University of Maryland Baltimore Dental School - Mirror Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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Our I cacbcrs. IM. «l. foster, M.D., D.D.8. The subject of this sketch, M. W. Foster, M.D., D.D.S., Professor of Pathology and Therapeutics, and Dean of the Baltimore Colleg-e of Dental Surgery during the past seven years, has been associated with dental surroundings all his life: as his father was a practicing dentist and among the first to manufacture porcelain teeth, therefore, as a boy, the doctor became familiar with the methods used. These early surroundings may have influenced him to pursue the study of dentistry when his education was complete. After being in the office of Dr. Jesse C. Green, ' estchester. Pa., for two years as a student, he attended the Philadelphia Dental College, session 1855. In 1856-57 practiced his profession in Indianapolis, returned East and formed an association with Dr. Swazy (a graduate of this school), of Easton, Pa. Later a co-partnership with Dr. Wm. Burkman, same city, after which, 1860-61, he practiced in Wilmington, Del., until the second year of the war. In the latter part of the year 1862 he was associated with Dr. Robert Arthur, of Baltimore, as an assistant, with whom he remained for five years. At this date, 1867, he located in the house now his residence. Dr. Foster was a professor of prosthetic dentistry in the Maryland Dental College and from it received an honorary diploma. When the Maryland Dental College was united with the Baltimore Dental College he served on the Board of ' isitors until he was elected, on the first of May, 1882, to fill the chair he now occupies in this school. In 1879 he received an honorary diploma from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, was graduated from the Washington University of Medicine in 1883. He was President of National Dental Association in i88g. In igoo he was appointed by the Maryland State Society and the National American Association a delegate to Paris World ' s Convention. mm. Simon, Ph.D., M.D. After having been ushered into this glorious world at a small German village, during a blustering February day of 1844, and after having enjoyed a few years of freedom, his training in harness (the latter resting on his shoulders now for over half a century) was commenced at school. Here the teachers of Greek

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OUR TEACHERS.

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and Latin dcclarcrl tlic boy 1o be a dunce ami a nuisance, wliile those of natural history and mathematics claimed him most emphatically to be a wondrous briji-ht boy. Next he was placed in a drug store to pass an apprenticeship, full of hardships and of several courtships. These ships having ' finally all been passed successfully, studies were commenced at that little University of Giessen, made famous by having established under the leadership of the immortal Justus von Liebifj the first chemical laboratory in the wide, wide world for |)ul)lic instruction in elementary afifinity and atomic linkage. Having imbibed freely of his Ahna Mater x fountain of wisdom, and enough of the German student ' s national beverage, he was found worthy of the honor to add henceforth a I ' h.D. to his name. While ne.xt engaged as assistant and lecturer at the University, sound waves of the war-trumpet penetrated to the young doctor ' s ears and called him to the field of action, where he had an opportunity to assist in demonstrating to Napoleon III. that he was not permitted to change the geographical map of Europe, as his uncle had been fond of doing. The doctor next accepted an offer, made to him by the Baltimore Chrome Works, to cross the big pond, act as their chemical adviser and demonstrate what German science and German thoroughness would accom- plish wdien harnessed alongside of American skill and American ingenuity. This step he has never regretted, as he found in this young and rapidly developing country a wide and remunerative field for his labors. At that time (1871) there existed as yet not a single chemical laboratory for educational purposes in all Baltimore, and by request of some medical students the young chemist from the other side fitted up a modest place, where he gave practical instruction in chemical operations, and thus laid the foundation for his life-work, . c. teaching. How he ever succeeded in those early days to impart any knowledge to his classes is rather a mystery, because the difficulties of the English language offered an immense obstacle to an intelligent intercourse of thought between teacher and student. However may the pupils have been attracted by the fun of the thing, or by other causes, the fact is recorded that quite a number of the most prominent physicians and pliarmacists attended these first lessons in practical chemistry. Indeed, so successful was this private course that the Maryland College of Pharmacy created the chair of analytical chemistry, which was offered to and gladly accepted by the Doctor. In the following year the College of Physicians and Surgeons was founded and for one session the Doctor delivered the lectures on II