New-York tribune., 1903-06-07

The space in the College OF Pharmacy soon
proved inadequate. During the first two years
the POSTGRADUATE Medical School had no hos
pital of its own. The professors-every one
was connected with some medical institution
took the matriculates to the different hospitals
or dIspensaries crossing even the water for
lectures in the institutions Blackwells Island.
In the year 1884 a large building in East Twen-
tieth-st- was taken possession Of and hospital
and dispensary established there. With
this improved condition the number Of matricu-
IGtes increased TO such extent that new
plan for their accommodation had to be adopted
Land was bought, and the seven story building
at the corner of Twentieth-st. and second-ave
was erected. The opening took place in May,
1894. At first each of the professors Of the fac
ulty was to take part in the transactions. The
institution was incorporated under the general
law OF the State for Incorporation OF charita-
bic institutions
Soon IT became apparent that the position thus
occupied did not do justice to the organization,
did not correspond with the aim to develop 1t
to a high central institution of learning; be-
Sides the form of government-as already
stated. the whole faculty was the governing
body-proved cumbersome, requiring the pres
ence Of so many at the meetings 1t, was there
fore decided to petition the Regents of the Uni
versity of the State OF New-York for a new
charter.
Here the most extraordinary difficulties were
met with. Although the law by which the Re-
gents Of the University We're created says ex-
rressly that the Regents should have the power
to incorporate academies. colleges, medical col
Ieges and other institutions of learning, the Re
gents were advised by the Attorney General of
the State to refuse the granting Of a charter to
the POSTGRADUATE Medical School, because such
an institution not mentioned by name
among those 10 which charter should be grant
ed. All reasoning with the Attorney General OF
the State was in vain He was told that his
gurneut was against reason. because the legis-
iators at the time when the law was framed
q hundred years ago-could not have named a
postgraduate medical school, since such
school was not known at that time but that
the eventuaIity had been foreseen by the words
'-other institutions of learning" AS already
said he persisted in his opinion.
After all attempts to win The Regents had
proved futile the professors of the Postcard
uate Medical School appealed to the legislature
Of the State Here obstacles were met with;
both Senate and Assembly granted the char
ter. The Governor. however, refused his sig
nature.
Upon this two OF the members Of the faculty
went before the Governor, David B. Hill, and
succeeded in convincing him that the Post
Graduate Medical School was a public institu-
tion Of teaching, and not private hospital, as
some secret foes seemed to have intimated. A
new bill was then brought before the legis-
lature passed without opposition by both
houses and signed by the Governor Thus the
POSTGRADUATE Medical School has obtained the
charter from q higher authority than that Of
the Regents The school became part Of the Uni
versity system of the State Of New-York in
form which had been introduced by Alexander
Hamilton and Ezra L. Hommedian, and imi-
tated by Napoleon I when he established the
University of France
The charter members of the Postgraduate
School, whose names appear on the document
dated MAY % 1886. are William A Hammond
Daniel B. ST. John Roosa. Frederick B. Sturgls
Clinton Wagner. Thomas f. Satterthwaite, An
drew H Smith William Oliver Moore and Bache
McEvers Emnet
These men. and a number Of others whose
names do not appear the charter, but VINO
were connected with the POSTGRADUATE Medical
School from the beginning. have given their
money and their time and have combated end
less difficulties in different shapes. These men
bxz their work have saved medical New-Hork
from, falling behind Philadelphia and Chicago
Since the Neyy-York POSTGRADUATE Medical
School has been inaugurated similar instltu-
tioTs have been opened in New-York tse!f ana
all over the land and preparations are going on
10 have like regular postgraduate medlcal
scFaools-not only courses, as heretofore, Ioi
nbvsiejans at the universities-in Germany
This shows how much this idea OF American
origin is appreciated and ii is a satisfaction 10
,,e mon who conceived and carried out the great
worl-the New-York POSTGRADUATE Meulcal