Page:A History of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania.djvu/158

, had few opportunities and fewer inducements to perfect their knowledge. Hence midwifery existed almost universally as an art; the aged and imbecile nurse was preferred to the physician.” It has been seen that only so far as taught by Dr. Shippen, and as a mere appendage to the Chair of Anatomy and Surgery, from which it received necessarily but little attention, it was comparatively ignored in the medical school as a branch of scientific education. Medical men, therefore, who desired to become adepts in it were under the necessity of visiting Europe, or of relying upon their own resources. To supply the demand for skilful and intelligent assistance in the conduct of labor, Dr. Dewees, with James, Church, and others, directed their attention to this branch, and by rendering themselves especially masters of it, were enabled to communicate their knowledge and experience to others.

No one could realize more fully than Dr. Dewees the want of more extensive and efficient instruction on the subject of practical midwifery, and, to use the words of Dr. Hodge, “we find that he has the high honor of first attempting a full course of Lectures on Obstetrics in America.

“In a small office he collected a few pupils, and in a familiar manner indoctrinated them with the principles of our science, toiling year after year, in opposition to the prejudices not only of the community but even of the profession, who could not perceive that so much effort was necessary for facilitating the natural process of parturition.” In 1806, Dr. Dewees took the