History and reminiscences of the Philadelphia almshouse and Philadelphia hospital ... / Reprinted from Philadelphia hospital reports.

Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History and reminiscences of the Philadelphia almshouse and Philadelphia hospital ... / Reprinted from Philadelphia hospital reports. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    Jewell and Caspar Morris to the obstetrical departments, the latter gentleman being transferred from the medical to the obstetrical at his own request.1 On the 2d of July, 1855, the period for the annual election of a chief medical officer, Dr. Robert K. Smith was selected by the guardians, and co-operated most efficiently with the clinical board, delivering in October a most excellent introductory, and partici- pating in the clinical instructions communicated to the class. On the 21st of July, 1856, Dr. A. B. Campbell was elected chief resi- dent physician. A remarkable change this year came over the board of guardians in reference to the house instruction. It is altogether foreign to my purpose to enter into any analysis of the instrumentalities employed to sway the opinions of these gentle- men, although they were quite patent, I presume, to any member of the medical organization connected with the institution. It is sufficient to say, that on the motion of a member, offered on the 22d of December, 1856, clinical instruction in the Philadelphia Hospital was abolished after the termination of the lectures then in progress. The reason adduced in justification of this act, was the failure of the clinic to meet its own expenses. The record stultified the allegation ; and those who were cognizant of the fact could not but feel indignant at so audacious a falsification of the case. There were at that very time seventy-five students in attendance, a larger number than usually attended the hospitals either in this country or Europe. On the 8th of June, 1857, Dr. Campbell resigned, and was suc- ceeded by Dr. James McClintock, very shortly after which event the visiting members of the medical organization all resigned, several of the resident physicians withdrew from the house, and again the institution ceased to administer to the wants of the medical class of Philadelphia. On the 5th of July, 1858, Dr. Robert K. Smith again became chief resident officer, and on the 19th of the same month, under the auspices of this new medical head, Mr. Reall, a member of the board of guardians, proposed to re-establish a board of clinical lecturers. The subject for a time was laid over, until the 11th of October, when the students of the different medical colleges of the P In the copy of Dr. Agnew's lecture from which this is reprinted, the following is written in lead pencil: This is an error certainly, at least, I have no recollection of such a request, Signed Caspar Morris, June, 1875.]