Temple University School of Medicine - Skull Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 12 text:

The house is a large double one with fourteen rooms, admirably adapted to hospital purposes. It stands on a plot of ground fifty by two hundred and twenty feet, which is tastefully laid out in lawns, flower beds, trees, walks, etc. and presents an appearance, inside and out. of a large private home rather than a hospital—a feature quickly observed and highly appreciated by the patients. —Report of Samaritan Hospital. 1892

Page 11 text:

room, a lanky, thin, somewhat drawn man squirms uncomfortably in a chair not made for his dimensions. He tries first one position, then another. Moments later, he settles into a cross-legged, semi-reclining slouch, the lab coat in careless disarray. He straightens it. wraps it about his limbs and relaxes to the monotonous recitative. Now the signals begin. Much as the classic parody of a third-base baseball coach, “Cas” begins his routine of hand and facial movements: right hand to forehead; stroke the temple: rub the chin; join the index fingers and prop the nose with the so-formed buttress; scratch the cheek. He shifts his position in the chair and begins the routine anew. The dis-cussor must have received the signal for he begins a recital of statistical studies. Numbers are juggled, three cherries appear in the slot and the treatment, as recommended, pops out at the bottom of the machine. Having appeared lethargic throughout the entire conference. “Cas'' is now wide awake. Sitting bolt upright, he begins the destruction of the discussor's theories, hopes, and fantasies The coup de grace is administered by recounting the tale of the female patient whose symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment run counter to everything recommended by the standard authorities—the statistical dictators. The lesson to be learned is that the physician is an entity, the patient another entity, and that a treatment must be devised which is satisfactory and acceptable to both. This, to the student, is the reality of H. Taylor Caswell, surgeon. It is not a Hollywood vision of flashing steel, grandeloquent gestures, heroic deeds, and primadonna temperament. Rather, it is the image of a great teacher; patient, yet demanding, informative, but not didactic. He is a product of Temple’s educational philosophy just as he now perpetuates it: the production of a highly skilled, knowledgeable, free-thinking clinician. “Cas” wears many hats to many different people. He is president of the faculty, author of respected papers, protector to his patients, and father of four boys including a member of our own class. But to the Class of 1968. H. Taylor Caswell is a great teacher.

Page 13 text:

FROM CARRIAGE HOUSE TO SCIENCE CENTER One evening in 1890. in the parlor of a home in Tioga, ten men discussed the recent death of a patient and friend. These physicians were residents of Tioga, Franklinville, and Germantown, and periodically they met to review the causes of mortality in their respective practices The post-mortem sessions led to closer professional relationships, and often during their social hours the dream of a new hospital dominated the conversation. In early 1891 under the name North Philadelphia Medical Society they rented a brick building at 3320 N. Broad. It offered free and paid inpatient service, plus an active dispensary unit. Five months after its opening, the President of the Society proclaimed the venture a financial disaster. His resignation was followed by desperate attempts by a group of good Baptist ladies to raise funds, but their efforts were fruitless and the hospital closed. Finally the Society appealed to the Rev. Russell H. Conwell. an educator of high repute, who had distinguished himself for raising money when there was no money. In late 1891 Conwell transferred the facilities to a brick building north of Ontario and East Broad, and on January 20. 1892 he formally opened it as the Samaritan Hospital. Because Conwell was a visionary, young Philadelphians turned to him with their ideas. Many wanted to become physicians, but could not give up their regular sources of income. Therefore, in 1901 Conwell opened Temple College School of Medicine to thirty students, who were willing to study medicine on evenings and weekends. To compound this madness Conwell admitted women and made Temple Pennsylvania's first coeducational medical school. The chemistry and biology laboratories of the College and the hall next to the Baptist Temple were the arenas of the basic sciences, while clinical instruction took place at the Samaritan Hospital. The