Page:A History of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania.djvu/86

 do request the several Medical Professors in the mean time to proceed in their lectures as heretofore.”

When the University was organized upon the basis mentioned, the Rev. John Ewing, D.D., was appointed Provost. In this office he remained until his death in 1802. Dr. Ewing continued the practice of delivering Lectures upon Natural Philosophy. These were published, in 1809, in a volume edited by Prof. Robert Patterson, who appended to them a Life of the author.

On May 11th, 1780, it was resolved, by the Board of Trustees of the University, “that the former Medical Professors be requested to examine such candidates as shall apply to them;” and on June 27th it was “agreed that on the present occasion the late Medical Professors take their seats.” This occasion was in connection with the preliminaries for the graduation of the classes. The Commencement was held, and the Degree of Bachelor of Medicine conferred on William W. Smith and Ebenezer Crossby, and that of Doctor of Medicine on David Ramsay.

Dr. Shippen was the only one of the Professors who at once accepted the position he had held in the Faculty of the College; and an agreement not being effected with the others, the Chair of Practice was offered to Dr. Hutchinson, June 25th, 1781, and then, April 22d, 1782, to Dr. James McClurg, of Virginia. The Chair of Chemistry was, Nov. 7th, 1781, offered to Dr. Hutchinson, and on April 2d, 1782, the Chair of Materia Medica was offered to Dr. James Tilton, of Delaware. In each case the honor was respectfully declined. On April 22d, 1782, Mr. William Bartram was appointed Professor of Botany.

The Trustees evidently labored under embarrassment and difficulties which had to be met by temporary expedients, as is shown by the following public advertisement:—

“At a Meeting of the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, 81st of October, 1781, Resolved