source/I.M._Marsh_Campus) in 1905, with further training at hospitals in London.[4][5]

## Career

McMillan worked in hospitals in Liverpool from 1914 to 1916 and in Maine from 1916 to 1918.[5] In 1918 she began at [Walter Reed Army Medical Center](/source/Walter_Reed_Army_Medical_Center), where she was the first "reconstruction aide" in the new Division of Physical Reconstruction.[6][7] She trained rehabilitation aides at [Reed College](/source/Reed_College)[8] to work with wounded and disabled soldiers.[9] In 1921, she was founder and first president of the American Women's Physical Therapeutic Association, now known as the American Physical Therapy Association.[10] She was also president of the Massachusetts Physical Therapy Association.[2]

Between the wars, McMillan worked at a private orthopedic practice in Boston, and published a textbook, *Massage and Therapeutic Exercise* (1921).[11] She taught summer courses in physiotherapy to army nurses at [Harvard Medical School](/source/Harvard_Medical_School). In 1932, she became director of physiotherapy at [Peking Union Medical College](/source/Peking_Union_Medical_College) in China.[1][2]

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), McMillan worked at an American army hospital in Manila. She was held by Japanese authorities at [Santo Tomas Internment Camp](/source/Santo_Tomas_Internment_Camp) in the Philippines, and at Chapei prison camp in Shanghai, until 1944.[2] She attended the 25th anniversary conference of the American Physical Therapy Association in 1946, and spoke about the organization's founding.[12]

## Personal life and legacy

McMillan died in 1959, at the age of 78, in Boston.[13] In 1963, the American Physical Therapy Association named its Mary McMillan Scholarship Award in her memory.[14]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_1-1) ["Physiotherapy Meet Brings Together Two of Pacific's Heroines"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-asheville-times-physiotherapy-meet-b/173681218/). *The Asheville Times*. 1946-06-18. pp. 1, [8](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-asheville-times-physiotherapy-meetin/173681086/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-asheville-times-physiotherapy-meet-b/173681218/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_2-3) ["Mary McMillan Tells of Life in Jap Prison Camp"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-sun-mary-mcmillan-tells-of-li/173682583/). *The Herald-Sun*. 1945-04-09. p. 10. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-sun-mary-mcmillan-tells-of-li/173682583/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:3_3-0)** Dreeben-Irimia, Olga (2010-10-22). [*Introduction to Physical Therapy for Physical Therapist Assistants*](https://books.google.com/books?id=SAFeos1mHBsC&dq=%22Mary%20McMillan%22&pg=PA8). Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 8–10. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7637-8130-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7637-8130-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Hershey, Henry (2002-10-23). ["A History of Physical Therapy"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ephrata-review-a-history-of-physical/173681305/). *The Ephrata Review*. p. 21. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ephrata-review-a-history-of-physical/173681305/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_5-1) ["Reed Gets Expert; Miss Mary McMillan, of England, to be Instructor Here; War Experience of Value"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-oregonian-reed-gets-expert-m/173697189/). *The Sunday Oregonian*. 1918-06-23. p. 12. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602205158/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-oregonian-reed-gets-expert-m/173697189/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Remembering the Reconstruction Aides"](https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4196-remembering-the-reconstruction-aides.html). *World War I Centennial site*. Retrieved 2025-06-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Groves, Larry (1998-10-30). ["Military training birthplace of the physical therapy profession"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-record-news-military-training-birt/173696684/). *Times Record News*. p. 83. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602205158/https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-record-news-military-training-birt/173696684/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Army Cases Varied; Work of Reconstruction Aides Explained by Nurse; Women Respond to Call"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oregonian-army-cases-varied-work-of/173685352/). *The Oregonian*. 1918-07-08. p. 12. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oregonian-army-cases-varied-work-of/173685352/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["All Army Hospitals to Give Physio-Therapy Treatment"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-all-army-hospitals-to-give/173684437/). *Evening Star*. 1919-04-22. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Jenkins, Bess (1968-06-30). ["Demand for Physical Therapists Growing"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star-demand-for-physical-the/173682453/). *The Lincoln Star*. p. 10. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star-demand-for-physical-the/173682453/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** McMillan, Mary (1921). [*Massage and Therapeutic Exercise*](https://books.google.com/books?id=pgZFAQAAMAAJ). W. B. Saunders.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Therapists Cite History of Unit; Mary McMillan Recalls History; Round-Up is Conducted on Polio"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-therapists-cite-hi/173684868/). *The News and Observer*. 1946-06-18. p. 5. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-therapists-cite-hi/173684868/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Morning Death Notices"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-morning-death-notices/173685057/). *The Boston Globe*. 1959-10-26. p. 32. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-morning-death-notices/173685057/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Physical Therapy Award Goes to UI Senior"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/iowa-city-press-citizen-physical-therapy/173682277/). *Iowa City Press-Citizen*. 1967-06-28. p. 9. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250602175116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/iowa-city-press-citizen-physical-therapy/173682277/) from the original on 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mary McMillan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McMillan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McMillan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.