History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

444 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisschool was moved to 400 West Adams Street, where lectures at once wereresumed.In 1872, the hospital received a grant of $25,000 from the Relief and AidSociety for medical and surgical services rendered during the years and wasthereby able to erect its own building at the corner of Adams and PaulinaStreets. On its rear lot was a little barn, the use of which was gratuitouslygranted to the college. An expenditure of $3000 converted this barn into amoderately well equipped building, with a small lecture room on the firstfloor and dissection rooms on the second floor. Dr. Marie J.Mergler wrote:"Although the accommodations were scant and facilities inadequate, theclasses were intelligent and many of those graduates have obtained honorableand lucrative practices, bringing credit upon the institution."The faculty for 1873-74 consisted of some of the most eminent professorsin the city and is given here in full:W. Godfrey Dyas, M.D., Professor of Theory and Practice of MedicineA. Fisher, M.D., Professor Emeritus of SurgeryT. Davis Fitch, M.D., Secretary and Professor of Diseases of WomenRoswell G. Bogue, M.D., Treasurer and Professor of SurgeryEugene Marguerat, M.D., Professor of ObstetricsCharles Gilman Smith, M.D., Professor of Hygiene, Clinical Obstetrics andDiseases of WomenS. C. Blake, M.D., Professor of Diseases of the Mind and Nervous SystemG. C. Paoli, M.D., Professor of Materia Medica and TherapeuticsSamuel A. McWilliams, M.D., Professor of AnatomyCharles W. Earle, M.D., Professor of PhysiologyAddison H. Foster, M.D., Professor of Surgical Anatomy and Operations inSurgeryM. Delafantaine, Ph.D., Professor of ChemistryPeter S. McDonald, M.D., Demonstrator of AnatomyThese faculty members not only gave their time and shared the manytrials which presented themselves during these early years,but they alsoassumed financial risks, and were not spared unpopularity and even ridiculefrom their colleagues. But the school prospered, attendance increased,and the "little barn" became inadequate for the growing demands.At great financial risk, a building at 337 South Lincoln Street was purchased,which was in the medical center of the west side of the city. Thiswas converted into a complete college building with two amphitheaters, awell equipped chemical laboratory and a convenient, well lighted dissectingroom. Several members of the faculty resigned because of this venture, theirreasons being that the college was not yet self-sustaining and its future wasstill uncertain. Dr. Byford took great pride in the step, however, and Drs.Earle, Dyas and Fitch remained faithful to him. The new faculty for 1877—78 was as follows: