Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-07-25
The Nashville Medical College.
NASHVILLE, July q, 1879.

MIR. EDITOR; In your neWSpa-
per of recent date, there appears
a communication relative to the
Nashville Medical College," over
the signature of "Alpha," one of
the chosen titles of our Blessed
Lord, who was "The Truth" 1t
would have been more appropri-
ately signed "Beelzebub. The
communication is a vile SANDER,
perpetrated by an enemy of your
University and our College. 1t
seems to me to be undignifed to re-
ply to an anonymous letter, but my
colleagues believe it ought to be
done, and I yield to their combined
wishes, and state the facts for the
benefit of your readers.
The Nashville Medical College is
not ''a feeble and frail institution"
During the four sessions of its ex~
istence, it has showed more Vigor
and prosperity than any other medi-
cal college ever did in
its early years. Its first
graduating class was the largest
first graduating class of America
or any other country. 1t now num-
bers 400 matriculates, and $50
graduates, gentlemen of the highs
est character, who came to it's hall
from twenty States of the Union,
and are now practising in as many.
Who are the "young men with
out money or brains" but with " a
superabundance of brass -? If
they have no brains, then " early
piety" must have rapidly whitened
their heads. Our Professor of
Mental Diseases is a man respected
and consulted by the leaders of the
nation, both in medical and political
councils; a man who has been the
Superintendent of our State Lunatic
Asylum, and on whose head numer-
Gus honors had been placed by the
medical profession, while he now
holds a high position of trust as a
civil officer. Our late Professor of
State Hygiene, only temporarily off
duty, and still a member OF
the Faculty, has been repeatedly
President of the State Medical
Society, and now holds high posi-
tons in the Boards of Health Of
the State and of the Nation, being
known everywhere as one of the
greatest medical men of the time.
though he does not need spectacles
or crutches, and is still "young" in
the estimation of "Alpha." Our
Professor of Materia Medica is
known all over this country as an
able diagnost and an experienced
practician, and has frequently been
the choice of his people as their po
litical leader. Our Professor Of
Chemistry was the highest medical
graduate and University medalist
Of 1856 in Edinburgh, and his work
on Cretinizm is the only English
one on the subject usually quoted
He controlled the largest, next tt
Richmond, of the Medical Purvey
ing Departments, G. S. A., 70:
nearly four years, and was selected
by the Medical Department as on
of the Examiners of Surgeons fo1
that army. Our Profes sor of Med
ical Jurisprudence is acknowledged
as one of the ablest jurists AMI
orators of the Tennessee bar, and i
the speaker reelected by his part.
to plead its cause in East Tennes-
see at the present time. Ou
Emeritus Professor of Anatomy ha
had no superior in the medica
schools of America, and the relic
of his skill and the proud orna
ments of two medical schools IL
this city; nor is his successor far be
hind him in skill are erudition. IL
is young, and youth is recommer
dation for his position. AS 70
BRASS" if the word is used in tn
classical sense, I believe he has blu
little; if "Alpha'' has condescende,
to use the word in a slang signifca
ton, he has none at all. Twent
years of practice, in which he ha
achieved the highest success an
reputation, have established tn
standing of the Professor {
Obstetrics, and thousands Of charme
auditors can testify to his ready cor
ception and easy delivery as a
orator. That the Professor
Practice of Physic is not so yer
young is shown by the fa'
that he served his country both q
soldier and a surgeon in the civ
war, and that he has ''brains'
proved by the effect which his bri