Biographical sketch of 120
As a lecturer 124
As a surgeon 124
As a teacher 124
At University of Pennsylvania 121, 122
Born 120
Called to Transylvania 120
Early education 121
Estimation in which he was held 122
Letter of resignation *122, *123
Letter of Transylvania Faculty *123
Mental gifts 123
Professor in Transylvania Medical Department 122, 123
Professor in University of Maryland 122
Professor in University of Vermont 121
Resigned 120
Sketch of his father 120, 121
Writings and inventions 124
Smith, Thomas 38
Staughton, Professor 113
Stockholders of the Botanic Garden 38
Strakosch, Maurice 163
Students in Medical Department, total number of 55
Superior apparatus of Transylvania Medical Department 157
Superiority of library of Transylvania Medical Department *91
Swan, Mr. 168
Symmes, John Cleves 82
Table of students, graduates of Medical Department
(1819-34) *55
"The Botanical Garden" of Transylvania University 38
Theobalds, Doctor Samuel *147
Thomas, Doctor Philip *10
Thornbury, Doctor Philip *115
Titian, anecdote of 47
Todd, Reverend John 3
Todd, Doctor L. B. *136, 155
Total number of students in Medical Department 55
Total number of graduates in Medical Department 55
Toulmin, Mr. Harry, first President of Transylvania
University 4
Opposition to 4
Transylvania the best-endowed medical school in America *122
Transylvania Faculty in 1842 *132
Transylvania Institute *56
Transylvania _Journal of Medicine_, editors of 21
Transylvania _Journal of Medicine_, first appearance of 21
Transylvania Land Company 3
Transylvania Medical Library *91
Transylvania Medical School in 1809 13
Transylvania merged into Kentucky University 99, 100
Transylvania Seminary 2
First "Director" 3
First President 4
Presbyterian patronage of 2
Rivalry with Kentucky Academy 5
United with Kentucky Academy 5
Transylvania University 5
First meeting of Trustees of 5
Medical department established 5
Origin of 1
Tribute of thanks, 1817 30
Trotter, James *46
"Trotter's Warehouse" 29
Trustees of Transylvania University in 1828 *46
Unparalleled growth of Transylvania University Medical
School 167
Vaccination introduced by Doctor Brown 9
Wallace, Thomas 38
Warfield, Charles H. 30
Warfield, Doctor Elisha 13, 38, *46
Resigns 14
Warfield, Doctor Walter 11
Warner, Miss Harriot 47
Watson, Doctor Lotan G. *126
Sketch of 129
Character of 129
Professor in Transylvania Medical Department 129
Welsh, Reverend James 11
Wickliffe, Robert, junior 162
Wilkins, Charles 38, *46
Willett, Jacob 125
Wilson, Mr. Isaac 2
Winter, Elisha I. *46
Wistar, Doctor Caspar 82
Woods, Reverend Alva, D. D. 21
Installed as President 46
Woolley, Honorable A. K. *133
Yandell, Doctor Lunsford P. 21, 23, 47, 48, 53,
57, 63, 64, 66, 77,
89, 90, 158
Biographical sketch of 83
As editor and writer 87
Called to Chemical Chair in Transylvania 83
Character of 83
Character of Doctor Cooke, by *78
Criticises Doctor Caldwell 48
Death of 88
During Civil War 86
Early education 83
Forgives Doctor Caldwell 49
Goes to Memphis 86
Ordained Presbyterian minister 87
President of College Physicians and Surgeons 87
President of Medical Society 87, 88
Professor in Medical Institute 85, 86
Professor in Transylvania 83
Removes to Louisville 85
Succeeds Doctor Caldwell 86
Resigns from Louisville school 86
Yandell, Doctor Wilson 83
Footnotes
[Footnote 1: April 11, 1791. See Records of Transylvania University.]
[Footnote 2: Out lot No. 6.]
[Footnote 3: In honor of the Centenary of Lexington, celebrated April
2, 1879.]
[Footnote 4: An interesting notice of "_Inoculation for Smallpox_," in
1794, is to be found in the files of the old _Kentucky Gazette_, a
paper published by John Bradford, in Lexington, August 11, 1787--the
first newspaper published west of the Alleghany mountains. This notice
appeared in that paper January 4, 1794, as follows: "On Thursday last
the inhabitants of this place began the inoculation of smallpox and
have agreed to continue until the fifteenth, after which they are
determined to cease. They have appointed a committee to draw up a
remonstrance to the court of Fayette County requesting that the order
of that court granting liberty to the inhabitants of said county to
inoculate may be rescinded, so far as respects the town of Lexington,
after that date." The _Gazette_ for the first of February following
has this significant statement, illustrating the great hazard of this
primitive operation, viz: "That the smallpox had been very fatal
within the three weeks past in the town and vicinity under
inoculation, that at least _one out of fifteen died_ who had been
inoculated, and very few children had recovered." Vaccination was
introduced here by Professor Samuel Brown, M. D., at quite an early
period, as we shall see further on.]
[Footnote 5: Lexington, January 8, 1799. (See Records of Transylvania
University, Volume 1.)]
[Footnote 6: December 11, 1799. (See Records of Transylvania
University.)]
[Footnote 7: "Memoranda of the Preston Family," by John Mason Brown,
Page 20.]
[Footnote 8: See "Memoranda of the Preston Family," Page 37, for his
descendants.]
[Footnote 9: Quoted from an introductory lecture to the winter course
in the Medical Department of Transylvania University, delivered by the
present writer (Doctor Robert Peter) November 5, 1854.]
[Footnote 10: Doctor Ridgely was born on Elkridge, Anne Arundel
County, Maryland, May 25, 1757, and studied medicine under Doctor
Philip Thomas, of almost unrivaled reputation. (Doctor C. W. Short.)]
[Footnote 11: Doctor James Fishback resigned as Trustee and qualified
as Medical Professor November 4, 1805. (See Records.)]
[Footnote 12: Jacob Fishback was a Trustee of Transylvania in 1801 and
up to 1807. (See Records.)]
[Footnote 13: See Records of Transylvania University, 1809.]
[Footnote 14: An able biographical sketch of him by his son, Joseph
Buchanan, also celebrated, was published in _Collins' History of
Kentucky_, first edition.]
[Footnote 15: According to Doctor C. C. Graham he held that these two
chairs should be inseparable.]
[Footnote 16: Now the site of the golf links at the termination of
North Broadway.]
[Footnote 17: This was before the use of anesthetics in surgery, it
must be remembered.]
[Footnote 18: Did he not, in this preliminary preparation of his
surgical patients, unwittingly render them safe from the microbes of
disease, thus practically securing for them the benefits of more
modern scientific discovery?]
[Footnote 19: March 28, 1828, Doctor Dudley was elected President, _pro
tem._, in the interval between the unanimous election of Reverend Alva
Woods, D. D., February 7, 1828, and his installation October 13, 1828.]
[Footnote 20: "He contracted poison in performing a surgical
operation, from which he suffered greatly and never recovered. He died
suddenly after about two hours of illness, at a quarter to one on
Thursday morning, January 20, 1870, of apoplexy. In his relations of
son, husband, father, master and friend it is believed he has left no
better man." (Extract from a short obituary by his brother, Reverend
Thomas P. Dudley.)]
[Footnote 21: Doctor C. C. Graham says: "What few private students
there were in Lexington went from shop to shop (at that day so called)
and got three only, Dudley, Richardson, and eccentric Overton to give
us a talk." (Letter to Doctor Peter.)]
[Footnote 22: Since dead as more than a centenarian.]
[Footnote 23: His great niece, Mrs. Waller O. Bullock, in speaking of
the portrait of Doctor Overton, the only one extant, says: "It was
done in Philadelphia just as he was completing his medical course, and
I think it must have been soon after that he entered upon his work at
Transylvania. He took a post-graduate course at Paris, France, and was
considered one of the most brilliant men of his day. He had great
command of language and his conversation sparkled with wit and humor,
nor was he less happy with his pen. On one occasion the city of
Nashville offered a handsome prize for the best essay on some disputed
medical point; no one was barred; doctors of all ages entered the
lists, and Uncle James--though an old man--bore off the honors. In
cultivated elegant society he was at his best, and when distinguished
foreigners visited President Jackson at the Hermitage it always
devolved on Doctor Overton to do the agreeable, his command of French
peculiarly fitting him for this post. He early left Kentucky to make
his home in Tennessee, where he practiced his profession for many
years, dying at an advanced age."]
[Footnote 24: "When the first medical lectures were delivered in our
city a room was rented for the purpose on Main Street. At the time of
the reorganization in 1819 a commodious apartment in the upper story
of the large building (on Short Street) now occupied (1854) by the
Branch Bank of Kentucky, then as a tavern, was temporarily fitted up
as a lecture-room, and Doctor Dudley lectured in his own rooms back of
his office ... (on Mill Street, east side, a little above Church
Street). The rapid increase of the class soon induced Doctor Dudley to
enlarge his accommodation by the erection of a very commodious
amphitheatre, in which he lectured until 1839-40, when the new hall
was built (corner of Broadway and Second)." (Lecture of Doctor Peter
to Medical Department, November 6, 1854.)]
[Footnote 25: According to G. W. Ranck's _History of Lexington_.]
[Footnote 26: Doctor C. C. Graham relates, in reference to student
life about this time: "Dead bodies at that day were not articles of
commerce, so we, the students, had to disinter them; and we once had a
battle, so published in the newspapers, at the old Baptist
graveyard--the Battle of the Graveyard, so-called--when taking up the
Irishman that caused the duel (between Dudley and Richardson). We were
taken prisoners by an armed guard and hauled up to the court-house for
trial, but there was no law to make the dead private property, so the
declaration of Scripture that from dust we came and unto dust we must
return let us off by paying one cent damages for taking that much clay
or soil. At another time, near Nicholasville, we were pursued when
making our way to our horses hitched outside an orchard fence, and one
ball of several fired lodged in the subject, on my back." (Letter of
Doctor Graham.)]
[Footnote 27: It seems Doctor Drake had obtained an honorary degree
for Richardson.]
[Footnote 28: "Caneland," which now forms a beautiful portion of L. V.
Harkness' Walnut Hall Stock Farm, where the old house still stands,
with Richardson's name on the brass knocker of the front door.]
[Footnote 29: The full Faculty of Transylvania, published 1821, was:
President, Reverend Horace Holley, A. M., A. A. S.; Honorable William T.
Barry, LL. D., Professor of Law; Charles Caldwell, M. D., Dean,
Professor of the Institutes of Medicine and teacher of Materia Medica,
with a private class in Medical Jurisprudence; Samuel Brown, M. D.,
Theory and Practice; Benjamin W. Dudley, M. D., Anatomy and Surgery;
William H. Richardson, M. D., Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and
Children; Reverend James Blythe, D. D., Professor of Chemistry; Reverend
Robert H. Bishop, A. M., Natural Philosophy, Geography, Chronology, and
History, giving with the President instruction in the voluntary
theological class; John Roche, A. M., Ancient Languages and secretary of
Faculty; John F. Jenkins, A. B., Professor of Mathematics and Librarian;
Constantine S. Rafinesque, Professor of Natural History and Botany and
teacher of the Modern Languages; Nicholas D. Coleman, A. B., and Charles
S. Morehead, A. B., tutors of the Preparatory Department.]
[Footnote 30: For Rafinesque see _Life of Rafinesque_, by R. Ellsworth
Call, published by The Filson Club, 1895.]
[Footnote 31: We find the announcement in a local newspaper of
November 19, 1819, that the inauguration of the medical professors and
Professors Rafinesque and Bradford took place "at the Episcopal
Meeting House on yesterday" with music, etc.]
[Footnote 32: "A fine lot of nine and three quarters acres belonging
to Mr. Joseph Megowan, at the rate of one hundred dollars in specie
per acre, with a small rent of two dollars and fifty cents per acre
until paid."]
[Footnote 33: Doctor Best, a graduate of Transylvania Medical
Department in 1826, died at Lexington, Kentucky, September, 1830, aged
about forty-five years.]
[Footnote 34: Of Doctor Drake, Doctor S. D. Gross says: "Emphatically
a self-made man, he possessed genius of a superior order and
successfully coped with his colleagues for the highest place in the
school (Transylvania). Of all the medical teachers I have ever known
he was, all things considered, one of the most able, captivating, and
impressive. There was an earnestness, a fiery zeal about him in the
lecture-room which encircled him, as it were, with a halo of glory."
(Autobiographical sketch of Doctor Short, Page 10.)]
[Footnote 35: Mostly from _Collins' History of Kentucky_, second
edition.]
[Footnote 36: _Lexington Reporter_, March 5, 1821: "$17,000 are to be
expended in Europe this year for the Medical Department. Doctor
Caldwell (the agent) is already on his way. $5,000 only is the gift of
the Legislature, while $6,000 rest upon the responsibility of
Lexington alone and $6,000 upon that of _six individuals_ in the town
who have generously stepped forward in this manner to anticipate the
too cautious bounty of the Legislature."]
[Footnote 37: The oration at the laying of the corner-stone was made
by William T. Barry. The Trustees of Transylvania at that time were
John Bradford, Thomas Bodley, Charles Humphreys, Benjamin Gratz,
Elisha Warfield, James Fishback, John W. Hunt, James Trotter, Elisha
I. Winter, George T. Chapman, William Leavy, Charles Wilkins, and
George C. Light.]
[Footnote 38: The same year, October 13, 1828: "The Board joined in a
procession to the Episcopal Church, where the Reverend Alva Woods, D.
D., was publicly installed as President of the Transylvania
University." One thousand copies of his inaugural address to be
printed for the Board.]
[Footnote 39: Edward Everett, in a letter of introduction to Sir
Walter Scott presented to Mr. Holley when intending to visit Europe,
says of him: "As a philosopher, a scholar, and a gentleman he has left
no superior in America."]
[Footnote 40: See Pages 405-7, Autobiography of Doctor Charles Caldwell.]
[Footnote 41: See Autobiography.]
[Footnote 42: He was Dean of the Faculty.]
[Footnote 43: It has been said that Doctor Caldwell was the first
person of note to take up the study of Phrenology in this country.]
[Footnote 44: Of Doctor Caldwell, Doctor Gross says: "A more majestic
figure on the rostrum could hardly be imagined. Tall and erect in
person, with a noble head and a piercing black eye, he was the _beau
ideal_ of an elegant, entertaining, and accomplished lecturer. He was
eloquent, but too artificial, for he had cultivated elocution too much
before the mirror." (Autobiographical sketch of Doctor C. W. Short,
Page 10.)]
[Footnote 45: Doctor Caldwell says (1834): "This institution has been
in operation _fourteen_ years.... According to its record book its
classes and the degrees conferred by it have been as follows:
Years. Number of Number of
Pupils. Degrees.
1819-20 37 7
1820-1 93 13
1821-2 138 37
1822-3 171 51
1823-4 200 47
1824-5 234 57
1825-6 281 65
1826-7 190 53
1827-8 152 53
1828-9 206 40
1829-30 199 81
1830-1 210 52
1831-2 215 74
1832-3 222 69
1833-4 262
----- ---
Total 2,810 699
"It is believed from this view of it that for its vigorous prosperity
and the rapid increase of its classes, the Medical School of
Transylvania is without a parallel. Certainly in the United States
there is nothing comparable to it. At the commencement of the present
century, when the Medical School of Philadelphia had been in operation
about forty years, it did not number more, we believe, than 200
pupils. It now contains about 400--rumor says a few more. In
_thirty-three_ years, then, that school has added about 200 to its
classes, while _in less than half that time_ the school of
Transylvania has _formed_ a class of 262. This is the highest eulogy
the institution can receive." (Doctor Caldwell to Lexington Medical
Society, 1834, "On the Impolicy of Multiplying Schools of Medicine.")]
[Footnote 46: At the time of the formation of the "Transylvania
Institute" (February 20, 1839), under articles of agreement between
the city of Lexington and the Trustees of Transylvania University (see
Deed Book No. 17, Page 42, office Fayette County Court), the city
endowed the University with seventy thousand dollars; forty-five
thousand dollars was to build a new medical hall and provide
additional library and apparatus for the same, five thousand dollars
for the Law Department, and twenty thousand dollars for Morrison
College, securing permanent scholarships in each college. In
consequence of a want of harmony in the Board of Trustees as to the
location of the proposed medical hall, the medical professors and
their friends felt obliged to purchase a lot (corner of Broadway and
Second Street, where Doctor Bush's residence was afterward built) at a
cost of five thousand dollars, although there was abundant space on
the University grounds. This lot, to purchase which citizens
contributed three thousand dollars of the five thousand, was given in
trust to the University--but, by an unauthorized clause in the deed of
conveyance, the lot and the medical hall erected on it at a cost of
about thirty-five thousand dollars reverted to the city about 1860. On
this building, which was burned during the Civil War, the medical
professors also paid out of their own incomes the surplus cost over
thirty thousand dollars which had been provided by the city. The
medical professors also each contributed annually to the medical
library, etc., ten dollars.]
[Footnote 47: There remain of this library five thousand, six hundred
and eighty-four volumes; pamphlets and medical journals, seven hundred
and fifty-four; bound volumes of theses, one hundred and thirty-eight,
at Kentucky University.]
[Footnote 48: In the session following this disintegration of the
school Doctor Thomas D. Mitchell says, in his Historical Catalogue of
the Medical School, 1838: "Notwithstanding the great pecuniary
embarrassments of the country and the peculiar circumstances
accompanying the late disorganization, the number of pupils fell short
but fifteen of the previous session."]
[Footnote 49: Doctor Mitchell at this time says: "The entire course of
lectures in this school costs the sum of _one hundred and five
dollars_. In addition the matriculation fee, which entitles the pupil
to use of the very extensive library, is _five dollars_. The
dissecting ticket is _ten dollars_, and may be taken or omitted at
pleasure." The qualifications for candidates for the degree of Doctor
of Medicine: "The persons offering must be 21 years of age and must
have been engaged in the study of medicine during three years. Two
full courses of lectures in a chartered medical school (the last of
which in this institution) are also requisite. But persons who exhibit
satisfactory proof of having been engaged in reputable practice for
the space of four years may be candidates by attending one course of
lectures, which must be in this school. Each candidate is required to
exhibit all his tickets to the Dean before his name can be enrolled.
The fee for graduation is $20." (See Doctor Mitchell's Historical
Catalogue, 1838.)]
[Footnote 50: This, with a strange prejudice against novelties, he
recommended to be made by putting an indefinite quantity of glass of
antimony in a bottle with wine, to digest for an uncertain period,
adding more wine as the contents were withdrawn for use.]
[Footnote 51: "From June 1 to August 1, 502 died." (_Collins' History
of Kentucky._)]
[Footnote 52: The late William Hall, M. D., for a long time editor of
_Hall's Journal of Health_, of New York.]
[Footnote 53: Memoir, Page 21.]
[Footnote 54: Doctor L. P. Yandell, senior, says of Doctor Cooke in
his biography: "Dr. Cooke was one of the few men who might have been
safely trusted to write his autobiography. He would have reviewed his
career with a truthfulness, a modesty, a candor that would have
exalted his character in the eyes of men. His works will be read by
the curious for a long time to come, and will always be read with
advantage by the earnest student."]
[Footnote 55: _Notices of Western Botany and Conchology_, by Doctor C.
W. Short and H. H. Eaton, A. M., published in _Transylvania Journal of
Medicine_, 1831.]
[Footnote 56: Professor Henry Miller, of Louisville, says of Doctor
Short: "As a lecturer Dr. Short's style was chaste, concise, and
classical, and his manner always grave and dignified. His lectures
were always carefully and fully written and read in the lecture room
with a good voice and correct emphasis. He never made the least
attempt at display nor set a clap-trap in all his life."]
[Footnote 57: Doctor Gross says: "In stature Dr. Short was of medium
height, well proportioned, with light hair and complexion, blue eyes,
and an ample forehead. His features when lighted up by a smile were
radiant with goodness and beneficence. In manner he was graceful,
calm, and dignified; so much so that one coming into his presence for
the first time might have supposed him to be haughty and ascetic;
such, however, was not the case."]
[Footnote 58: Doctor David W. Yandell thus writes of Doctor Short as
connected with the Medical Institute of Louisville: "Dr. Short was a
most valuable officer. His high scientific attainment, the soundness
of his judgment, high dignity and urbanity of manner, his amiable
temper and blameless life added character and weight to the
institution. Botany was his favorite pursuit. He found the flora of
this region (Louisville) virgin and unknown, and so collected,
arranged, and classified it that his successors in this field have
been able to change nothing and to add but little to his work."]
[Footnote 59: We see in the records of the Trustees of Transylvania
University that on March 17, 1832, Doctor Short was elected President
_pro tem._ of Transylvania University "during the pleasure of the
Board," but there is no mention of his acceptance. The fact is,
Professors Short, Caldwell, and Dudley acted alternately as President
_pro tem._ on public occasions and in signing diplomas, etc., until a
President could be elected. The Reverend B. O. Peers was inaugurated
President _pro tem._, 1833, and the Reverend Thomas W. Coit, an
eminent Episcopalian divine from New England, was installed as
President in 1835.]
[Footnote 60: The resignation of his predecessor, Doctor Blythe, took
place March 16, 1831. (See Records of Transylvania University.)]
[Footnote 61: One of his ancestors was General William Eaton, the hero
of Derne.]
[Footnote 62: In the chemical course of lectures the subject of
Electricity was given up to him entirely. He lectured on it as well as
performed the experiments.]
[Footnote 63: In the catalogue of the Rensselaer School, 1828, appears
in the list of undergraduates, "Robert Peter, Pittsburg, Pa., Lecturer
on the Experimental and Demonstrative Sciences, Druggist."]
[Footnote 64: This "Eclectic Institute" occupied the "colonial"
residence on Second Street, now forming a part of the Hagerman Female
College. Mr. Peers, H. A. Griswold, and H. H. Eaton were already
associated.]
[Footnote 65: Doctor Mitchell says (1838): "Dr. Peter added to the
Chemical Department several powerful galvanic batteries and a fine
collection of apparatus recently procured from the East, making the
laboratory more complete than it ever has been before." (Historical
Catalogue, 1838.)]
[Footnote 66: Of the books, apparatus, etc., purchased in Europe by
Doctor Peter we find the following account rendered on March 25, 1839:
"Books and plates, six thousand dollars; chemical apparatus, two
thousand five hundred dollars; preparations for anatomy and surgery,
one thousand five hundred dollars; models for obstetrics, five hundred
dollars; specimens for materia medica and therapeutics and drawing,
five hundred dollars. A total of eleven thousand dollars."]