University of Maryland School of Medicine - Terrae Mariae Medicus (Baltimore, MD)

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IN 1796 Baltimore had just become an incorporated city. With 25,000 people this small tidewater metropolis was already assuming a prominent place in the develop- ment of the new nation. Seated at a strate- gic convergence of the principal roads of the province, its fine harbor was alive with ships from many ports. Growth was every- where as new streets pushed into the rolling open country to the west and into the forest toward the north. Born as a city of trade, Baltimore was booming into the Gateway of the West. As hogsheads of tobacco rolled across the wharves, tanned sailors brushed shoulders with bustling merchants and pros- perous farmers. DAY IDGE This was the Baltimore that greeted Dr. John Beale Davidge as he stepped ashore on his return from England. Born in An- John B. Davidge, M.D. napolis, he had been educated at Edinburgh and Glasgow and now at the age of 28 in- tended to start private practice in Baltimore. It was still a half century before Pasteur and Lister but Baltimore had already estab- lished a medical precedent. A new vaccine for smallpox had been received in Ba ltimore by Mr. William Taylor from his brother in London. The fame of Jenner had spread to the New World and Dr. James Smith was able to convince the Maryland Legislature that the state should utilize the serum. This was done, marking the first occasion on which serum was distributed free by state authorities. Despite this advance, the status of the medical profession at this time was weak. Quackery was rampant and require- ments to practice medicine were few. To protect themselves, the local physicians as early as 1785 had organized to provide a plan for a state medical organization, but its success had been short-lived. Four years later, however, a Medical Society of Balti- more became a realization. Lectures in anatomy, surgery and obstetrics were of- fered to the members in the winter of 1789 to 1790. Because of the success of these lec- tures, a Medical School was organized with a faculty composed of prominent local medical men. However, after a few months interest died and the lectures stopped. Despite this failure, the idea of medical education persisted and in 1797 another course of lectures was offered. Once again lack of interest ended them. In 1799, a charter for the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland was adopted by the State General Assembly. Dr. Davidge was one of the leading organizers together with Dr. Nathaniel Potter. In 1802, Dr. Davidge began a private course of lectures on anat- omy, surgery, midwifery, and physiology which were given ammally for several years and appear to have been well attended. At 10

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I The chandelier in Anatomical Hall has dispelled the darkness for generations of medical students. iBSt THE PAST

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this time, the medical and chirurgical fac- uhy numbered 240, of whom only 37 pos- sessed the degree of Doctor of Medicine. The subject of medical education was fre- quently discussed but little was done ac- tively. Meanwhile, Dr. Davidge in 1806 had erected an anatomical theater at his own expense and upon his own property. For the purpose of demonstrating anatomy, a body had been obtained. The discovery that dissection was taking place within the build- ing led to the gathering of a howling mob outside the building. As their numbers grew and the crowd became more inflamed, they smashed into the building, stole the cadaver and thoroughly demolished the whole struc- ture. ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCHOOL This outburst of violence frightened the physicians of the city and urged them final- ly into action for the purpose of obtaining legal protection. They unanimously re- solved to apply to the legislature for a char- ter for a medical college. Such a charter was prepared with haste by Dr. John Shaw and submitted to the legislature. After an amendment to unite the school with St. Mary ' s College was rejected, The Medical College Bill was passed by the legislature in its original form on December 18, 1807. This same act created a Board of Regents for the college consisting of the Board of Medical Examiners of Maryland. The Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of the state were considered the patrons of the col- lege. All expenses were to be borne by the faculty and Board of Regents. The faculty consisted of John Davidge and James Cocke, joint Professors of Anatomy, Sur- gery and Physiology; George Brown, Pro- fessor of Materia Medica; John Shaw, Pro- fessor of Chemistry; and William Donald- son, Professor of Institutes of Medicine. Dr. Brown soon resigned to assume the pres- idency of the Board of Regents and Na- thaniel Potter was named to fill his place. Dr. Davidge was elected dean of the medi- cal faculty. Seven students began the study of medi- cine in the first class, wi th lectures given in the homes of the faculty. In the Spring of 1808 the faculty secured an abandoned schoolhouse on Fayette Street and used this to teach anatomy and chemistry. In spite of the delapidated state of this building. Dr. Shaw maintained an excellent laboratory and worked diligently with his students. During the course of his chemistry demon- strations, he would plunge his arms repeat- edly into tubs of cold water and this prac- tice was believed the cause of the pleurisy he developed in the early winter months of 1809. Pulmonary consumption rapidly fol- Nathaniel Potter, m.d. 11