Evening star., 1938-03-06
By John CIageff Proctor.
ITO THE man OF antiquarian ten

lOr CnlS reason IL was DuG nat.
ural that the writer should become
interested in an OLD group picture
hanging on the wall of the Office of
DR.. Dorsey M. Mcpherson when he
visited that gentleman recently. Nat
urally. the doctor was asked what the
picture represented; how old it was,
and more questions than even he
could answer offhand But he did
know that it was some of the members
of the graduating class of 1884 of the
National Medical College of the CO.
lumbar (now George Washington
University.
It was an excellent picture, in per-
feet condition, and to one looking for
styles of mems costumes of that period
conveyed very good impression, for
here, as will be seen, are represented
three different kinds of footwear-the
gaiter, the button shoe and the lace
shoe, and the tight trousers of that
period are absolutely without creases.
Indeed, the first thing a man did in
those days was to have all creases in
q new suit of clothes ironed out.
Three styles of coats are also to be
seen in this picture-the Prince AL
bert, the cutaway and the plain busi-
ness coat. 1t is interesting to note
the different kinds of collars and
neckties worn then, and the way
they grew their mustaches and other
parts of the beard, and even the way
they dressed their hair
or THE II men represented in the
group the writer found but linn
tied information to draw on for a de-
scription. The first man to the left,
sitting, is j. B. or j. R. Walton, prob
ably of the family Of member
of the firm OF Whiteside & Wal
ton, old first ward druggists. The
second man is Henry T. S. Harris,
who became physician at the Wash
ington Asylum shortly after he grad
uated, and the third man, Dr. Wright,
the writer is informed, conducted a
sanitarium at or in the vicinity of
Takoma Park Next is Dr. Berryhill,
said to have become medical officer
in the United States Navy, from which
he was retired as rear admiral. The
gentleman next to the end, with the
handsome Prince Albert beard, is Dr.
Mcpherson, and the gentleman next
to him, whose beard is not so well
trained, is Mr.. *"
In the back row, the smooth-faced
man on the end is DR.. Drury. and
next to him DR.. William H. Fox, who
was born in this city. November 18,
1857, and probably received his A. b.
in Columbian in 1877. In 1891 he
got his A. M. from Princeton. DR..
Millard F. Thompson is the third from
the left. He was a product of "The
Island" or Southwest Washington,
and attended the Jefferson School.
When he died recently, his loss was
mourned by host of the friends he
had made during the many years he
practiced medicine in his native city.
Dr. Thompson was born November
II, 1857, and before graduating in
medicine had practiced dentistry in
Washington. having received the de-
gree of D. D. S. from Baltimore College
in 1879.
The fourth man is Paul Clendenin,
who as young man was clerk in the
Bureau of Statistics. Next to him is
another Mr. *" and the man at the
end is DR.. Walter H. Ullman, who at
the time of his graduation was en-
ployed here as a plate printer, and
resided at 1881 Vermont avenue.
nR. MCPHERSON, who loaned the
writer this picture, was born in
Baltimore, Md. May "a, 1857. and
came to Washington when young. and
for awhile served as congressional
page. He had an early incli-
nation toward the study of medicine
and by the time he was 81 we find
him hanging out his "shingle" at 235
avenue Sc. But this
did not last long, and in 1878 he joined
the Army as acting assistant surgeon,
being attached to Company D, Indian
Scouts. and later to Company A, 9Th
United States Cavalry, 1t. c. B.
Gatewood commanding.
At this period, the Chiricahua
Apache Indian, Geronimo, was caus-
Ing the Government much concern,
and the outfit to which DR.. Mcpherson
belonged was kept continually in the
field during the year 1879, and during
the following year when, with the
6th Cavalry, he was in the field for
IL out of the IL months. In 1882,
when Geronimo was surrounded by
Gen. George H. Brooks force, he is
said to have surrendered to 1t. Gate
wood, to whose immediate command
Dr.. Mcpherson was assigned.
When DR.. Mcpherson left the Army
IN November, 1883. he returned to
and became a medical
examiner for pensions for about nine
years, when he was appointed medical
expert in the office Of the Secretary
Of the Interior and served in that
position until 1929. However, when in
he has always practiced
his profession, and is still thus ac-
lively engaged
In connection with his military
Service. he is an original companion
Of the Order of Indian Wars of the
United States, and was for a number
Of years member of the Association
Of Military Surgeons Of the United
States. He Is at present a member of
The Medical Society OF the District of
Columbia and fellow of the American
Medical Association.
THE National Medical College, from
which DR.. Mcpherson graduated
IN 1884, was started on March 80, |
1925, as the Medical Department of
Columbian College. In 1847 the name
was changed to the National Medical
College. with the provision, however,
that the relation to Columbian Col
lege should continue. In 1873 Colum-
bian College became Columbian Uni
versity. In 1894 the name national
was dropped from the medical de-
partment, and when, in 1904, the uni
versity substituted the name George
for Columbian, the medi-
cal branch became the Medical School