Jefferson Medical College - Clinic Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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the west he was challenged to a duel by Dudley over the Ohio situation but he refused. Richardson fought to defend Drake. Dudley shot Richardson in the groin and he would have bled to death had Dudley not asked to stop the hemorrhage. In his own interest Richardson conf sented and they became good friends. Truly a medical college should not have to depend upon a blunderbuss for a ticket to an Assembly. The following tale concerns W. W. Keen's reaction to the clinical thermometer invented by Sir William Allbut. Silas Weir Mitchell presented W. W. Keen with one of Sir William's thermometers in 1876. Whether it was the first in America is not known but in commenting on it Keen said, A mother of a half dozen children could not be without a thermometer as a guide as to whether a doctor should be called. Today we all recogf nize the scientihc value of the thermometer but we some' times overlook its value to the doctor as a life preserver against the garrulous, In severe cases of loquacity I have known a certified one minute thermometer to require even more than ive minutes to reach the acme of ace curacyf' Samuel David Gross was the greatest American surf geon in the 19th century. Much has been written about him. He himself was a prolific writer on original subjects and he translated valuable texts. He had a command of five languages aside from his original childhood Penn' sylvania Dutch. His autobiography is a living fountain of his philosophy and a humor all his own. For instance, he recalls a sign on the front of a Second Street building of a business firm that caught his eye: David Shott and jonathan Fell. John Chalmers Da Costa, the Hrst Gross Professor at jefferson, is responsible for this anecdote about S. D. Gross. One evening while Gross was dining in Philadelf phia's famous Continental Hotel, now the Benjamin Franklin, a man choked on a piece of meat. Gross threw him on the floor, whipped out an instrument case and performed a tracheotomy in far less time than it takes to tell it. Result: One life saved while several ladies fainted. These were revived by water tossed in their faces to the detriment of their make-up. Da Costa adds another story. Walking west from the Continental on another evening the elder and the younger Gross were dressed in high silk hats, frock coats and carrying gold headed canes when Da Costa met them, He was wearing a soft cap, a sack suit and was smoking a cigarette. They stopped him and one of them said, Young man, you will never get anywhere in surgery if you are seen in public smoking a cigarette. Throw it away! Da Costa replied, I will if you will dispose of that quid of tobacco that you are chewing. Da Costa did not say what, if any' thing, happened. Many jefferson men have proved themselves leaders in medicine, surgery and literature. They are responsible for innumerable L'firsts and were also instrumental in founding other medical schools. John Homer Dix gradu- ated in 1836 and was the first to use the ophthalmoscope in the United States. He was the first to divide the internal rectus to correct strabismus. He practiced in Boston and lived in the first apartment house in America, the Hotel Pelham. Two other men of the class of 1836 were John P. White who founded the University of Buffalo Medical School and John S. Bobbs who per' formed the first cholecystotomy. Charles A. Luzenberg f184'51 founded the Medical College of Louisiana and when it was taken over by the University of Louisiana he went with it. Later this University became the University of Tulane. Phineas Sanborn Connor 08611 was Professor of Surgery in the University of Ohio and later at Dartmouth's Medical School. He was the first surgeon to do a complete gastrectomy. Gransville H8471 was Professor of Surgery in the Texas Medical School. An excellent surgeon, he never' theless found time to write extensively on Yellow Fever and malarial diseases. Cornelius Van Allen Van Dyck C8391 spent eight years in New York supervising electrotype plates, then went to Syria as a missionary. Here he translated into Arabic the Bible, a geography, geometry, eight volumes of science primers and many assorted texts. He also translated Wallace's famous Ben Hur. Beverly Cole 08491 led a rather hectic life in Cali- fornia. Early in his career he was Dean of Toland Medical School and then was made the first Dean in the University of California Medical School. He came into prominence because of his treatment of a james King who was murdered. H. H. Toland was critical and he and Cole fought bitterly, but only verbally. The medical decision was given to Cole. He wrote a book on Obstetrics and the Diseases of Women. Evif dently he had dealt medically rather extensively with the lower strata of women in California of which there was a plethora in the gold rush years, because he said that disease and dissipation were responsible for their difliculties. He must have been blunt for the Medical Society did not like his language but its members bought his book. Thomas Addis Emmet, a classmate of S. Weir Mitchell, followed in the footsteps of Marion Sims in New York. His plastic surgery is carried down by his techniques and instruments into the 20th century. Levi Cooper Lane 118511 performed the first vaginal hysf terectomy in America in 1894. This he did in California. Addinell Hewson 08501, active at Jefferson, removed a bullet from General George G. Meade just before the Battle of Gettysburg. There are so many outstanding men in the Alumni that the foregoing can be only a

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Edward Bauer has substantially enriched the historical heritage of Jefferson with his splendid book, Doctors Made in America. His keen memory of Jeiferson's many illusf trious sons complete with a sagacious appraisal of the essence of the personality of these individuals makes this a delightful book to read. Do not hesitate to pause for a moment and drink of some of Jeffersons pastg drinking from Bauer's cup is refreshing. Hans George Keitel, M.D. Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatrics FRAGMENTS OF JEFFERSON HISTORY . jelferson Medical College with its Hospital has made its mark in the world not only through its famous Facul- ties and the ever growing modernization of its equipment but also by hosts of Alumni not connected in any other way with the College. The institution itself with its Alumni has made myriads of friends the world over with its serious purpose, its humane efforts and its friendly and often humorous sidelights. Most of these latter incif dents are not known but are nevertheless of interest. Throughout its existence the institution has produced many men who have added to American medicine. Some of these we will touch upon while of others we will speak in a lighter vein that will certainly indicate their versa- tility and their human side. Take, for example, Granville Sharp Pattison who was called the turbulent Scot in Europe and America and not without reason. He was recognized as the foremost anatomist of his time. The politics in London's Hospitals and Colleges was nepotistic. He fought the system and made an impression to the extent at least that he stirred up a bitter controversy in the Lancet Scholastically he had an excellent background, having received his early education in Glasgow. He was made an Assistant to Allen Burns in the Andersonian Institute, a recently organized medical school in Glasgow. Burns died in 1813 and Pattison succeeded him as Professor of Anatomy, Physiology and Surgery. Now enters the villain. A Dr. Ure, anxious to rid himself of his lawfully wedded wife, sued her for divorce on the grounds of adultery and named Pattison as cor- respondent. This had better be explored because of the repercussions in America later. Scots divorce law at this time was the acme of absurdity. It had the color of legal witch burning. All such cases were decided in a Consist- ory Court, an ecclesiastical organization. The accused couple need never have met or have seen each other or the correspondent need never have existed. If he or she did, he could offer no defense, This might end the matter unless the plaintiff entered the suit against the corresf pondent. The latter could then offer his defense. Ure did not sue. Since one witness confessed to perjury, james Burns, writer of The Signet, laid the facts before the Institute which completely exoneratecl Pattison. It was in 1819 that Pattison came to Philadelphia at the invitation of the University of Pennsylvania which, on his arrival, repudiated its invitation. Pattison immef diately was invited to take the Chair of Anatomy at the University of Maryland and he 'aecepted. This angered Nathaniel Chapman, Professor of Medicine at the Uni' versity of Pennsylvania, for he had someone else in mind that he wanted appointed to this Chair. He went to Baltimore and made unfounded charges against Pattison who thereupon challenged Chapman to a duel. Chapman promptly refused and Pattison posted him in Phila' delphia in the Continental fashion. During this time Jefferson was growing in importance and when Pattison was asked to take the Chair of Anatomy here he accepted. In the meantime Pattison had married a Philadelphia society leader who was glad to return to her home town and he applied for an invitation to attend the Philadelf phia Assembly to which his wife's family entitled her to membership. Her brother blackballed Pattison. This led to a duel at Newcastle, Delaware, between the brothers' inflaw. Pattison's opponent had his right elbow shattered so that he could never shoot again while Pattison's coat was pierced by a bullet. He was not scratched and was admitted to the Assembly. There is a story of another duel in which Daniel Drake was involved. He, like many men of his time, moved from school to school. He remained at Jefferson but one term 0830-18311. Had he stayed, Ohio Uni' versity and the University of Cincinnati might have been many years developing. His sojourn in Philadelphia was really a prosetylizing expedition in behalf of Ohio schools but his only worthwhile catch was Eberle. Returning to

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taste of the early days in our history. Two interesting stories not generally known came to me in the course of my friendship with a classmate of my father. He was a courtly and cultured gentleman from the Southland, Edward Quinn Thornton, Prof fessor of Therapeutics and Materia Medica, who sucf ceeded Elmer H. Funk. When Professor Funk died the Chair was offered to Dean Patterson who insisted that Thornton, though over age, be given the Chair for one year so that he could be retired as Professor Emeritus. This was a well earned title, for Thornton had worked with Hobart A. Hare from the day of Hare's appoint' ment until his long tenure was terminated by death. Thornton was responsible for much of Hare's research and received but meager recognition. Thornton told me of his early days in practice. He said that when starting his practice he always had a sleek horse and well shined buggy waiting in front of his office. Several times a day he would rush out with his bag, drive in haste a few blocks and in due time return in much less haste. The neighbors evidently were impressed with his apparently large practice and patronized him. Patients rarely left him and he soon had a large and very selective practice. Thornton first graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and paid his tuition by working as night pharmacist at Jefferson. My father, L. Demme Bauer, studied with him on these long and little interrupted nights, Father. too, in establishing his practice, bought a spirited team and engaged a liveried coachman. This was a sensation in the Northern Liberties section fnorth central Phila' delphiaj. It is true others followed suit but he was first and had the neighborhood in the palm of his hand. Returning to our story of Thornton, when the auto' mobile replaced the horse and buggy, he drove his own. It was his habit that as he stepped on the starter he would push his hat back off his head and it would land in the rear of the car. It was the fashion at the time that in lieu of a clothes closet a hat rack was nailed to the wall in the hall near the front door. There was usually at least one hat on the rack when Thornton passed it on his way out and he absentfmindedly took it. One day as he took his wife on an afternoons shopping spree she was shocked to find six hats on the rear floor of the car. Straightway she made him return the hats. He said to me, Edward, sorting out the right hat at each house was complicated. It was most em' barrassing, I assure you. Thornton enriched the lives -of many and, among them, mine. Leighton Appleman, ophthalmologist, conducted the laboratory course for freshmen for many years. As a result they could write and compound prescriptions in the day of multiple drugs and could recognize incom' patibles at the drop of a hat. The student could make his own gin, dropping a juniper berry into a small glass of alcohol. As yet I have never seen two men who agreed upon how to mix a martini. The above method is as good as any. The student had to know the Latin names of drugs and translate them into Eng' lish. One of my classmates was asked by Dr. Appleman for the English translation of usyrupus Pruni Virginif ani. His reply was, the syrup of virgin prunesf' The good Professor referred to this translation in his lectures to many subsequent classes. One must apologize for the brevity of this sketch, for so many incidents of serious accomplishments and humorous events could be added. Perhaps some of the omitted stories are better. In any event the Jefferson Medical College and its Alumni are responsible for a foremost part in the development of medicine in Amer- ica. To the Class of 1964 I would say, lt is now your turn to carry the torch! Edward Louis Bauer, M.D., F.A.A.P. Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus jefferson Medical College By HENRY B DECKER A Message tO thi? Seniors Emeritus Professor of ljermatology The myth of the creation of man held by the ancient Greeks told that Prometheus shaped him out of the mud of a river bottom. This displeased the Gods, and they were further displeased when Prometheus carried fire from Olympus down to his creation so that his environ' ment could be made more pleasant. However, the pun- ishment of Prometheus followed the theft of something else, from Olympus, which Prometheus concealed in the heart of man. What this something else was we do not know. Rudyard Kipling thought that it was probf ably truth, and he also felt that it was best nurtured and increased in the hearts of physicians. Who are we and former Head of the Department. to deny this? The intellectual discipline of medicine is one of the most satisfying of all studies. The beginnings of almost all of our western science. started with men who had training in medicine, Starting with Aristotle down through Copernicus, Linnaeus, Galileo, Charles Darwin, and Thomas Huxley. Because this discipline prepares for life, one finds a number of authors in this category: Rabelais, Sir Thomas Browne, Oliver Goldsmith, Arthur Conan Doyle, Somerset Maugham, Oliver Wendell Holmes. S. Weir Mitchell, Sir William Osler, and many others.