“Resolved, That if the Guardians of the Poor will make arrangements to transport twice a week, for the four months directly ensuing, two hundred and twenty students to and from the Alms House to a convenient site in the city; should the number of students be less than that number, the Medical Faculty will pay to the Board the sum of three dollars upon each case of the deficiency.”
The proposition was accepted by the Board, and the students were conveyed in omnibuses.
In 1838, Dr. William Gerhard was appointed an Assistant to Dr. Jackson. The services of Dr. Gerhard were so highly appreciated by the class attending the clinic of the Blockley Hospital in the winter of 1840 as to lead to a series of resolutions expressive of approbation.
In 1840 Dr. Gibson withdrew from the service of the Hospital, and was followed, in 1845, by Drs. Jackson and Horner.[1]
In 1841, the system of Dispensary Clinics was adopted by the University. The first that was instituted under its auspices was conducted by Dr. Gerhard and Dr. William P. Johnston, in the building of the Medical Institute, in Locust Street above Eleventh. It was there carried on until the commencement of the course of 1843, when it was transferred to the University building, under the immediate superintendence of the professors, with the assistance of those gentlemen. From that time to the present this mode of practical instruction has constituted a part of the regular course of medical teaching conducted by the University.[2]
- ↑ For an account of the changes which subsequently occurred, and the policy pursued, we must refer to the pages of Dr. Agnew’s Lecture; it is sufficient here to remark, that, after a trial of various schemes for the management of the institution, with the appointment of a chief resident physician, and, in 1855, of special lecturers on medicine and surgery, there was a return, in 1859, to the original plan of a Board of Physicians and Surgeons, upon whom devolved the care of the sick as well as the instruction of pupils. Attendance has been made free to all medical students, who, aided by the facilities of attendance afforded by the street cars, now freely avail themselves of the excellent clinical teaching conducted in the establishment. See Appendix G. for list of the Professors who have served in the Almshouse.
- ↑ This method of clinical instruction was first adopted on the organization of the Jefferson Medical College, in 1824, at its building in Prune Street. The history of that School has been written by Dr. J. F. Gayley.
