Oct. 5, 2009-University of Nashville Medical Faculty 1855

I spent a little time yesterday looking for some additional information about the faculty members of the Medical Department of the University of Nashville in 1855 when Dr. Thomas Jefferson Manning graduated. I learned that in 1855, 294 students were matriculated and 93 graduated. I was very impressed with the information I found about the Professors. The information demonstrates the quality of education the students received in 1855. I am including just a little of what I learned about the men who taught Great Great Grandfather Thomas Jefferson Manning.

Paul F. Eve, MD- Taught Principles and Practice of Surgery

Paul Fitzsimons Eve was the President of the American Medical Association in 1857. He lectured widely about surgical techniques. He spoke at several AMA meetings about the history of surgical procedures and wrote many articles in medical journals about his experiences in surgery and medicine. Below is a photo of Dr. Eve.

John M. Watson, MD-Taught Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children. He also lectured at numerous meetings and various Schools of Medicine. Dr. Watson was born in 1798 and died in 1866.

A. H. Buchanan, MD-Taught Surgical and Pathological Anatomy and Physiology. He was the Vice President of the AMA in 1847 and 1848.

W. K. Bowling, MD- Taught the Institutes and Practice of Medicine. He wrote many articles. One was entitled "Cholera as it Appeared in Nashville in 1849, 1850, 1854 and 1860". I could not access a journal to read this article. Apparently, during those years there was a huge outbreak of cholera in Nashville. Dr. Bowling was Dean of the Medical Department in 1860. He also founded the journal, Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery. He was a Vice President of the AMA in 1856-1857 and again in 1867. At this link, you can see an ad for the Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery.

http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-9259:767?search=ols

C. K. Winston, MD- Taught Materia Medica and Medical Jurisprudence.

Charles Kimbrough Winston (1811-1882) was the first president of the University of Nashville.

Robert M. Porter, MD-Taught General and Special Anatomy.

Robert Massengal Porter (1818-1856) had a Law Degree, a Doctor of Divinity degree and a Medical Degree. He died at a very young age, 38. His eulogy describes that he died from a blood poisoning that he was believed to have gotten after completing a demonstration in human dissection. He was overcome by stench and perhaps became infected from the excrement he encountered during the dissection. There is a lengthy eulogy for him given by John Berrien Lindsley, MD and it can be read on google books.

http://books.google.com/books?id=sqMaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA2&ots=zM530KdIQJ&dq=%22Robert+M.+Porter,+MD&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

John Berrien Lindsley, MD- Taught Chemistry and Pharmacy. For a period of time he was Chancellor of the University and another time period he was the Dean of the Medical Department. He held degrees in Medicine, Theology and Philosophy. In his eulogy for Dr. Robert Porter in 1856, Dr. Lindsley stated that the University of Nashville Medical Department was 1 of 3 leading schools in the United States.

William T. Briggs, MD- He was the Demonstrator of Anatomy. He served as the President of the Americal Surgical Association in 1884. With Dr. Bowling, he edited the Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery.

I am sure if I spent more time, I could find much more about these esteemed Professors. I can however get some idea of Dr. Mannings training by learning about his mentors.

Oct. 4, 2009- More About Dr. Thomas Jefferson Manning and the University of Nashville

I have gathered some interesting information about the University of Nashville Medical Department in 1855 which is the year Dr. Thomas Jefferson Manning is said to have graduated.
First, on October 30, 1855, an Introductory Address was delivered before the Class of the Medical Department by John M. Watson, M.D. who was Professor of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children. Dr. Manning may have completed his training by the October 1855 date, but I found that Dr. Watson was part of the faculty beginning in 1850. This would mean that Dr. Watson was one of the professors who may have taught Dr. Manning.

I came across advertisements placed in a variety of medical journals by the University of Nashville. They are recruitment ads and they are very similar in content from 1853-1855. I found the ads in journals such as Proceedings of the Australian Association of Neurologists, Vol 7-9, 1855, Boston Medical and Surgical Journal ,Vol. 48, 1853, and in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 49, 1854. The following is a transcription of the 1854 publication of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal. You will see that it reflects the courses and professors that Dr. Manning would have had. It also reflects the fees that he would have paid.

UNIVERSITY OF NASHVILLE, MEDICAL DEPARTMENT- The third Annual Course of Lectures in this Department will commence on Tuesday, the first of November next and continue till the first of the ensuing March.

Paul F. Eve MD- Principles and Practice of Surgery
John M. Watson MD-Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children
A. H. Buchanan MD- Surgical and Pathological Anatomy and Physiology
W. K. Bowling MD- Institutes and Practice of Medicine
C. K. Winston MD- Materia Medica and Medical Jurisprudence
Robert M. Porter MD- General and Special Anatomy
J. Berrien Lindsley MD- Chemistry and Pharmacy
William T. Briggs MD- Demonstrator of Anatomy

The anatomical rooms will be opened for students on the first Monday in October.
A full Preliminary Course of lectures will be given by the Professors, commencing on the first Monday in October.
The Students will have free access to the State Hospital.

Fee of each Professor, $15. Matriculation ticket, $5. Dissecting ticket, $10. Graduation fee, $25.

Good board can be obtained in the city at from $2.50 to $3 per week. Further information can be obtained by addressing
J. B. Lindsley, MD Dean

Nashville, Tennessee June 1853

I will continue to gather some more information about the University of Nashville Medical Department. Putting these pieces together helps get a better picture of what Great, Great Grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Manning might have experienced.