Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-07-21
The Medical Department Ol
the state UnlvcrSliy..

The Medical Department Of
the state Univcrsiiy..
Some months ago, perhaps year
or more, project was started for
adding to the State University a
medical department. Who Origina-
ted or early befrieDded it, We are
unable to say, though we are quite
sure u majority Of the trustees dis
claimed all knowledge Of its origin
and of being present at the particular
meeting of the board when 1t was
formally determined To establish
such a department. 1t appears To
have been urged forward by persons
who were anxious 10 obtain positions
AS professors, and finally came to be
endorsed by IA majority Of those WHO
then had charge Of the institution.
The manner of its organization, the
persoviet Of its proposed Faculty, the
want'of u suitable building for the
department, and the total lack of
anything like adequate clinical adj
eantages, led To a general disapprov-
i.l OF the department, as then organ
lied, on the part OF the profession In
the State, and at the annual meeting
ri the State Medical Association
AllopathicD 1t was denounced and
its discontinuance recommended.
The visiting committee Of the
General Assembly, after carefully
looking over the whole ground,
thought the medical department in.
expedient at the present, and recon-
mend its disconiinuancc. The feeling
in the Legislature was so strong that
a bill passed the Senate, abOlishing
the department and forbidding the
Trustees establishing 1t. While this
bill was pending in the House, the
bill reorganizing the University came
up, and was passed and Is now law.
IN this law the medical department
IL says, "the tiM sss~3s
a collegiate, scientific" normal, law,
and such other departments as the
Hoard Of Regents may determine.
1t WAS distinctly understood that the
reorganization was made necessary,
In part, by the injudicious organiza-
ton Of the medical department, and
we do not 0verstate the matter in
saying that IL was intended by the
new law to do away with that de-
partinent, for the present Mt least.
This being the case there was no
necessity for a separate act formally
nl,oIishing the department, and the
bill for that purpose was not brought
to vote In the House. This is Il
brief statement OF the matter, and
from our knowledge Of 1t We are
clearly Of opinion that 1t was the de-
cided wish Of the General Assembly
that the medical department should
be discontinued; and, further, that II
was generally believed that IL would
be cut of at the first meeting Of the
new Board Of Regents, who were
elected, indeed, to do that very thing
among others.
At the late meeting Of that Board,
Or. Bulls made motion to carry out
the wishes OF the Legislature In this
regard--in substance, to discontinue
the medical department. After a
long and earnest discussion, the mo-
ton was lost by one vote. Those In
favor being Messrs. Arnold, Bulls,
Mexican and Wilson; and those OPP
posed, Messrs. Merritt and SlagIe,
with the ex officiO members, Gov.
Merrill, Superintendent Kissell, and
DIR. Black. Those voting aye were
all members Of the Legislature and
were thoroughly c0nversant with the
wishes and purposes Of that body.
They were SO impressed with the
duty OF the Board In the matter and
so certain OF Its unwise action--Or
nOn-actiOn, rather-that they drew
up, signed and had entered OH the
Journal q solemn protest, setting
forth the reasOns which lmpelled
their own course and protesting
against the continuance Of the med.
ical department. In defiance Of the
spirit OF the law and the will Of the
General Assembly.
For ourselves, desiring only the
highest usefulness and prosperity Of
the University, we can but deeply
regret the course which the majority
OF the Board OF Regents have deemed
best to pursue. We do not see how,
under the circumstances, the medical
department can be In any satisfactory
degree successful. The State AssOcf.
alton OF the school OF medicine, tn
which the department pr0fessedly
belongs, has declared against II. OIL
course all "Irregulars" with their
friends will oppose 1t on principle.
The Legislature thought It had ex-
tingulshsd. III /, And. there Ia among
the people widespread feeling
against the education Of Doctors ut
'rinblic expense, SO much 30 that un-
der the most favorable circumstances
A medical department would have
<tlOngh 70 contend with. What has
1t IN It's favor? There Is no member
Of the Faculty with any reputation