The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-02
Physicians Urge New Branch of
State University,
WILL MEET WITH REGENTS
is LIKELY TO
BE ASKED.

VIII be asked TO make an appropriation
to establish this new and important
department in the state institution of
learning. The board of regents will
probably take the matter up for con-
sideratton at its next meeting, and
some definite steps win be taken at
that time. Those who have interested
themselves in the matter believe that
the state could do nothing that would
be Of more credit and benefit to it than
the establishment of a medical school.
There is not an institution of the kind
in this part of the country, and it is
believed that no better field for a col
lege could be found than here. in con-
nection with the state institution of
learning.
The physicians and surgeons of the
city and state are anxious TO see such
a school opened for the benefit it would
be to them as well as the opportunity
ii would afford the young men of this
and surrounding states to study the
medical profession County Physician
H. N. Mayo has taken the lead in the
matter and he proposes to push it
through to success if possible.
Taken Up Two Years Ago.
Some time ago attention was drawn
to the fact that there was no medical
institution of training anywhere in
Utah, and the matter was discussed
in the various medical societies. The
doctors at that time expressed them
selves as being unanimously Of the
opinion that the state needed such a
school and that some action should be
taken to get one esta blished. A COM
nittee of physicians, including DR..
Mayo, was appointed before the
last session of the legislature to take
the matter up with the regents of the
university, but owing to some hitch
the matter was dropped and nothing
came of the proposition.
During the last year the matter has
been revived as the doctors received
numerous inquiries from persons de-
sirous of studying medicine asking
what had become of the proposition
to get a medical school here. In re
Spouse to these inquiries DR.. Mayo
a short time ago wrote a communi-
cation TO the board of regents asking
if they would appoint a time to meet
with a committee of doctors to discuss
the proposition. The communication
stated that the physicians were anxi-
Gus to have a medical school eStab-
lished thought il should be in con-
neetion with the university and de-
sired to get the cooperation of the
regents before taking the matter be-
!
The board of regents has not held d
meeting since the communication was
received, and no reply has been sent
| yet, but a member of the board stated
yesterday that the matter would in all
probability come up at the next meet
ing. and the doctors would be invited
to appear before the board with their
proposition
If the plan of the physicians meets
with the approval of the regents and
| they will cooperate with the medicOs
then the legislature will be asked TO
make an appropriation to establiA
the school.
The plan is to esta blish a school
that viii give thorough four years
course in medicine and surgery. Compe-
/ tent instructors are to be secured and
the physicians and surgeons of the city
and state have signifed their willing
| ness to aid all they can in conducting
! the school.
First Cost Would Be Small.
1.-THE school can be established in
! connection with the university said
DR.. Mayo, "and the expense of start
ing it will be nominal. Competent men
to give instruction can be easily Sc
cured The garrets of the university
buildings will afford excellent places
for the diSsecting rooms and laborator-
les, for these must be up above the
/ STOuIlQ
coed from such places can be carried
away without being disagreeable 10
any one. It can be SO arranged that
students can go there and work at
any time of day or night, in the dis
secting rooms, and accomplish the
work they must do in their course of
study. For material for dissecting
work there are plenty of cadavers
that, no doubt, the legislature would
be willing to turn over to the school
If one is established.
There is no reason why Just as good
school of medicine and surgery can
not be established here as in Denver
and other cities of like size. Salt Lake
is almost the only city in the cOun-
try of its size that has no medical
school of any kind, and there is no
reason why it should not have one, for
there is undoubtedly fine field here
for it Our young men who are desir-
FORCED to go TO some eastern city to
take their courses, and thus money Is
sent out Of the state that might just
as well be kept right here. Besides
this, if a good school were established
here students from other states sur
rounding us would come here to study
and money would be brought into the
state, besides an opportunity being
given the young men of our own state
to study their chosen profession at
home.
IF an appropriation could be Sc
cured at this term of the legislature
to establish the school I feel certain
that it could be opened next year with
class of not less than forty students.
for that many, If not more, have com
municated with me in regard to the
matter. OF course, in this class there
would be some men Of more advanced
standing than others. and these could
assist the others in the work until the
school was gotten on d thorough basis
AS the class of the first year passed
on to the second year a new and no
doubt enlarged class would be ready
to take their places in the first wear
course, and thus the school could be
built up until the full four-year course
had been thoroughly organized. There
are many Young men here who would
study medicine if they were given an
opDortunitv TO do so at home but who
cannot afford to go awav to take their
course in some eastern college.
Would Aid Medical Profession.
Besides affOrding the young men of
the state an opportunity to study, the
school would be a great stimulant 70
the medical profession of the state.
The doctors would have to keep I'D
with what was going on or the stu
dents would make competition for them
so strong that they would have to get
Sary for a doctor to be up-tO-date to
tors would be afforded a chance to
oh, hi.