History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

Medical Education in Illinois 439S. Christopher, diseases of children; A. W. Harlan, dental surgeon; W. T.Eckley, anatomist; Boerne Bettman, oculist and aurist; J.T. Jelks, genitourinarysurgeon; Albert E. Hoadley, anatomist and surgeon; John A.Benson, physician and physiologist; J.M. G. Carter, sanitarian; AdolphGehrmann, bacteriologist of international reputation; and many others.The preliminary affiliation between the College and the Universityhaving proved satisfactory, on February 9, 1900, a new lease of the Collegeto the University was entered into for a period of twenty-five years, datingfrom May 1, 1900 to April 1925. This instrument provided for a Dean, anActuary, and a Secretary of the Medical Faculty, all to be selected by thePresident of the University. It also contained a provision for the purchaseof the college property by the University at an agreed price, any time duringthe life of the lease. This arrangement continued in operation untilApril 30,1912. The property was owned by the corporation known as theCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago. The University of Illinoisconducted a medical school for fifteen years in this leased property.During all this time the college had looked to the organic union of thetwo institutions, but the state had never contributed one dollar to thesupport of the medical school. Every dollar needed for the maintenance ofthe institution had been furnished by the faculty of the college from thefees of its students.There was an active evolution in medical education at this time, andan enlargement of the requirements for admission to the medical colleges.This had been established by the Committee on Medical Education ofthe American Medical Association. The elevation of medical educationmet with general approval by the profession and by our college faculty, butit was found impossible to maintain a state college on these high planeswithout state support, and the University had never been able to secure anappropriation from the Legislature for its medical college because it didnot own the college, but only operated it on rented property.For several years each biennial session of the Legislature had refused theUniversity a fund to purchase the college. Once only was a bill passedmaking an appropriation for the purchase of the college, but even then theGovernor violated his promise of support to the Trustees and faculty andfor political reasons vetoed the bill. Although the lease was made fortwenty-five years, the actual life of it was only two years, as new appropriationshad to be made every biennium for the support of the University, andthe Trustees could only bind themselves for the period of biennial appropriation.A majority of the stockholders of the college corporation decided theywould not continue the lease beyond April 30, 1912, and a communicationto that effect was sent to the Trustees of the University. On April 30, 1912,