The History of the University of Pennsylvania/Chapter IV
Chapter IV.
Origin of the Medical Department.
Though the college of Philadelphia was later in its origin than some similar institutions in the older settlements, it may nevertheless boast the honour of having established a medical school, the first in point of time, as it has always been the greatest in merit and success of all upon this continent. It does not come within the design of the present sketch, to give even a very general account of the rise, progress, and ultimate prosperity of this department of the college, which of itself affords a subject so distinct and copious, as well to deserve a separate and minute consideration. We may, however, be allowed to notice a few circumstances, connected with the earliest period of its history.[1]
By a letter from Dr. William Shippen to the board of trustees, written in September, 1765, it appears that the institution of a medical school in this city, had long been a favourite object with him, and that in an introductory lecture to a course of anatomy, delivered three years previously to the date of the letter, he had publicly announced his belief in the expediency and practicability of the measure. Having, when in England, communicated his plan to Dr. John Morgan,[2] who was then prosecuting his medical studies in that country, he had resolved to postpone any attempt to carry it into effect, till the return of that gentleman should afford an opportunity of securing his co-operation. In the mean time, however, Dr. Morgan had interested in favour of the project several influential individuals in England; and it was proposed that a school of medicine should be engrafted on the Philadelphia college, the professors to be appointed, and the degrees to be conferred, as in the other department Among those who exhibited the strongest interest in the affair were Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Peters, former presidents of the board, at that time residing in Great Britain, and Thomas Penn, the proprietary of Pennsylvania; from all of whom Dr. Morgan, on his return to Philadelphia, brought letters to the trustees, strongly advising the adoption of his plan, and recommending the Doctor himself to their choice, as one of the professors,[3] These letters were presented to the board at a special meeting, accompanied with a written proposal from Dr. Morgan, "setting forth his plan of opening medical schools under the patronage and government of the college, and intimating his desire to be appointed professor of the theory and practice of physic." The trustees approved the scheme, and "entertaining a high sense of Dr. Morgan's abilities, and the honours paid to him by different learned bodies and societies in Europe," unanimously appointed him to the office for which he applied. The date of this event, the 3d of May, 1765, is deserving of commemoration, as the birth day, in America, of that system of medical education, which has been carried to such high perfection, and has so powerfully tended to advance the profession in knowledge, reputation, and usefulness.
In the following September, Dr. William Shippen, upon application to the board, was unanimously chosen professor of anatomy and surgery. Dr. Adam Kuhn was afterwards made professor of botany and materia medica, and Dr. Benjamin Rush, of chemistry. This last appointment was preceded by a letter from the proprietors to the trustees, written at the request of Dr. Fothergill, recommending Dr. Rush to their notice as an expert chemist, and requesting their acceptance of a suitable chemical apparatus. At the same time that instruction was given to the students by these gentlemen in their respective branches, a course of clinical lectures was delivered by Dr. Thomas Bond, in the Pennsylvania Hospital.
In the year 1767, a system of rules was adopted, necessary for the proper organization of this new school. Two grades of medical honours were established, corresponding with those in the department of the arts and sciences. The qualifications for the first degree, or that of bachelor in medicine, were a competent acquaintance with the Latin language, and with those branches of mathematics and natural philosophy which were deemed necessary prerequisites to a good medical education; the serving of a sufficient apprenticeship with some reputable practitioner of physic; a general knowledge of pharmacy; and finally, an attendance upon at least one complete course of lectures, and on the practice of the hospital for one year. To obtain the degree of doctor of medicine, it was necessary that the applicant should have been a bachelor of medicine for at least three years, should have attained the age of twenty-four, should write a thesis, and, except in cases of absence abroad, or in some distant part of the colonies, should defend this thesis publicly in the college. It will be perceived that this system differs materially from that now in operation; and the modern has, in several respects, a decided advantage. Perhaps it would have been well to preserve that regulation, which demanded a previous knowledge of the Latin language, the neglect of which is too common among medical students of the present day.
The first medical commencement was held on the 21st of June, 1768, when the following gentlemen received their bachelor's degree:—John Archer of Newcastle county, Benjamin Cowell of Bucks, Samuel Duffield and Jonathan Potts of Philadelphia, Jonathan Elmer of N. Jersey, Humphrey Fullerton of Lancaster county, David Jackson of Chester county, John Lawrence of E. Jersey, James Tilton of Kent county on Delaware, and Nicholas Way of Wilmington.
Such was the origin of a school, which, by the talents and industry of its successive teachers, has attained a station little inferior to that of the most celebrated in Europe; which has for a long time diffused medical knowledge, in copious streams, over the whole of this widely extended country, and given birth to numerous similar institutions, emulous of their parent school in honour and usefulness; which, while it affords to its officers a dignity in rank and an affluence in subsistence beyond any other private association on the continent, at the same time imparts to the city in which it is located, a degree of prosperity and reputation which the most sanguine of its founders never ventured to anticipate from its operations.
- ↑ The following extract of a letter from James Logan to Colonel Hunter, Governor of New York, dated 5th month 1st, 1717-18, contains the earliest account we have seen of a proposition to deliver medical lectures in Philadelphia. The individual referred to was Dr. Colden. "All I know of that bill is only this. He came to me one day, to desire my opinion of a proposal to get an Act of Assembly for an allowance to him as physician for the poor of this place. I told him I thought very well of the thing, but doubted whether it could be brought to bear in the house. Not long after, K. Hill showed me a bill for this purpose, put into his hands by the governor, with two farther provisions in it, which were, that a public physical lecture should be held in Philadelphia, to the support of which every unmarried man, above the age of twenty-one years, should pay six shillings and eight-pence or an English crown yearly, and that the corpses of all persons whatever that died here, should be visited by an appointed physician who should receive for his trouble three shillings and four-pence. These things I owned were very commendable, but doubted our Assembly would never go into them, that of the lecture especially."
- ↑ The gentlemen already mentioned among the first graduates of the college.
- ↑ The following is the letter from Mr. Penn, extracted from the minutes of the board of trustees.
"Dr. Morgan has laid before me a proposal for introducing new professorships into the college, for the instruction of all such as shall incline to go into the study and practice of physic and surgery, as well as the several occupations attending upon these necessary and useful arts. He thinks his scheme, if patronised by the trustees, will at present give reputation and strength to the institution, and though it may for some time occasion a, small expense, yet after a little while it will gradually support itself and even make considerable additions to the academy funds."
"Dr. Morgan has employed his time in an assiduous search after knowledge, in all the branches necessary for the practice of his profession, and has gained such esteem and love from persons of the first rank in it, that as they very much approve his plan, they will from time to time, as he assures us, give him their countenance and assistance in the execution of it We are made acquainted with what is proposed to be taught, and how lectures may be adopted by you, and since the like systems have brought much advantage to every plan where they have been received, and such learned and eminent men speak favourably of the Doctor's plan, I could not but in the most kind manner recommend him to you, and desire that he may be well received, and what he has to offer be taken, with all becoming respect and expedition, into your most serious consideration; and if it shall be thought necessary to go into it, and thereupon to offer professorships, that he may be taken into your service."
"When you have heard him, and duly considered what he has to lay before you, you will be best able to judge in what manner you can serve the public, the institution, and the particular design now recommended to you.
I am, gentlemen,
Your affectionate friend,
THOMAS PENN."
London, February 15th, 1765.