The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-06-01

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Alumni banquet of Drake University
and Keoknk Medical College at Des
Moines. Iowa. April 5. 1909:
Prior to 1910, there were but three
medical colleges west Of the Aile-
ghanies One in Cincinnati, one In
| Louisville and one in New Orleans.
In 1910, DR.. Joseph Nash Mcdonald
! with others organized what has since
been known as the Missouri Medical
/ College and is now merged with the
| St Louis Medical College. forming the
! Medical Department of Washington
/ University At about the same time
Dr. Brainard, Of Chicago. assisted by
! Drs. Moses Gum. J. Adams Allen,
/ De Laska Miller and others, establish
ed Rush Medical college. In 1874 or
1S45. college was organized at
Charleston. H.. and called the College
of Physicians and Surgeons of the Up
per Mississippi Valley. This school was
moved to LaPorte. Ind, thence to
Rock Island, where course OF lee
lures was given in 1S4S-9. The course
in 1S49-50 was given In Davenport, and
at the close of this session they gradu-
ated a nice class. the first medical
class graduated on Iowa soil. At least
two that received their diplomas at that
time are still living, Judge John r.
Dillon Of New York, and Or. A. A..
Noyes Of Mason City, Iowa. Another
graduate Of that year, DR.. Monroe bod
son of Wisconsin, died last summer.
He was the father Of DR.. Dodson, jun
ior, Dean of Rush Medical College.
The faculty at Rock Island and Dayen-
port was essentially the same that
came to Keokuk. Through the infiu-
ence OF Dr.. John F.. Sanford, who was
then member Of the State Senate.
a charter for medical department of
the State University was obtained, To-
eating 1t at Keokuk, Iowa. in 1850: it
prospered and continued to graduate
large classes every year up to and In
Guiding the spring OF 1908, when it was
merged with Drake University Of Des
Moines, Iowa. Were It continues un-
| der the latter name now.
| From 1850 t. 1870 diplomas we're is
sued by the Medical Department OF
the State University. In 1870 1t adopt
ed Its original name and diplomas
were issued by the College OF Physi-
clans and urgeons. In 1890, the Keo-
kuk Medical College was Incorporated
and for nine years an able faculty con-
Quoted, very successful school. The
/ diplomas issued by this college were
conferred in the name OF the Keokuk
Medical College. The two schools
were merged In 1899 and all diplomas
after that date were issued in the
name Of the Keokuk Medical College,
College Of Physicians and Surgeons.
This is the abridgerd history of this
grand old school. from 1845 to 1909.
The faculty in 1850, when it vas To-
Gated in Keokuk, was as follows: John.
F. Sanford, NJ D., Professor OF Surgery
and Dean; L. d McGugin, NJ. D., Pro-
fessor of Obstetrics and Diseases of
! Women and Children and President;
Samuel G. Armor, M. D., Professor of
Physiology and Pathology; Nicholas
Hurd, M. d., Professor Of Anatomy:
/ Geo. w. Richards, M. D., Professor of
Theory and Practice of Medicine; A..
/ S. Hudson, M. D., Professor of
Materia Medica and Therapeutics; s
/ Mathews, NJ. D., Professor of Chemis-
try, and ]. C. Hughes, M. D., Demon
strator of Anatomy. This was one of
the very ablest faculties teaching in
the United States at that time. DR. San
/ ford, Professor OF Surgery, was one Of
the most gifted medical men ! have
ever known. DR.. Armor soon went to
New York and assisted in the organ
ization of Long Island Medical College.
and was its Professor Of Surgery for
4 many years. DR.. ]. C. Hughes became
4 Professor of Sur gerry and Dean of the
college in 1853 and continued to ably
fill these positions till 1881. when he
died To him, more that to anyone
else. is due the credit for the wonder
full success of this institution. He was
4 man of great executive ability and
untiring energy He had a strong per
sonality, jovial disposition and was a
good story teller; was an excellent
teacher and greatly beloved by the
students; he knew them all by name
and in after years he never failed to
call them by name, no matter where
they met Many other distinguished
men have belonged to the Keokuk fac
ulty. In fact It is my opinion that the
great success of this school for its en-
tire career. is due very largely to the
!, fact that Keskuk has always had an
able, painstaking. student-loving fac
ulty. The Keokuk Medical College has
always had splendid reputation and
OF its $500 or more graduates. many Of
them have attained high positions In
their profession; practitioners from
this school have always creditabls
maintained themselves in competition
with graduates OF the best colleges ir
this country. The Keokuk Medica
College has always been proud of hel
alumni. and in our merging with
Drake University, we have passed ovel
to that school heritage Of which any
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