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evolution, it attained in 1817 its acme. This acme, for now thirty years, as a bloom which can have no decline—no involution—no senile atrophy, it has fully retained and will retain.
Second, “this medical institution may collect a number of young men of more than ordinary abilities and so improve their knowledge as to spread its reputation to distant parts.” This expectation also has been realized. It numbers more than 4000 graduates. Many of them have become chemists, druggists and agriculturists. Among the rest are the great body of skilful and humane physicians, and the corps of army and navy surgeons, together with discoverers, journalists, authors and eloquent teachers.
Third, “this institution, by duly qualified alumni, may give birth to other useful institutions of a similar nature.” This also has come to pass, not only in Philadelphia, but elsewhere. Most of the medical schools throughout our extended country have been formed by the alumni of the University of Pennsylvania.
I call attention to the object of our venerable alma mater: viz., obedience to the great command, “Go heal the sick;”—the sicknesses of the people of a new country —their fevers, inflammations, chronic and nervous complaints, and accidents,—to the liberal and wise policy adopted to fulfil the command; viz., the establishment of a maternal institution, which, through the instrumentality of her able alumni, shall form other medical schools. One of these alumni was the late Doctor George McClellan. An effort to form a second medical school in Philadelphia, was made during the winter of 1818–19. The items in the argument presented on the occasion, were the inordinate increase of population by birth and immigration, the uncomfortable increase of the class from that of three hundred and eighty-eight to
