The History of the Medical Department of Transylvania University — John Shaqi
The History of the Medical Department of Transylvania UniversityPeter, Robert
History
The History of the Medical Department of Transylvania University
Peter, Robert
Medicine -- Kentucky; Medicine -- Kentucky -- History; Transylvania University. Medical Department
Coming to Lexington with his shining and commanding talents, his
determination to conquer success, and the brilliant reputation he then
had as an independent writer and lecturer; to become associated with
the yet more brilliant President Holley, and the already well-known
and appreciated medical teachers, Doctors Dudley and Brown; at an
auspicious time when the rapidly improving country felt the want of
medical instruction at home--the rapid success of the Medical
Department of Transylvania (to which he materially contributed by his
able efforts before the public) might well excuse him in his
belief[41] that he had come to Lexington to be the "_premier of the
school_,"[42] that he had come to train and induct his colleagues ("a
most miserable Faculty," he calls them) into efficiency and fame, and
that the success of medical education in Lexington was due mainly to
his individual efforts. Candor obliges us to admit, however, that
there is some truth in the statement of the late Professor Yandell, in
the memoir above quoted. Doctor Yandell was a student in the Medical
Department of Transylvania in 1823, and a most ardent admirer of the
brilliant talents of Professor Caldwell, yet he found that both
Professors Dudley and Drake were more popular with the students, as
teachers, than he. He says (Page 56): "Students, in truth, generally
turned listlessly away from his polished discourses on Sympathy,
Phrenology,[43] the Vital Principle, and other kindred themes, and
hurried off to the lectures on Materia Medica and Anatomy."[44]
In short, Doctor Caldwell excelled in the brilliant discussion of
speculative and theoretical subjects. The extent of his positive
knowledge, as remarked by Doctor Yandell, was greater in superficial
area than in depth; whilst in the terse and lucid exposition of
definite facts, which characterized the instruction of Professor
Dudley, the student felt he was acquiring knowledge which not only was
real but was of practical utility.
The history of the _rise and fall_ of this school of medicine is
illustrated in the detailed list of its classes and graduates as shown
in the annexed _Schedule B_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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