[ 32 ]
The flourishing state of literature in this college, and the perfection in which the languages, mathematics, and polite arts are taught here, are strong inducements for such young men as propose engaging in the study of Medicine, to enter the college. Because when medical lectures are given under the patronage of the trustees and faculty, at the same time that students are prosecuting other parts of learning, they will have greater advantages there than hitherto they have enjoyed. Thus the motives of repairing to Philadelphia for the study of Medicine and Surgery will multiply in proportion.
This city, so large, in such a thriving state, and so extremely beautiful and pleasant in its situation, as well as so nearly central to all the colonies on the continent, has peculiar advantages in respect to the resort of students; which added to the advantage of
a course of clinical lectures, in order to explain the hospital practice; the students paying such reasonable fees to those clinical teachers as may be thought adequate to their trouble. This is a step of the greatest and most obvious utility to both hospital and student, consonant to reason and the usage of some of the best hospitals in Europe.
From my personal acquaintance with many of the managers when I attended the hospital some years ago, I am persuaded they would readily encourage this plan. Their known benevolence and ardent desire of contributing all in their power towards the improvement of medical arts, as well as relief of the sick; and thus uniting two of the most valuable purposes of such a foundation, lead me to think so.
When two such important institutions, as a medical college and a well regulated hospital, contribute mutually to the advantage of each other, all ranks and conditions of people would no doubt most chearfully unite in support of a common interest, so beneficial to useful literature, and so advantageous to the province in general.
