Page:A History of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania.djvu/112

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116
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF

which has given rise to the conventional term for examination, even still employed, “The Green Box.” With respect to its origin, we quote the Minutes of March 20: “This day, from certain difficulties having arisen, the Professors commenced the practice of examining the candidates behind a screen. Mr. Naudain was the first candidate examined in this manner.”[1] In this way the individual was only known to the Dean. The custom of examining in the “Green Box” was formally abolished by the Faculty in 1821. The examination upon the Thesis was not always satisfactory, as cases are on record of failure in this part of the exercises.

On the 1st of January, 1811, the Trustees appointed a committee of their body to “revise the Bye-Laws and Ordinances that have been made in this Institution, and to report such a set of Bye-Laws and Ordinances as to them shall appear proper and consistent with the Constitution of the Seminary for the regulation thereof.”

On the 21st of January the following rules were enacted with reference to the Medical Department:—

“In the Medical Department there shall be a Professorship of Anatomy; of Surgery; of the Institutes and Practice and Clinical Medicine; of Materia Medica; of Chemistry; of Natural History and Botany; of Midwifery; of Natural Philosophy.

“The Medical Schools shall be under the immediate government of the Medical Professors, subject to the Rules and Statutes of the Board of Trustees.

“The Medical Professors shall hold meetings from time to time for the purpose of arranging and conducting the business of this department, and establishing rules and regulations for the preservation of order and decorum among the medical students, and they shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings.

“All questions (those excepted which relate to the passing of a Candidate for a Medical Degree) shall be decided by a majority.

“Each student, and every other person attending a course

  1. Dr. Arnold Naudain, of Delaware, afterwards a distinguished citizen of that State, and Senator of the United States.