dential blessing; and I am certain nothing would give me so much pleasure as to have it in my power to contribute the least mite towards its perfect establishment.
“The Professor of Anatomy and Physiology is well qualified for his task, his dissections are accurate and elegant, and his lectures learned, judicious and clear.
“The Professor of the Theory and Practice or Physic has had the best opportunities of improvement, joined to genius and application, and cannot fail of giving necessary and instructive lessons to the pupils.”[1] In 1766, Dr. Shippen’s course was announced publicly on the 18th of September. That of Dr. Morgan was also announced on the 25th of the same month in these terms: “A Course of Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Physic will be delivered for the benefit of medical students, with a preparatory course on Botany, Chemistry, and the Materia Medica, being the substance of a set of lectures delivered to his pupils last winter.” This, then, in reality was the first course of lectures on the practice of medicine.
The year 1766 was further memorable in the annals of the College for the award of a gold medal to Dr. Morgan for a prize essay. The following advertisement explains the nature of the transaction:—
“Whereas, John Sargent, Esq., Merchant of London and Member of Parliament, hath presented to this College a Gold Medal for the best English Essay on the reciprocal advantages of a perpetual union between Great Britain and her American Colonies, notice is hereby given by order of the Trustees, that the said Medal will be disposed of at the ensuing Commencement in May, for the best Essay that shall be produced on the subject proposed, by any one of those who have received any degree or part of their education in this College; and, as the said subject is one of the most important which can at this time employ the pen of the patriot or scholar, and is thus left open to all those who have had any connection with this College, either as students or graduates, it is hoped
- ↑ This lecture was published in the “North American Medical and Surgical Journal,” Oct. 1827, page 266.
