Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-01
MAY CONSOLIDATE
MEDICAL COLLEGES
Governor to Recommend Survey
When General Assembly
Meets in 1920.
M EANS S4,O0O,0OO GIFT
Amalgamation of State Schools
Would Make Virginia Medical
Center of South.
NJ EANs s4,ooo,ooo GIFT

Governor Westmoreland Davis will
recommend to the General Assembly
when il convenes here in January the
appointment OF commission to make
survey OF the Medical College OF Vir-
Einia. in Richmond. and the medical de-
partment of The University of Virginia.
at Charlottesville. looking toward an
amalgamation of these two State in
stitutions.
Selection of an expert trained in
making such Investigations will be
recommended as member OF the COM
mission which will be expected TO
gather all available evidence bearing
o., on the adyis" ; hiii!y of the merger. The
warrant, make recommendations and
snsgeet plan whereby the consolida-
State medical interests will be taken
care OF with one appropriation and, eX-
pended TO the best advantage.
Wise Course to Pursue.
Announcement OF this proposal was
sion yesterday afternoon. He said that
ne had given the matter much thought
and had come 10 the conclusion, from
the standpoint Of conserving the best
interests OF the State, that the ap-
pointment OF such commission was
NJ The it Medicai HS colese tI e.eSue Of Virginia
which is without endowment. now re-
cc!vcS $4,000 from the State treasury.
nc lneulcdl oil the Univer-
sity of Virginia receives $4,000 for its
annual hldget, and has considerable
endowment.
Impetus has recently been given the
movement to effect a combination OF
the State medical interests in view OF
the Rockefeiler Foundation fund OF
which would be made available If an
anna algamation OF these two medical In =
terests OF the State could be effected
! Advocate Consolidation.
IT Is the policy Of the Rockefeller
where two or more i,rA:itaticrs IN 8,
State have an equal standing. and are
! doing similar work. that one is not to
| be strengthened at the expense of the
| other.
There is strong movement afoot
TO bring about the amalgamation OF
the two medical Institutions in order
that Virginia may gain the $4,000, 900
| endowment. Advocates point out tina [
Capitalization OF the medical effor, S
move. while securing OF the S4,o0o.OoO
endowment would mean for Virginia
institution equal to Johns Hopkins, in
| baltimore. or any other such :nst:tu-
tion IN the United States.
Richmond has large staff OF medi-
cal men considered in the front ranks
of the profession in America from
which to draw lecturers for the ANAL
is IN abundance here: while the city
has a large number of hospitals which
are essential TO conduct OF such med
ical institution as is proposed.
Could Divide Courses.
Advocates OF the amalgamation plan
are suggesting that an arrangement
might be made whereby the first two
years Of academic training could be
given students at Charlottesville. Then
they could be transferred to Richm On i
for the practical clinical work which
is already being done by the Medical
College OF Virginia. Because of the
size OF Charlottesville. ii is stated.
there is natural shortage of clinical
patients there.
Three hospitals are now owned and
operated under the management of the
Medical College of Virginia here. which
controls property valued at more than
1851 900. These wolld for mthe nucleus
for the institution which could be de-
veloped through the $4,000, 900 Rookie
feller endowment, made possible by an
ANAL gamation arrangement.