The Early History of Medicine in Philadelphia.
"to consider and report upon matters relative to physic." By this society a number of dissertations on medical subjects were received, and were published in octavo form, as well as in the newspapers—at that period the chief medium which the country afforded for diffusing such information. Several of these publications in the book form are now in my possession. Among them are "An Essay on the Virtues and Uses of several substances in Medicine, that are the native growth of America;" A Dissertation on the Causes, Nature, and Treatment of Apoplexy;" "On the Dry Belly Ache, or Nervous Cholic;" On Catarrhal Peripneumony;" and "On Consumption." A second medical organization, termed the "American Medical Society," was founded in 1770, by a number of students who had assembled in this city "to hear the lectures of the medical professors, and who judged they might derive advantage from associating themselves in order to discuss various questions in the healing art, and to communicate their observations on different subjects." The society consisted of senior and junior members, and soon ranked among its active seniors many of the most eminent characters in our city. Its meetings were held weekly during the continuance of the medical lectures. Dr. Shippen was
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