Page:Early History of Medicine in Philadelphia - George W Norris.djvu/71

 when a project was started to institute a collection in the British West India Islands, in order to raise additional funds for the advancement of general literature in the College, after having received the necessary authority from the Trustees, he undertook a voyage at his own expense for that purpose, and from his exertions an amount equal to two thousand pounds sterling was received.

Upon the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, Dr. Morgan espoused warmly the cause of his country, and in the month of October, 1775, after the removal of Dr. Church, in consequence of traitorous correspondence with the enemy, he was appointed by Congress Director-General to the Military Hospitals, and Physician-in-Chief to the American Army, and immediately joined Washington at Cambridge. Here he found the hospital and army without medicines and appliances, and serious dissensions existing between the officers of his department.

He at once proceeded to reorganize a general hospital, and established rules for the discharge of the various duties of its officers, requiring proofs by examination of the qualifications of the assistants who were to be entrusted with the lives of the sick and wounded soldiery. This requirement gave rise