MEDICAL.—The nature of the medical profession is such, that its cultivation as a science becomes a duty of vital importance to society; and whenever individuals are congregated to any considerable amount, measures, the offspring of individual efforts or of municipal authority, are adopted to aid in the advancement of the healing art. A careful examination into the. lives and services of those who exercised the abilities of the medical profess ion in this city even at an early date, will show that New York has at all times been favoured with some few in this profession, whose career was a blessing to the state. Long before the establish ment of any thing like a medical school, some pupil of Boerhaave, or a well educated physician of a foreign university, might be found among us; and Dubois, Dopy, Magrath and Farquhar are often mentioned as conspicuous in their day and generation. As quackery, however, is always lound to prevail, wherever there are knaves and fools to dupe and to be duped, the historian of New York, Smith, has given an early evidence of this species of dishonourable livelihood. As far back as 1753, speaking of this city, he observes, " Quacks abound like locusts in Egypt, and too many have recommended themselves to a full and profitable subsistence;" and notwithstanding nu merous and salutary, as many of the statutory regulations of this state since that period have been, it cannot be denied that there is much room for further legislation, to place the profession of the healing art on a sure and honourable founda tion, and to guard against the pernicious encroach ments which are still found to prevail on this subject in this metropolis. The establishment of schools of medical learning, on a broad and liberal principle, the avoidance of monopoly in the system of instruction, and the generous cultivation of the profession, as the first of the liberal sciences, are the only means which a wise legislature will coun tenance and support in order to secure to the medical character its proper dignity.
The first essay in the United States for the pur pose of imparting anatomical knowledge by means of dissection, was made in this city in 1750, by Drs. John Bard and Peter Middleton. The first attempt towards the promotion of a medical school was made in 1768, during the administration of Sir Henry Moore and Lieutenant Governor Colden; and in the following year it was organized, under the direction of King's College, and Jones, Middleton, Smith, Clossy, Tennent and Bard appointed its respective professors. Eminent as several of these individuals were, the prospects of this school were early destroyed by the revolutionary war. In 1783 the regents endeavoured to re-establish this organi zation; but this attempt proved abortive. In 1792 the trustees of Columbia College created another medical faculty in their institution, and appointed distinguished individuals to lecture on the several branches of medical and chirurgical knowledge.
This organization lasted until 1813, when it was dissolved by an act of the trustees.
College of Physicians and Surgeons of the Univer sity of the State of New York.—In conformity to an
act of the legislature passed as early as 1791, the regents of the university exercised the power of establishing this institution, which was chartered on the 12th of March 1807. In November follow ing, the business of instruction commenced under themost flattering indications or success. In 1810, the rapid progress of the college in its importance and usefulness received a temporary check, owing to certain difficulties having taken place between the existing president, Dr. Thomayne and the pro fessors, which induced the regents to reorganize the institution in 1811, under the venerable Dr. Bard, as president, to create other professors, and modify the internal government of the school. On the 15th of i\lay, the first medical commencement was held, and the degree of doctor of medicine conferred on eight candidates, a greater number than had at any one time previously received that honour in New York. In September 1813, the consolidation of the two medical schools of New York took place; i. e. the union of the late Medical Faculty of Columbia College with the College of Physicians and Surgeons. From this period till 1825, this establishment proceeded successfully with an an nual increase in the number of its students and its career of utility and reputation. For several years it enumerated above two hundred students, from different and distant parts of the union, in attend ance at its winter session of lectures. An anomalous and ill devised form of government, however, the clashing interests of the trustees and professors, and charges of serious import urged against the teachers, induced the regents to examine into the grounds of accusation; an elabo rate report was published by the regents, who declared, after the minutest inquiry, the charges against the faculty groundless, and to have arisen from jealousy and professional rivalry. A motion was made by the honourable the regents to remove the whole board of trustees, bait the assumption of vested rights caused them to abandon the whole some measure. Some modifications in the govern ment of the college, nevertheless, were carried into effect. Broils and contention, however, continued, when, in April 1826, the professors, ‘i!earied with unavailing attempts to silence this opposition, came to the conclusion that "it would best consist with their own self respect," to withdraw altogether from the institution, and accordingly they tendered the resignation of their professorships and offices. The board of regents accepted their resignations April 17th 1826, and presented them their thanks, " for the faithful and able manner in which they had filled their respective chairs as instructors and lecturers in said college." On the seventh of July 1826, at a special meeting of the regents of the University, held at the Capi tol in Albany, the vacancies caused by the resigna tion of the late professors, were filled up in the several departments, and John Watts, M.D. ap pointed president.