Page:Early History of Medicine in Philadelphia - George W Norris.djvu/196

 springing up on this Continent, ever be taught with a zeal, fidelity, and dignity, similar to that displayed by her distinguished founder and early professors!

Scanty as is the information which I have been enabled to collect in regard to the early Medical History of our city, it is yet sufficient to show the standing, abilities, and learning of those who practised medicine here from the time of its first settlement down to the period of the Revolution. Themselves scholars, they were the friends of literature and science, distinguished for their liberality and public spirit, and were foremost among those who contributed to the foundation of our institutions of learning, benevolence, and science. Almost forgotten as their labours now are, it has been a pleasing task to recall their virtues and activity. Of such men our profession must feel justly proud. When we consider that it was but little more than forty years before the institution of our medical school that the celebrated one of Edinburg was first formed, and that at the period of the foundation of our Hospital, but five similar institutions existed in the metropolis of Great Britain, in one of which the instruction of pupils was not permitted by the Governors, while in another of them but nine at a time were admitted, and that Clinical Medicine was