| Show History of Medicine in the United States The history of medicine in the United States begins with the history of the American colonies The first physician in America was Dr Woaton Surgeon General to the London company which arrived in Virginia in 1607 Dr Woaton was followed in 1608 by Dr Russel Neither of these gentlemen re- mained in America for in 1609 while Captain Smith the exploring Chesapeake Bay and had to return to England for treatment The first physician in what is now New York was Dr Lamon-tagn- e who arrived in 1637 From this time forth medical treatment in America was on a par with medical treatment anywhere in the old world Many prominent physicians from Europe were constantly arriving in the new world and young Americans went abroad to study Medicine in the colonies was studied with preceptors The time of apprenticeship was from three to seven years during which time the young student performed the most menial duties and had very meagre for study But opportunities emergency made many of these and young Americans competent practitioners In many cases they followed the example of the practitioners of the old world was-wounde- self-relia- nt and combined medicine and the ministry Among those who gained renown in both professions ‘were John Fish and John Rogers The first medical school in the United States was The Medical Department of the College of Philadelphia established in 1765 There were seventeen graduates from this department in 1768 graduating with the degree “Bachelor of Medicine” This school later became the University of Pennsylvania The Medical Department of Columbia University was established in 1767 and that of Harvard College in 1783 Lectures on anatomy had however been given in Harvard College previous to 1647 The Pennsylvania Hospital the oldest in America was established in 1762 Connected with it is the oldest medical library in America and today one of the largest in the world It contains fifteen thousand volumes The most lively medical controversy of the eighteenth century was that excited by the introduction of vaccination for prevention of smallpox For centuries the method of inoculation with virus from the active disease had been in vogue in the old world In 1721 Dr Bavlston of Boston determined to test the method in this countrv |
