Page:A History of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania.djvu/81

 to this work, an interesting extract of a letter from Dr. Rush to Dr. Cullen may be given. “One of the severest taxes paid by our profession during the war was occasioned by the want of a regular supply of books from Europe, by which means we are eight years behind you in everything. Your First Lines was almost the only new work that was smuggled into the country. Fortunately it fell into my hands. I took the liberty of writing a Preface to it, and published it during the war. The American Edition had a rapid sale and a general circulation through the United States. It was read with peculiar attention by the physicians and surgeons of our army, and in a few years regulated in many things the practice in our hospitals. Thus, Sir, you see you have had a hand in the Revolution, by contributing indirectly to save the lives of the officers and soldiers of the American Army.” 16th Sept., 1783. At the time mentioned, the first volume only of the work was republished; it had been issued in Edinburgh in 1777. Cullen had able coadjutors in the University of Edinburgh. Monro (secundus) had great distinction as an anatomist and surgeon; the name of Gregory was regarded with respect; Home, Hope, and Young were filling their parts with credit to themselves and usefulness to the institution; while Black had inscribed his name upon the roll of fame, by his doctrine of latent heat and his discovery of carbonic acid. Of such luminaries was formed that cynosure in the northern firmament of medical science, which attracted the attention of the intellectual world, and directed the steps of those who sought for lights to guide them in preparation for professional duties.