History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

424 History of Medical Practice in IllinoisThe part performed by Rush Medical College in the creation ofPresbyterian Hospital is a creditable one. Dr. Ross was perhaps more instrumentalin the initiation of this project than anyone else and it was Dr. Rosshimself, a staunch Presbyterian, who enlisted the church of his faith in theorganization of a hospital association for this purpose. In the winter of1883, the college and the Presbyterian Hospital Association, already charteredby the State of Illinois, made an agreement whereby the collegedeeded the lot and unfinished building to the association on condition,among other things, that the latter should finish the building and open andmaintain it perpetually as a hospital. The association immediately tookcharge, finished the building and opened it as a hospital in 1884; it wascapable of caring for 80 patients. A medical staff was appointed. Very soonthe hospital was full of patients and more room was needed. Finally, theassociation was able to erect the greater Presbyterian Hospital which hada capacity of 300 beds.Postgraduate instruction was undertaken in a modest way by Rush MedicalCollege as early as 1879 and was continued with varying success forseveral years. A course was arranged for practitioners for the last five weeksof the regular term. No change was made in this course until 1881, when itwas given in the spring instead of the winter sessions; this plan was moresatisfactory and was continued until 1885. However, the classes were smalland the efforts to conduct a postgraduate school in the midst of undergraduateinstruction was not too successful and the college abandoned thispart of its teaching program. After that, a large number of postgraduatestudents came to take such courses in the laboratories and clinics as theywished, and this has perhaps been more successful than the original plan ofinstruction.The history of Rush Medical College is an ideal example of growthfrom a humble and poor beginning to a climax of success in every particular.It was like the growth of the western country as a whole. The collegedid not attempt to force public sentiment or institute reforms ahead of theneeds of the country. For many years it constantly urged the alumni and theprofession to demand better education on the part of medical men andbetter work by medical colleges. Improvements have been made step bystep as conditions seemed to warrant and in strict accordance with thefixed policy of the institution—to equip its graduates in a high degree forthe practical work of the profession. Rush Medical College consistentlyheld to the standard of thoroughness of teaching of the art of the doctor.Its career and those of its alumni have proven it a great school for the reallife duties of the practitioner.the