USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania in the olden time; being a collection of the memoirs, anecdotes, and incidents of the earliest settlements of the inland part of Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 44
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· Dr. Wynn also left a son-in-law, Dr. Jones, who enjoyed considerable repute as a physician. Doctors Wynn and Owen were of the society of Friends: the former was speaker of the assembly. To their names might have been added, Dr. John Goodson, chirurgeon, who was in the city at and before the year 1700. He was also of the soci- ety of Friends ; also Dr. Hodgson.
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Magazine, of London, from Dr. Kearsley, Jun., of Philadelphia, rela . uve to angina maligna, which prevailed in 1746, and 1760. “ It extended," says the author, "through the neighbouring provinces with mortal rage, in opposition to the united endeavours of the faculty. Hr swept off all before it, baffling every attempt to stop its progress, and seemed, by its dire effects, to be more like the drawn sword of vengeance to stop the growth of the colonies, than the natural pro gress of disease. Villages were almost depopulated, and numerous parents were left to bewail the loss of their tender offspring." Ar essay on the iliac passion, by Dr. Thomas Cadwallader, a respectable physician in Philadelphia, appeared in the year 1740, in which the author opposes, with considerable talent and learning, the then com- mon mode of treating that disease. This was one of the earliest pub- lications on a medical subject in America. Dr. Thomas Bond, about 1754, was author of some useful medical memoirs, which were pub- ished in a periodical work, in London. Phineas Bond, M. D., a younger brother of Thomas Bond, after studying medicine some time in Maryland, visited Europe, and passed a considerable time at the medical schools of Leyden, Paris, London, and Edinburgh. On his return, he settled in Philadelphia, where he enjoyed a high reputa- tion for many years. He was one of the founders of the College, now the University of Pennsylvania. About the middle of the 18th century, Dr. Thomson published a discourse on the preparation of the body for the reception of the smallpox, and the manner of receiving the infection, as it was delivered in the public hall of the Academy, before the trustees and others, in November, 1750. This production was highly applauded both in America and Europe, as at that period the practice of inoculation was on the decline. The author states, that inoculation was so unsuccessful at Philadelphia, that many were disposed to abandon the practice ; wherefore, upon the suggestion of the 1392d aphorism of Boerhaave, he was led to prepare his patients by a composition of antimony and mercury, which he had constantly employed, for twelve years, with uninterrupted success.
It was reserved for the accomplished Dr. William Shippen, and Dr. John ·Morgan,* to construct a permanent foundation for the medi- cal institutions of our country. Both these gentlemen were natives
" Dr. Morgan was educated by the Rev. Mr. Finley, at his school at Nottingham, and finished his studies in the Philadelphia Academy : having studied with Dr. Redman, he went into the provincial army a short time, in the French war. In 1760 he visited Eu- rope generally, where he mixed much with the scientific men in London, Edinburgh, Paris, and Italy. On his return home he was regarded as something extra among the people, and as having, perhaps, some of the " eccentricities of genius." The aged citizens still remember him as the first man who ventured to carry a silk umbrella-a scouted effemi- nacy then !- and also as an innovator in first introducing the practice of sending to the apothecary for all the medicines wanted for the sick ! With Dr. Morgan was joined Dr. Chanceller, and Parson Duché, making then a rare trio, in forcing the use of sun um- brellas upon the town ! Dr. Rush has said, " the historian who shall hereafter relate the progress of medical science in America, will be deficient in candour and justice if he does not connect the name of Dr. Morgan with that auspicious era in which medicine was first *aught, and studied as a science, in this country."
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of Philadelphia, and after receiving the usual preparatory course of instruction, repaired to Europe to complete a scientific education. Here they enjoyed ample means of qualifying themselves for the great duties of professors and teachers. Accordingly, in 1762, Dr Shippen commenced a course of lectures on anatomy and midwifery, accompanied by dissections, to a class of ten students ; and this was the first systematic course of lectures on medical subjects ever de- livered in America, if we except those delivered at Newport, in 1756, by Dr. Hunter .* In 1765, Dr. Morgan returned from Europe, and was appointed professor of the institutes of medicine, and Dr. Ship- pen the professor of anatomy : they were the only professors of this new institution until 1768, when Dr. Kuhn was elected professor of botany. In the following year, Dr. Benjamin Rush was chosen pro- fessor of chemistry. These learned characters, assisted by the venera- ble Thomas Bond, as lecturer on clinical medicine zealously devoted their talents to the duties of the several departments of medical in- struction. This first medical school in the American colonies, was soon after confirmed and established by the authority of the trustees of the College of Philadelphia, while Dr. Franklin officiated as their president. The Philadelphia Dispensary, for the medical relief of the poor, the first institution of its kind in the United States, was founded in 1786. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia was established in 1787, and the labours of the professors commenced under circum- stances eminently auspicious to the improvement of medical science : an unfortunate competition and discord, however, between the medi- cal college and an opposition school, for a time marred their prospects and impeded that useful progress which the friends of the institution and the public had confidently expected. But, in 1790, some im portant changes took place, and a harmonious union of the contend- ing parties was effected. Dr. Rush was appointed professor of the institutes and practice of physic, and of clinical medicine. From this period the progress and improvement of the institution have been no less honourable to the venerable founders, than beneficial to the com- munity. The commanding talents and profound erudition of Pro- fessors Rush, Wistar, Barton, Physick, Dorsey, Chapman, and others, have given the medical school of Philadelphia, a celebrity which will probably long remain unrivalled in the United States, and will ena- ble it to vie with the most elevated seminaries of the European world. It has become the resort of students from every section of our united confederacy. Five hundred, in some seasons, have attended the va- rious courses of lectures ; and the inaugural dissertations of those who, from time to time, received its honours, have extended the fame of the school from which they have emanated. At the commencement in June, 1771, the degree of A. B. was conferred on seven, and the
* Dr. Clossey offered anatomical lectures at New York, in November, 1763; and after wards, in 1768, he, and others, proposed regular lectures at King's College, say on anato. my, surgery, and physic.
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degree of M. D. on four candidates. Such has been the prosperity of this medical institution, the first founded in our country, that from the most accurate calculation that can be made, up to 1830, it is computed that between seven and eight thousand young men have received in struction within its walls, since its establishment ; and from this source the remotest parts of our union have been furnished with learned phy- sicians, who are ornaments to their profession. During the four months' attendance on the lectures, the class expends not less than 200,000 dollars in the city of Philadelphia.
As Dr. William Shippen was the first public lecturer in Philadel- phia, having commenced his anatomical lectures there in the year 1762, and thus leading the van in an enterprise which has become so eminently successful to others in subsequent years, it may be cu- rious now to learn the means by which he became qualified to be such a leader-told in all the frank simplicity and naiveté of a father (himself a physician) sending forth his son as an adventurer for know- ledge abroad, and as a candidate for future usefulness and fame at home. The letters and MS. papers of the father having been under my inspection, I have gleaned as follows, to wit :
In September, 1758, Dr. William Shippen, Sen., writes to several persons in England to speak of his son William, whom he then sends to London and France to perfect him in the medical art. " My son (says he) has had his education in the best college in this part of the country, and has been studying physic with me, besides which he has had the opportunity of seeing the practice of every gentleman of note in our city. But for want of that variety of ope- rations and those frequent dissections which are common in older countries, I must send him to Europe. His scheme is to gain all the knowledge he can in anatomy, physic, and surgery. He will stay in London for the winter, and shall attend Mr. Hunter's anato- mical lectures and private dissections, injections, &c., and at the same time go through a course of midwifery with Dr. Smellie ; also enter a pupil in Guy's Hospital. As soon as the season is over he may go over to France and live with Dr. Leese in Rouen, and there study physic until he can pass an examination and take a degree Then he may return to London, revisit the hospitals, and come home." At the same time his good father does not forget "that better part," and earnestly commends his son to the spiritual guidance and oversight of his beloved friend, the Rev. George Whitfield.
Under such auspices, Dr. Wm. Shippen, Jr., was enabled to re- turn to his country a doctor indeed, and ably qualified by his teach- ing to raise a school of eminent pupils in the healing art. He directed his chief attention to the department of anatomy. His first public advertisement reads thus, viz. : " Dr. Wm. Shippen's anato- mical lectures will begin to-morrow evening, at his father's house in Fourth street. Tickets for the course at five pistoles each. Gen- tlemen who incline to see the subject prepared for the lectures, and
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to learn the art of dissecting, injecting, &c., are to pay five pistoles additional."
Thus the lectures were begun in a private house in the year 1762 with only ten students. But he lived to enlarge his theatre-tc address a class of two hundred and fifty persons, and to see medical lectures diffused into five branches-and Edinburgh itself rivalled here at home! He died at Germantown in 1808, and was suc- ceeded by Dr. Wistar.
Who now knows the locality of this first lecture-room ! Or does any body care to transfer their respect for the man, to the place where he began his career! It was on the premises late Yohe's hotel, in North Fourth street, a little above High street-then suffi- ciently out of town, with a long back yard leading to the alley open- ing out upon High street along the side of Warner's bookstore-by this they favoured the ingress and egress of students in the shades of night. It was at first a terrific and appalling school to the good citi- zens. It was expected to fill the peaceful town with disquieted ghosts-mobbing was talked of, and not a little dreaded. It was therefore pretended that they contented themselves with the few criminal subjects they could procure; which was further coun- tenanced by a published permission to him, by authority, to take the bodies of suicides. As the dead tell no tales, the excitement of the day subsided, and the affair was dropped in general parlance-save among the boys, with whom it lingered long-
" And awful stories chain'd the wondering ear! Or fancy led, at midnight's fearful hour, With startling step, we saw the dreaded corse!"
The tales had not subsided when I was a boy, when, for want of facts, we surmised them. The lonely desolate house is yet standing by the stone bridge over the Cohocksink, on north Third street, which all the boys of Philadelphia deemed the receptacle of dead bodies, where their flesh was boiled, and their bones burnt down for the use of the faculty! The proofs were apparent enough :- It was always shut up-showed no out-door labourers -had a con- stant stream of running water to wash off remains-had " No Ad- mittance," for ever grimly forbidding, at the door; and from the great chimney about once a fortnight issued great volumes of black smoke, filling the atmosphere all the country round with a most noisome odour-offensive and deadly as yawning graves themselves! Does nobody remember this ! Have none since smiled in their man- hood to find it was a place for boiling oil and making hartshorn- took thus far out of town to save the delicate sensations of the citi- zens, by the considerate owner, Christopher Marshall! The whole mysteries of the place, and the supposed doings of the doctors, was cause enough for ghost's complaints like these :
"The body-snatchers! they have come And made a snatch at me;
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It's very hard them kind of men Won't let a body be ! Don't go to weep upon my grave And think that there I be ; They haven't left an atom there Of my anatomy !"
But more certain discoveries were afterwards made at Dr. Ship pen's anatomical theatre in his yard. Time, which demolishes al things, brought at last all his buildings under the fitful change of fashion "to pull down and build greater,"-when, in digging up the yard for cellar foundations, they were surprised to find a grave-yard and its materials, not in any record of the city ! A thing in itself as perplexing to the moderns who beheld the bones, as it had been be- fore the trouble of the ancients!
In 1765, it is publicly announced that "Dr. John Morgan, pro- fessor of medicine in the College of Philadelphia, is to join Dr. William Shippen, Jr., in delivering lectures. Dr. Shippen to lec- ture on anatomy, and Dr. Morgan on the materia medica." Thus forming the first combination of lectures in Philadelphia, and indeed in the then colonies-a precedence to which Philadelphia still owes her renown in medical science.
In 1768, the name of Dr. Bond is also publicly announced as to lecture on clinical practice, and Dr. Kuhn on the materia medica -- being so much added by the College to the two former lectures.
In 1769, Dr. Benjamin Rush is made professor of chemistry to the College, and at the same time Thomas Penn, Esq., makes & present of a complete chemical apparatus.
In looking back through the " long vista of years that have fled," the memory and the fancy can recreate the imagery of some of the men and things that were. My friend Lang Syne, whose imagina- tion is lively, and his pen picturesque, has portrayed the remem- bered physicians of his youthful day, in a manner which may gratify those who are not wholly absorbed in their own contempla tions, to wit :
One of the earliest, and one of the most vivid recollections in this city, by the reminiscent, is of the person of old Dr. Chovet, living, at the time, directly opposite the (now) "White Swan," in Race above Third street .* He it was, who by his genius, professional skill and perseverance, finally perfected those wonderful (at the time) anatomical preparations in wax, which, since his death, have been in possession of the Pennsylvania Hospital. These anatomical prepa- rations, the very sight of which is calculated to fill the mind with solemn awe, while beholding not only the streets, but the lanes,
* It might justly surprise the present generation to know that, in 1778, this Dr. Chovet advertised his anatomical lectures to take place at his amphitheatre at his dwelling house in Water street, near the old ferry-to continue during the winter-his charge three guineas. Observe, that Water street, then, was the chief place of residence to the best families of the business class.
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alleys and inner chambers of the microcosm or little world of man, was beheld by the writer only some few years since, forcing back upon the memory the once aged appearance of the doctor, contrasted with the exertions made by him, and apparent to every one who beheld him, to appear active and sprightly in business, cleaving, as it were, to his " last sand." This aged gentleman and physician was almost daily to be seen pushing his way, in spite of his feebleness, in a kind of hasty walk, or rather shuffle ; his aged head, and straight white hair, bowed and hanging forward beyond the cape of his black old-fashioned coat, mounted by a small cocked hat, closely turned upon the crown upwards behind, but projectingly, and out of all proportion, cocked before and seemingly the impelling cause of his anxious forward movements ; his aged lips closely compressed (sans teeth) together, were in continual motion as though he were munching somewhat all the while; his golden-headed Indian cane, not used for his support, but dangling by a knotted black silken string from his wrist; the ferrule of his cane, and the heels of his capacious shoes well lined in winter time with thick woollen cloth, might be heard jingling and scraping the pavement at every step; he seemed on the street always as one hastening as fast as his aged limbs would permit him, to some patient dangerously ill, without looking at any one passing him to the right or left ;* he was always spoken of as possessing much sarcastic wit; and also, for using ex- pletives in his common conversation, in the opinion of those who epoke on the subject, to be neither useful nor ornamental.
An anecdote, strikingly illustrative of the latter, might here be given of the doctor, and a member of the Society of Friends, who had lent him his great coat to shelter him on his way home, from the then falling rain. The coat was loaned by the Friend to the doctor, with a moral condition annexed ; which, upon the return of the coat, he declared he had religiously performed-adding, in facetious vein, a supplemental remark to the Friend, descriptive of an unusual pro- pensity he found himself to be labouring under, during the whole time he had been enveloped in a plain coat-having so said and done, they separated on the most friendly terms, with a hearty laugh on both sides .- Does none remember ?
Dr. Thomas Say lived in Moravian (now Bread) street, on the west side, near Arch street. Having to pass that way frequently to school, his person became very familiar. In fair weather, he was to be seen, almost daily, standing, dressed in a light drab suit, with his arms gently folded, and leaning with one shoulder against the cheek of the door, for the support evidently of his rather tall and slender frame-now weakened by age. He was the same Dr. Thomas Say who, many years before, had been in a trance, of three days'
· In the above case of Dr. Chovet, we have a striking illustration of the changes of practice. Here was an aged physician doing all his visits on fort-but now, all think they must visit in their carriage.
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continuance ; during which time (whether in the body or out of the body, he could not tell) he beheld many wonderful matters, as is fully detailed in the " Life of Thomas Say," now extant, and written by his son Benjamin, deceased. He was of fair complexion ; and his thinly spread hair, of the silvery white, slightly curled over, and behind the ears-in appearance very venerable, in his speech and manner, mild and amiable-as is well remembered concerning him, while he stood one day affectionately admonishing some boys, who had gazed perhaps too rudely at the aged man, of whom they had heard, probably, that he had seen a vision. He mildly advised them to pass on their way-pressing, at the same time, and with lasting effect, upon the mind of one of them, never to stare (said he) at strangers, and aged men.
The next aged physician of the Old School was Dr. Redman, who lived next door to Dr. Ustick's Baptist meeting-house, in Second near Arch street. The doctor had retired from practice altogether, and was known to the public eye as an antiquated looking old gen- tleman, usually habited in a broad-skirted dark coat, with long pocket flaps, buttoned across his under dress ; wearing in strict conformity with the cut of the coat, a pair of Baron Steuben's military shaped boots, coming above the knees, for riding ; his hat flapped before, and cocked up smartly behind, covering a full bottomed powdered wig-in the front of which might be seen an eagle-pointed nose, separating a pair of piercing black eyes-his lips, exhibiting (but only now and then) a quick motion, as though at the moment he was endeavouring to extract the essence of a small quid. As thus described, in habit and in person, he was to be seen almost daily, in fair weather, mounted on a short, fat, black, switch-tailed horse, omci riding for his amusement and exercise, in a brisk racking canter, about the streets and suburbs of the city.
He was so well known, that in his rambles about the town, on foot, he would step in, without ceremony, at the first public office which presented itself to his view, and upon his seeing any vacant desk or writing table, set himself down, with a pleasant nod to some one present, and begin writing his letter or memorandum. One day, while thus occupied in his writing, he was suddenly addressed by a very forward presuming person, who wanted of him some medical advice gratis. Finding himself thus interrupted, he lifted the corner of his wig, as usual, and desired the person to repeat his question, which he did, loudly, as follows :- " Doctor! what would you advise as the best thing, for a pain in the breast ?" The wig having dropped to its proper place, the doctor, after a seemingly profound study for a moment on the subject, replied, " Oh! ay-I will tell you, my good friend-the very best thing I could advise you to do for a pain in the breast is to-consult your physician !"
These three veterans of the city, in the science and practice of medicine in the time of the colonies-like three remaining appies, separate and lonely upon the uppermost bough of a leafless tree,
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were finally shaken to the ground, by the unrelenting wind of death, and gathered to the " narrow house," as very readily surmised by the reader, no doubt.
My friend, Mr. P., another Philadelphian, long residing in New York, has also communicated his reminiscences of some of the Phi- iadelphia faculty, as they stood impressed upon his boyish judgment and feelings, which I shall add, to wit :
" I wish to mention the names of a few physicians in my day. Dr. William Shippen, Sen., resided, when he left off practice, in Germantown ; at the age of ninety, he would ride in and out of the city, on horseback, full gallop, without an overcoat, in the coldest weather. Dr. Thomas Bond died in 1784; always rode in a small phaeton; resided in Second street, near Norris' alley. Dr. Redman resided near the Baptist Meeting, in Second street ; a small black filly had the honour to carry the doctor on his visits, and would await his return at the door of the patient ; the doctor would sometimes kindly lend his creature, but she was sure to throw the rider. Dr. Chovet, a most eccentric man, full of anecdote, and noted for his propensity for what is now termed quizzing, resided in Race above Third street. The doctor was what was termed a tory ; was licensed to say and do what he pleased, at which no one took umbrage. He one day en . tered the old Coffee-house, corner of Market and Front streets, with an open letter in his hand; it was 12 o'clock, change hour, the merchants all assembled. On seeing the doctor, they surrounded him, inquiring what news he had in that letter, which he stated he had just received by a king's ship arrived at New York. In reply to the inquiry, he said that the letter contained information of the death of an old cobbler in London, who had his stall in one of the by-streets, and asked the gentlemen what they supposed the cobbler had died worth ? One said £5000, another £10,000, and another £20,000 sterling. ' No, gentlemen, no, you are all mistaken. Not one farthing, gentlemen,' running out, laughing at the joke at the ex- pense of the collected mercantile wisdom of the city. Another time, having been sent for by the Spanish minister, Don Juan, (I forge his name,) who resided in old Mr. Chew's house, in Third, between Walnut and Spruce streets, the weather being rather unpleasant, the ambassador ordered his carriage to the door to convey the doctor home-the doctor, full of fun and joke, directed the coachman to drive by the Coffee-house, which, as he approached, was perceived by the merchants, who immediately drew up in order, hats off, to pay their respects to the Don, as minister from a friendly power. The doctor kept himself close back in the carriage until directly opposite the Coffee-house ; the gentlemen all bowing and scraping, when he pops out his head-' Good morning, gentlemen, good morning; I hope you are all well; thank you, in the name of his majesty, King George,' and drove off, laughing heartily at having again joked with the Philadelphia whigs."
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