The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-10-23
THE PASSING OF THE MEDICAL
COIL EGE

At a meeting las. evening Of the fac
rlty and officers of the Keokuk Medi-
cal College-College Physicians and
Surgeons il was voted to consolidate
that institution with the Medical De
partment of Drake University at Des
Moines, to which the students and
equipment will be at once transferred.
This action means in effect the passing
of the local medical college with all
that the event implies, and will occa-
sion general and sincere regret. There
was, however, practically no alterna-
tive under existing tendencies and
conditions. Much as the fact is to be
deplored, it will have to be accepted
as necessary and unavoidable.
There is a general tendency at the
present time toward consolidation and
concentration in all lines of human
endeavor In no line has this been
more marked in recent years than in
medical education. State boards of
medical examiners and the larger med
ical colleges have Wed with each
other in raising the requirements as to
teaching force and the extent and
value of equipment, with the result of
creating a monopoly conferred in the
larger schools. 1t is by no means GER
tain that the interests of medical edu-
cation are served by this arrangement,
which involves practical extinction of
the smaller institutions in all parts of
the country, but there seems to be no
help for the situation that has thus
been brought about One of the inn
mediate and direct effects will be an
enormous increase in the cost of OBJ
tanning medical education. Bright,
ambitious and in every way worthy
young men and women will no longer
be able to obtain such an education at
home 1t will be necessary for them
henceforth to attend lectures in the
larger cities, and many will thereby be
debarred from fitting themselves for
an honorable profession which they
are qualified by character and talents
( to adorn
The Medical College has been of in
estimable benefit to Keokuk for long
period of time. 1t was established in
1919, and with the exception of few
years during the civil war; has been
in existence and operation ever since
Not only has it been an important
/ factor in the material well-being and
! progress of the city, but it has beer
| the means of making Keokuk known
and respected as an educational cen
! ter in all parts of the world. There
is probably no civilized country on the
1 face of the earth in which the Keo
kuk Medical College is not creditabll
/ represented by former student!
and graduates. The high character o
the institution during all the years o
it's existence is attested by the qualit.
of its alumni and their good work il
every state and. nation and all tn
islands of the seas.
4 ing interesting incidents connecte
with the institution and it's life work
In its long line of teachers and SIT
dents were many of the most capabl
and noted medical men of their da!
Ii Justice is ever done the school sue
book will be written and published
telling of the characteristics and !;
, bors of such men as McGugin, Hughe
Carpenter, Cleaver Chaplain and lie
logg of earlier days and Jenkin
4 ~. DIT
and others of more recent time
Much of the work of these men wa
carried on at times at great person;
inconvenience and financial loss, bl
they never wavered in their devotio
: to the institution and it's interest
The traditions of the old school al
many and very dear, and it is to |
hoped they will be embodied in sui
able form as tribute to the men WI
: made it one of the most Successf
institutions of it's kind in the countr
! The Medical Department of Oral
3 University is to be congratulated upc
2 the valuable acquisition it has mad
8 With the consolidation it acquires n
!. only the present class and the fiji
equipment in the college here, but all
II the prestige which attaches to scho
with over 1000 alumni whose stan
ing everywhere is the best The
goes to the Des Moines school al
:. the love and affection which has
ways been one of the Keokuk Medic
Colleges best assets.
It