Jefferson Medical College - Clinic Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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The History of the Class of 1927 EAN PATTERSON'S sonorous, This evening, gentlemen, we com- mence the Ninety-ninth Annual Session of jefferson, were the first words which we as a body heard at jefferson. Remember that hot, humid Philadelphia September night back in 1923 and how we were perched in the upper rows of the hard benches of the Lower Amphitheatre? One hun- dred and seventy-nine of us gathered from everywhere, most of us feeling rather lonesome, not knowing a single classmate, but profoundly impressed with our good fortune in making jefferson. The Dean continued gravely and sincerely to tell us that these opening exercises were especially for the purpose of welcoming the Freshmen Class to jefferson and that as we were selected out of nineteen hundred applicants, great things were expected of us. The thrill of pride which we experienced on hearing these laudatory comments was soon changed to a most uncomfortable feeling of insecurity as Dr. Patterson continued with the remarks that jefferson was an aristocracy of brains and that only those who were well equipped in this respect could hope to graduate or even enter the Sophomore year. The following state- ment that the junior Class was taking in twenty-five transfers and now numbered one hundred and forty-five, gave a most ominous and evil emphasis to the pre- ceding remarks. How well one recalls the sensations of inadequacy and appre- hension which swept over us! Following Dr. Patterson, Professor Morse, the speaker of the evening, presented a most interesting and instructive address entitled, The Relation of Chemistry to Medicine. The pleasant, easy style of this gentleman and the entertaining nature of the paper gave no hint of the strenuous mental gym- nastics which Dr. Morse had in store for us, nor of the chemical Gordian knots and labyrinthine formulae which were to make us burn the midnight oil. At the conclusion, following hearty applause, the Class of 1927 wended their respective ways homeward, or in most cases boarding housewards, with a feeling of satisfaction and pride in their Alma Mater which has been justifiably aug- mented as our knowledge of jefferson and the Sons of jefferson has increased. Thursday at twelve, Professor Rosenberger, the gay, witty Rosie, started our actual work at jefferson with an introductory lecture giving some good, sound advice, and a bird's-eye view of Etiology. Rosie was the bright spot in the increasing grinding toil of the Freshman Year. True, he made us scribble madly in lectures taking notes, and we had to grind on the subject learning things which were entirely new to us, but never a lecture passed without some Page Nifzely-nine

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interesting anecdote being told about the heroes of jefferson, or a witty story. The most enjoyable times of all were Dr. Rosenberger's quizzes, both in the lecture room and the Bacteriology laboratory. The first laboratory quiz was just after the class had elected Al. Berlin as president. Rosie rushed in the laboratory, turned to Dr. Decker and briskly said, Quiz today, 'Deck,' get that damned pipe out of here! The section .M . V L L, scuffled up toward Rosie, each dragging fa. :.:ga22a::. his labofilfofl' M001 Whidl WHS made Ouf Of 'cl 'Tim 'f f I the most uncomfortable iron obtainable. No fi' roll book was in sight so we cheered up. No F ,i of ' wwf-- ' new roll book meant no quiz, we thought. But not L::::::::' .b:::::x7 Tflfffii' so with Rosie, for to our surprise he knew Z wil'---' M llnm' -- all of us, and many by our first names. '1 'e n e ee' Ll-' Al, said Dr.Rosenberger,turningto Berlin. What is in LoefHer's Blood Serum media? Al- Blood Serum- Rosie- Yes? Al- Glucose Bouillon, Peprone, Egg Agar- Rosie- Anything else? Al- Well, water and salt too. Rosie- XWhat in Hell are you mak- ing, Lydia Pinkham's Compound? Henry B. Decker, better known as Deck, presided in the laboratory. The things we did learn in Bacteriology that we won't forget are the stories u about Rosie's cat Monkey, Monkey, the cat that fell from the sixth floor to the alley and lived, the cat who had more progeny than there are fresh- men, the cat that are the B. Tetanus culture and recovered after an injection of B. Pyocyaneus culture and then gave birth to green kittens! Throughout the year, the lectures were heavy but lightened by Rosie's wit, the quizzes were grilling, those giving poor replies being punished by keen sarcasms. He worked hard and he worked us hard and we were rewarded by gaining knowledge and a real friend. Friday we met Professor Morse Qlater known as Witlirowj , who informed us that we were going to learn Physiological Chemistry. And we did. Our experiences in Chemistry were diverse, as under this department we received three lectures a week, Dr. Morse talked Wednesdziys and Fridays at twelve, and Mr. Trumpet, Mondays five to six for Toxicology. In addition, Mr. Schrader gave us a laboratory course. Needless to say with so many lectures we soon became supersaturated with chemic lore. Dr. Morse's lectures were lightened and broadened by interesting historical and biographical points, and here and there a dry witticism or criticism. Occasionally, the clinical and laboratory sides were linked together as in Dr. Cohen's clinic on the many endocrine imbalances. Many were most pleased by the fact that Dr. Cohen confessed to have for- Pizge One Hmzdred