Page:Memoir of George B. Wood, M. D., LL.D.djvu/15

 has now become universal; in which illustration and demonstration, by the constant presentation of objects to the sight, are prominent and essential. His courses of lectures upon Materia Medica may be truly said to have been splendid, almost magnificent; adorned as well as made complete for the students' information, by the exhibition, from day to day, of living specimens of medicinal plants from all quarters of the world, grown in his own private conservatory and botanical garden, maintained for this special purpose. When such could not at the time be obtained, fine pictorial representations were placed before the class in their stead; and his cabinet of mineral and other crude and prepared specimens was correspondingly complete. A printed syllabus of the course of lectures, interleaved for note-taking, was furnished gratuitously by him to each student. It may be said, indeed, that no portion of the curriculum of the Medical Department of the University, able and renowned as have been the other members or its Faculty, ever added more to the great reputation and large classes of that institution, than this model course. Dr. Wood continued to hold the Chair of Materia Medica and Therapeutics until 1850, when he was transferred to that of the Theory and Practice of Medicine, upon the retirement from the latter of Professor Nathaniel Chapman. This chair he retained until 1860, when he withdrew from all active professional labors.

Among other literary contributions of the earlier