of this branch of medical science both for the practice of medicine and for surgery, and accordingly in the winter of 1870 he undertook to give a course of anatomical lectures at the hospital. His audience was composed of persons attached to the army in a medical capacity, a few medical students (probably serving apprenticeships to other practitioners), physicians of Boston and some scientific gentlemen. It was necessary to conduct these demonstrations, which were performed on the cadaver, with much privacy on account of the popular prejudice against dissection. These lectures were so successful that the members of the Boston Medical Society, an organization formed the same year (may 14, 1780), passed a vote: "That Dr. John Warren be desired to demonstrate a course of anatomical lectures the ensuing winter." This course was given publicity at the hospital and was attended by many literary and scientific men, including President Willard and members of the Harvard Corporation, as well as students from the college. A third course of demonstrations was given in 1782 at the "Molineux House"[1] on Beacon Street near Bowdoin Street. This course was attended by the senior class at Harvard. In addition to the school in Philadelphia at this time, Warren says: "The military hospitals of the United States furnish a large field for observation and experience in the various branches of the healing art as well as an opportunity for anatomical investigation."
Warren's efforts at teaching had brought home to the Corporation of Harvard College the needs of a medical school and accordingly at a meeting of that body held on May 16, 1782, a committee was appointed to consider the establishment of a medical professorship. Following a report of this committee on September 19, Warren was requested to draw up plans for a course of medical instruction. He was assisted in this work by the advice of Shippen and Rush (q.v.), of Philadelphia, and on November 22 of the same year the corporation voted to establish three professorships: One of anatomy and surgery, one of theory and practice of physic and one of chemistry and materia medica—and Warren was appointed professor of anatomy and surgery. On December 14 Benjamin Waterhouse (q.v.) was chosen professor of theory and practice of physic. Dr. Aaron Dexter's (q.v.) appointment as professor of chemistry and materia medica followed on May 22, 1783. On October 7, 1783, Warren and Waterhouse were inducted into office at the meeting house in Cambridge and Dexter's induction (owing to his absence) followed a few weeks later. The first course of lectures was prepared and delivered during the winter of 1783–4.
The lectures were first given in temporary quarters, probably in the basement of Harvard Hall, and in 1800 Holden Chapel was fitted up for the reception of the Medical Department. Owing to the difficulty of access to Cambridge at that time and the absence of clinical facilities, the school was transferred to Boston. Warren was successful as a lecturer and was able to hold the attention of the class through lectures which, at that day, often lasted two or three hours. His "gentlemen, remember this" was a phrase often recalled by pupils in later years.
Dr. Warren had a large private practice and soon became one of the leading surgeons of New England. He had begun his career with a considerable experience as an army surgeon and early in his professional life performed one of the first abdominal sections recorded in this country. This operation consisted in the opening and evacuation of a dermoid cyst in the left hypochondrium with recovery of the patient.[2] A successful amputation of the shoulder joint performed at the Military Hospital, then also a novelty, helped to establish his reputation as a surgeon. According to James Jackson (q.v.), his pupil, "he enjoyed the highest confidence of those around him in all branches of his profession; but it was in the practice of surgery he attained the most extensive reputation." He was cool in operating, did not hurry, and made a point of never omitting any details. He was among the first to recognize and practise the principle of the healing of wounds by first intention.
His medical practice brought him in contact with the extensive epidemics which prevailed in those days. He took a prominent part in the management of an epidemic of yellow fever which visited Boston in 1798, of which he wrote a report. In 1802 he was one of a commission to render a favorable report on the use of vaccine, which had recently been brought from Europe, "as a complete security against smallpox."
Dr. Warren's most notable contribution to literature was entitled "A View of the Mercurial Practice in Febrile Diseases," 1813 (pp. 187), in which he refers to the treatment of many of the prevailing diseases of that period, such as measles, throat-distemper, consumption, dysentery, spotted fever and spinal men-
