New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-11

Correspondence Of the Boston News. ]

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 90. 1871.
| AT recent meeting of the Board of Trustee,
OF Howard University, upon recommendation
OF the Medical Faculty, IL was unanimously
voted that Bella G. Barrows, NJ. d., be ap-
pointed lecturer on the diseases of the eye in
the coming course of medical lectures in that
department of the University.
Furthermore. it was voted that a new chair in
the medical department be created, TO be filed
by a woman, so soon as the required sum be
raised for It's support, to be called the Pome-
ROY Professorhp.n
No sooner had this action been taken by the
trustees than the ladies in Washington and in
other parts of the country set about the work
OF endowment and raising the requisite funds
for lectures TO be given by woman for the
present year.
The amount Of funds requisite for endow-
ment of this chair has been fixed at fifteen
Thousand dollars. The ladies called on Sena.
tor Pomeroy to head the subscription for the
endowment of this chair, which resulted in his
giving his name, pledging ten thousand dollars
so soon as five thousand more shall be raised
Mrs. Barrows, the one for whom the endowment
OF this chair was commenced, has formerly
been missionary in the employ of the Amer
can Board Of Foreign Missions in Western To-
dis. Upon the death of her first husband, the
Rev. VIM. W. Chaplin, she became impressed
with the necessity of every missionary having
some knowledge of medicine. She accordingly
came to the United States, and in consultation
with DIR. Anderson, of the American Board.
and other judicious friends she, was persuaded
to study medicine, and thus fit herself for re-
turning to her old field, or some other mission
airy field. She graduated with nine other la
dies from the Ladies' Female College, New
York, with the honors of that college, 10 the
meantime she had again entered into the mar
rlage relation with Mr.. Barrows a private sec.
rotary of Mr.. Seward while Secretary of State
After receiving her degree from the Medical
college, Mrs. Barrows resolved upon making a
visit to Europe, to extend her knowledge
In the several branches of medicine Sup
ported by letters from President Lincoln, Gen
Grant and Secretary Seward, she visited Lon
don and Vienna. In the latter city she was
enabled greatly to increase her fund Of medical
knowledge and treatment of female diseases.
but making speciality of the diseases Of the eye
1t has been the good fortune of your CORE
spondent to have abundant confirmation of these
statements by diplomas, and certificates of medi-
cal attainments, and of Mrs. Barrows skill,
from this and other countries But with all
this array of testimonials from acknowledged
professional authority, yet the lady lecturer or
professor is of retiring habits and rare modesty.
Her lectures are delivered in clear and forci-
BILE manner. She speaks extemporaneously. |
have not often spent more agreeable hour than
by listening to her on the treatment of the
diseases of the eye. Recently she has been
called to operate upon the eye, in the presence
OF a class of students and surgeons of acknowl-
edged ability, yet she was calm and self pos
sessed acquitting herself in manner elicting
the warmest applause from those fortunate
enough to be present
DIR. johnson, one of the professors in the
medical department., now absent on a visit to
Europe in the interest of the chair, writes from
Liverpool, giving an interesting account of his
visit to Dublin, Glasgow, and Ednburg He
says Dublin contains six medical schools and
sixteen hospitals, where clinical lectures are
given daily. Perfect classification of diseases
exists in each of these hospitals. Each pro-
lessor makes a speciality of his chair, bending
all his energies to obtain facts relating thereto
lie speaks in the highest terms of commenda-
ton of the Lying in hospital in that city, as
the place where DR.. Church gathered his valu-
able statistics DR.. johnson, by invitation,
was present at one of the meetings of the
Royal College. of Surgeons" of Ireland, and
listened to the reading of valuable papers and
discussions on medical topics. The University
of Dublin has library of 100000 volumes,
and museum of corresponding Importance.
One thing noticeable in the ranks of its profess
sors of medicine, all had passed the meridian
of life. No young man has had place 10
these ranks. Well earned reputation for skill
and experience, by long years of practice and
reading, fitted them for their position.
His visit to Glasgow and Edinburg were of
corresponding interest. He is perfectly enthu-
siastc on the hospitality of the Scotch This
one item need no other confirmation than to
go to Scotland in person. The Glasgow Uni
versty having sold their old buildings and site
to a railroad company are erecting in the new
part of the city in the neighborhood of the
City Park magnificent group of buildings
at cost of five hundred thousand pounds. In
these buildings the Hunterian Museum and
University Library will have an important
place. The number of students in the Glasgow
University is stated at thirteen hundred His
visit to Edinburg contains incidents of interest
which for want of space will defer to another
time. OBSERVER.