Jefferson Medical College - Clinic Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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1826 an act of the Legislature enlarged the charter, giving the right to grant the medical degree. Two years after, the Philadelphia Board was authorized to have almost entire management of the affairs of the medical college, the parent Board retaining the right to reverse the proceedings when, in their judgment, the interest of the college required this action. This relationship survived until the winter of 1837-38, when it terminated hy the medical college obtaining a separate charter. In organizing the first faculty, Dr. Joseph Klapp resigned, and in 1825 the chairs were filled as follows: John Eberle, M.D.,iTheory and Practice of Medicineg B. Rush Rhees, M.D., Materia Medica and In- stitutes, Jacob Green, Chemistry, Nathan R. Smith, M.D., Anatomyg Francis S. Beattie, M.D., Midwifery, George McClellan, M.D., Surgery. Having no endowment wherewith to build, they rented the old Tivoli Theatre, now 518 Locust street, altered its interior to suit their pur- pose, and announced a course of lectures for the winter of 1825-26. The first class numbered one hundred and seven, and the degree was con- ferred upon twenty in May by a writ of mandamus obtained from court, as the charter of the college at Canonsburg had not yet been amended so as to enable it to confer the medical degree. In the summer of 1826 Dr. NV. P. C. Barton was appointed to a new chair of materia medica. Litigation and discord between two of the professors affected unfavorably the class of 1826-27. The old theatre building proving entirely inadequate, a member of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Ezra Styles Ely, D.D.. offered to advance the money to erect a suitable building, the College to take a lease upon it for five years. This building was constructed upon a lot situated on Tenth street, between what are now called Sansom and Moravian streets. By August, 1828, it was ready for the tenant, which has been in continuous possession ever since. The chair of midwifery having been declared vacant, Dr. John Barnes was appointed lecturer IW flvlllmrc for one session, and in April, 1827, he was elected professor. At the opening of the session of 1827- 28, Dr. N. R. Smith resigned tl1e chair of anatomy. The juncture was critical, but Dr. George McClellan undertook the course on anatomy as well as his own on surgery. The Trustees being dissatisfied with the teaching in midwifery, on June 19th, 1828, all the chairs were vacated and on the 26th of the same month the faculty was reconstructed as fol- lows: Surgery, George McClellan, M.D.: Medicine, John Eberle, M.D.g Materia Medica, W. P. C. Barton, M.D., Institutes,'B. Rush Rhees, M.D.g Chemistry, Jacob Green, M.D. As the chairs of -midwifery and anatomy were vacant, Dr. Eberle took the extra work in midwifery, and anatomy was taught by Dr. George McClellan, assisted by the demonstrator, Dr. Samuel McClellan. 2I I

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Else Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia A Brief History BJ' J. W. Holland, Dean In the first quarter of this century certain physicians Camong whom may be mentioned Dr. W. P. C. Bartonj, ambitious to teach medicine. had made unsuccessful attempts to secure from the Legislature a charter for a second medical school in Philadelphia. It was such a reproach to any graduate of the existing school that he should endeavor to set up a rival to his flflllll Hlllfltl' that few had the audacity to try it. Social influence proved strong enough either to nip such enter- prises in the bud or to blight them before the Legislature. Seven years after Barton's abortive attempt, Dr. George McClellan, a man of restless energy, fertile in expedients, determined if possible to organize a medical school under the authority of some literary college already chartered by the State. On June zd, I824, in company with Drs. John Eherle, Joseph Klapp and Jacob Green, he sent a communication to the Trustees of Jefferson College, then situated at Canonsburg, VVashington County, Pa., pro- posing a plan for a medical department at Philadelphia. in which these four should be part of the faculty. The Trustees adopted the suggestion, and established a medical facility of six chairs in the city of Philadelphia as a constituent part of Jefferson College, under the name of the ,leFfcrson Medical College. In the winter of 1825-26 an enlargement of their charter was obtained. which authorized them to appoint ten additional Trustees in the city of Philadelphia. Rev. Ashbel Green, D.D., who was possessed both of influence and learning, wise in council, and of great decision of character. at one time President of Princeton College, was appointed chairman of the additional trustees, and held office until his death, in May. 1848. In 20

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In january, 1830, Dr. George McClellan was relieved of anatomical teaching by the appointment of his brother, Dr. Samuel McClellan, to the chair. In the hope of securing a more satisfactory assignment of labors in 1830, Dr. Barton having resigned, Dr. Eberle was transferred to the chair of ,materia medica, while undertaking to teach midwifery. and Dr. Daniel Drake, of Cincinnati, was appointed to the chair of practice of medicine. The session of 1830-31 opened with every profes- sorship occupied by a man of proved ability as a writer and teacher. At the end of the session a disaster was experienced in the resignation of two of the most eminent professors. Daniel Drake and John Eberle. This loss and other changes made in the personnel from various causes had an unfortunate influence upon the prosperity of the institution. For the session of 1831-32 Dr. Usher Parsons, of Providence, R. I., held the chair of midwifery, Dr. Granville Sharp Pattison of anatomy, vice Dr. Samuel McClellan resigned. At the end of the session Dr. Parsons resigned and Dr. Samuel McClellan was appointed professor of mid- wifery, medical jurisprudence and diseases of women and children. By 1834 Dr. John Revere had been appointed professor of medicine and a mutually acceptable organization was effected, which persisted for six prosperous years. The teaching corps was much strengthened by the election of Dr. Robley Dunglison to the chair of institutes in June, 1836. In 1838 the larger classes called for .more eommodious quarters, and it was decided that the old building must be altered and enlarged. To do this it was desirable that the title to the property, hitherto vested in Rev. E. S. lily, should be transferred to the Board of Trustees. As these Trustees in Philadelphia were subordinate to the parent Board and could hold property in their name only, a necessity arose for a distinct charter, which would enable the Philadelphia Trustees to hold and modify' the medical college property as a separate institution. At the session of the Legislature held in the spring of 1838, a charter was obtained creating The Jefferson Medical College of Phila- delphia, an independent corporation with the same powers and re- strictions as the University of Pennsylvania, and the Trustees then holding ofiicc were reappointed with power to increase their number to fifteen, and to be self-elective. At the meeting which accepted the new charter the Board of Trustees closed the old connection xcry gracefully by passing unanimously the following resolution: lfl?S0f1'f l. That the President be directed to communicate to the mother Board at Canonsburg, that in accepting the charter which separates them from the Jefferson College at Canonsburg, the additional Trustees are influenced by the conviction that such a separation is for tl1e mutual benefit and convenience of both bodies, and desired it for no other reasong and that this Board will retain a grateful sense of the 1 22