city of New York. The same error has been committed by Dr. Thatcher, in the new edition of his Modern Practice recently published.”[1]
Dr. Beck reiterates this statement when referring to the schools. He informs his readers that the schools thus started in New York and Philadelphia were the only ones attempted before the Revolution. “The first medical degrees were given by the College of New York. In 1769, the degree of Bachelor in Medicine was conferred upon Samuel Kissam and Robert Tucker. In 1770 the degree of Doctor of Medicine was conferred on the last of these gentlemen, and in May of the following year upon the former. In June, 1771, the degree of Doctor in Medicine was conferred on four students of the Philadelphia College, being the first given in the institution.”[2]
The truth is that Dr. Sewall, in his lecture, correctly presented the fact, overlooked by Dr. Hosack, that in June, 1768, the first Commencement of the College of Philadelphia was held, at which the degree of Bachelor of Medicine was conferred, and further stated that “at the Commencement in 1771, the degree of M. B. was conferred on seven, and the degree of M. D. on four students.”[3] This latter statement is made by Dr. Thatcher in his History of American Medicine, prefixed to his Medical Biography, without reference to any previous Commencement. With respect to the prospective conferring of degrees Dr. Morgan, in writing to Mr. William Hewson, of London, November 20th, 1767, thus expresses himself:—
“I have twenty pupils this year at about five guineas each. Next year we shall confer the degree of Bachelor in Physic
- ↑ An Inaugural Discourse delivered at the opening of Rutgers Medical College in the City of New York, on Monday the 6th day of November, 1826, by David Hosack, M. D., F. R. S.
- ↑ An Historical Sketch of the State of Medicine in the American Colonies, etc., ante citat.
- ↑ A Lecture delivered at the opening of the Medical Department of the Columbian College, in the District of Columbia, March 30th, 1825, by Thomas Sewall, M. D., Professor of Anatomy and Physiology, Washington City, 1825. Note to page 26 at p. 67. This note was furnished by Prof. J. R. Coxe, M. D., in a letter to Dr. Sewall, and is correct in all particulars.
