MEMORIAL 
/ 
OF THE 
OF THE 
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, 
TO THE 
Legislature of Maryland. 
Baltimore: 
PRINTED BY SANDS & NEILSON, 
N. E. corner Charles & Market sta. 
1837. MEMORIAL. 
To the Honorable the 
General Assembly of Maryland: 
The Trustees of the University of Mary- 
land have perceived, that a Bill was recently reported to the House 
of Delegates which proposes to constitute the Professors of the 
Medical Department of said University a part of the Board of Trus- 
tees thereof. 
The Trustees in their last Annual Report to the General Assem- 
bly, furnished in obedience to law, took occasion to state, that 
they had been informed by the Medical Faculty of their intention 
to apply for a seat at the Board, and the Trustees likewise availed 
.themselves of the opportunity therein to set forth, in brief terms, 
some of the considerations which actuated them in objecting to 
such a modification of the charter, as will give to the Medical Fac- 
ulty a participation in the government of the Institution. 
The Trustees in presenting their customary Annual Report 
at the period required by law, stated therein, as was fit and pro- 
per, what they believed to be required for the interests of the Insti- 
tution entrusted to their care, and they should have considered 
themselves derelict in duty, had they failed to express their opin- 
ions upon a subject of so much importance which they were in- 
formed would be brought before the attention of the Legislature. 
Inasmuch as the government of the University of Maryland is 
organized like that of all other Universities, the controling power 
being vested in a Board of Trustees composed of individuals free 
from the influence of personal interest, and therefore more likely 
to act for the general good : and as the difficulties into which this 
University had been thrown by its original Faculty government, had 
been surmounted by the prudent management of the Trustees, to 
whom the Legislature in their wisdom had subsequently confided 
the control of its affairs ; it was difficult for the present Board to 4 
surmise upon what show of propriety the Medical Faculty would 
base the application which we were informed they intended to make, 
fora participation in its government. Nor have we been able to 
find in their memorial ta the Legislature, any just reason for a de- 
parture from that form of government, which long experience in- 
dicates as the only one competent to avoid the ill consequence 
growing out of personal interests, often conflicting, and resulting 
in harsh altercation, and distracted counsels. The Trustees how- 
ever consider it their duty to remark upon some of the statements of 
that memorial: 
Admitting the present prosperous condition of the University 
with regard to its pecuniary affairs, the Medical Faculty complain of 
a gradual diminution of its pupils, which they refer " either to in- 
efficiency in the discharge of their own duties, or to misgovern- 
ment on the part of the Trustees." It would little comport, either 
with the official character of the Trustees, or with the desire they 
have to maintain the ability of the Medical Faculty, to institute a 
disparaging comparison between its present members and their pre- 
decessors : but when the legitimate government is impugned, either 
directly, or by implication, its functionaries cannot allow themselves 
to withhold a statement of the actual circumstances, that have ten- 
ded to affect injuriously the interests of the Medical Department. 
It will be recollected that about the year 1820, the University of 
Md. was strengthened by the appointment to one of its medical 
chairs of Professor Granville Sharp Pattison. That distinguished 
gentleman brought with him a reputation as a lecturer, which at once 
attracted to the halls of the University of Maryland, a great increase 
of pupils, and his unrivalled ability as a teacher of anatomy, soon 
arrested most of the students, who, until then, had uniformly pass- 
ed on to the University of Pennsylvania. To his brilliant, and ex- 
tensively known talents as a lecturer, the great and sudden acces- 
sion of patronage to the University of Maryland, was generally and 
justly attributed. He continued to command large classes for five 
years, and until he resigned his chair to accept a more desirable 
appointment in the University of London. From the period of 
Professor Pattison's retiring, the class began to diminish until re- 
duced to its present number, which has varied but little for eight 
years past. It must likewise be within the knowledge of most per- 
sons, that during the period of from twelve to fifteen years past, 
many new medical schools have gone into operation, competition 
being thus increased, the classes are diminished, State pride ope- 
rating upon many students to withdraw them from other Institu- 
tions to patronise those within their own boundaries. Among 
those Institutions which have gone into operation during the above- 
mentioned period, and calculated to affect injuriously the clashes 5 
in the Medical department of the University of Maryland, it will 
be sufficient to mention the medical department of the University 
of Virginia, the Medical College of South Carolina, two Medical 
Institutions in Ohio, the Washington Medical College of Baltimore, 
and the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia ; to the last of 
which Institutions we find Professor Pattison now attached, and 
drawing crowds of Medical Students, from those sections of coun- 
try in particular which formerly supplied the classes of the Univer- 
sity of Maryland. 
The Board of Trustees fearing the effect of Professor Pattison's 
withdrawal from the Institution which had been confided to their 
government, were desirous to fill the vacancy occasioned by his 
resignation to the greatest advantage, and upon the nomination of 
the Faculty appointed Professor Nathan R. Smith, then of the 
Jefferson Medical School, and confided the Anatomical and Sur- 
gical departments to him in connection with Dr. Davidge. 
The Jefferson School from which Professor Smith came, grew 
in favor slowly compared with the unparalleled advances it has 
made since Professor Pattison has joined it; its class which had 
never reached 100 students previous to his appointment, having 
within the last three years, as we have learned, so increased as to 
be nvmimdiy 400. His presence, once gave great increase to the 
class of the University of Maryland, it is now productive of the 
same result in the Jefferson Medical College. Nor will such re- 
sults appear surprising when the untiring exertions of that gentle- 
man to elevate the Institution in which he may be a Professor, are 
considered. Animating his colleagues with his own zeal, no sec- 
tion of this country is left ignorant of their plans for the improve- 
ment of Medical education ; and they can annually supply to all, 
and do furnish to most of the physicians, and students in the United 
States, and adjoining provinces, a Medical circular at once accept- 
able to the profession generally, and useful to their particular 
school. 
All appointments to Professorships that have been made by the 
Trustees of the University of Maryland, and that have been accept- 
ed, with one exception, that of Professor Ducatel, have been made 
upon nominations from the Faculty ofPhysic. 
Relying upon a general assertion of mis-government on the part 
of the Trustees, the Medjcal Faculty have specified but one in- 
stance in support of it, viz : " the adoption of the regulation by the 
Trustees, which required of the students to take the ticket of the 
Demonstrator of Anatomy, as a requisition for graduation," and 
which they say, is "altogether new in the schools of this country." 
If the Faculty mean by the "neic"-ness of the regulation in the 
schools of this country, its recent introduction, the statement of the 6 
fact doesnot weigh against the propriety of the regulation, as these 
schools have only of late years become awakened to its necessity. 
If the novelty of a regulation is to be received as sufficient objec- 
tion to its adoption, then is improvement at an end. But if it be 
intended to support the extract from a letter embodied in their 
memorial, which declares "that such regulation obtains in no other 
school in the United States," then we must be permitted to ex- 
press our surprise at their want of information concerning the or- 
ganization of other schools. In a recent publication " on the pre- 
sent state of Medicine in the United States, by Professor Dunglison 
of the Jefferson Medical College," and late of this school, will be 
found the following statement, "that by most of the Medical Insti- 
tutions a year's attendance upon the Clinics is properly required: 
and by some the same length of attendance on practical Jinatomy, 
in addition to the two courses delivered by the Professor of Anato- 
my, is held to be indispensable." This statement of Professor 
Dunglison accords with our previous knowledge of the fact, that 
in several of the Medical Institutions such a requisition does exist; 
in all of them Dissections are pursued, and in all of them Practical 
Anatomy, a knowledge of which is only to be obtained by Dissec- 
tion, is held to be the basis of medical knowledge. 
In the University of Edinburg, the Medical Athenaepnof««Eu- 
rope, and well known as the School in which the founders of our 
Medical Institutions were educated, no one can obtain the degree 
of Doctor of Physic until he has attended one course of Dissec- 
tions and one course of Anatomical Demonstrations ; and to ob- 
tain the degree of Surgeon, he must have attended two courses of 
these (besides fulfilling the other requisitions of the Universi- 
ty.) In the curriculum of medical studies of the University of 
London, Practical Jinatomy (the same as Dissections and Dem- 
onstrations) is set forth with the other branches requisite to be stu- 
died in that University to obtain the Diploma of " Master in Med- 
icine and Surgery." Similar requisitions exist elsewhere in Eu- 
rope. But why seek authority to justify action, right in itself, and 
the result of necessity ? If that action were an innovation upon cus- 
tom, still, should the authorities of the University of Maryland hes- 
itate to order what is evidently right ? Will the State of Maryland 
declare to those to whom she has delegated her trusts, that they 
must, always folloiv and never lead ? By its own enactments the 
Legislature has proclaimed otherwise. By the 15th Section, Chap. 
159 of session 1812, it is provided, that no student shall be admit- 
ted to the degree of Doctor of Medicine, except he shall have at- 
tended each of the Lectures prescribed by the ordinances at least 
one term. Upon the recommendation of the Medical Faculty, 
who considered the performance of such a duty calculated to pro- 7 
mote the welfare of the school, and who thus thinking properly 
disregarded the consideration that no such precedent had been es- 
tablished by other institutions, the Board of Trustees passed an or- 
dinance,prescribing, among other duties to be discharged by the dis- 
sector and demonstrator, that of delivering Lectures up on Practical 
Anatomy. The duty of lecturing being thus ordained by the Trus- 
tees, on the recommendation of the Faculty, the law came into op- 
eration and required the attendance of the student as a requisite 
for graduation, the wisdom of ihe Legislature thus providing at the 
same time against the wilful neglect of the student, and for the 
just remuneration of the officer discharging the duty. If the law 
had not thus required the attendance of the student, the Trustees 
admit that there are other considerations which would make it ob- 
viously proper. It is not denied that a minute and accurate know- 
ledge of anatomy is indispensable to constitute a good Physician 
and Surgeon : it is universally admitted, as well by those who teach 
as by those who learn, that the book of nature, the subject itself, 
affords under the guidance of a competent Anatomical Dissector 
and Demonstrator, the most useful lessons,the firmest basis on which 
to erect the superstructure of medical knowledge ; and it is equal- 
ly conceded that such a course of instruction should be attended. 
In view of these facts, the act of 1825 supplementary to the act, found- 
ing the University, provides (among other officers) for the appoint- 
ment of an Anatomical Dissector and Demonstrator, doubtless for 
the purpose of securing an efficient individual. The office being 
thus created, and the Trustees charged with the duty of filing it 
with a competent person for the faithful and skilful discharge of 
the arduous duties assigned to that office, the Trustees admit 
that they would not be able to appreciate the justice of that rule 
of action, which would provide remuneration for prescribed duty 
performed by one officer, and not for that executed by another.- 
The Trustees have deemed it their duty alike from policy and obe- 
dience to the law, to provide an Anatomical Dissector and Demon- 
strator of indisputable capacity, one admitted by the Faculty to 
be every way competent to impart the knowledge or science sought 
for; and if they had not made him, by the advice of the Facnlty, a 
Lecturer, for the pay of whom the law provides, they would still have 
felt it a duty, to secure the assiduous, contended, and continuous 
performance of his numerous and arduous duties as Dissector and 
Demonstrator by a just provision for his renumeration : if they had 
not done this, the Trustees could only expect to engage in this 
toilsome department, the services of a succession of tyros to in- 
struct novices. 
The Trustees acknowledge that the objection on the part of the me- 
dical faculty io this act of their government, admitting as the faculty 8 
do the necessity of the student being taught practical anatomy, was 
received with surprise, and that surprise has been heightened by 
their assertion, that it "has precipitated the decline of patronage 
of which we have already shown the incorrectness, and referred the 
result to other causes. If however "the greater expense of the 
course in the University of Maryland," has precipitated the result, as 
has been stated by the faculty, it seems strange that the faculty has 
not placed that increase of expense to the right account, for while 
the demonstrator of anatomy receives but a single fee of ten dollars 
from each student, the medical faculty are in the receipt of two fees 
of $20 each from each student, although it must be obvious to all, 
that the labor performed by the demonstrator can scarcely be less 
than that performed by any one of the Professors. 
The law of 1812 required of the student to attend each of the 
lectures prescribed by the ordinances of the university at least 
once, before he should be admitted to the degree of Doctor of Medi- 
cine. In 1833, the Trustees, in compliance with the solicitation of 
the faculty of physic, resolved that no student should be admitted 
to the degree of Doctor of Medicine, unless he had attended two 
full courses of lectures of the six Professors ; at the same time they 
abolished one of the chairs by the advice of the faculty, who volun- 
tarily and upon their own suggestion, taxed themselves with a per 
annum pension in consideration of the retiring of the Professor of 
that chair. Although these changes were made in the exercise of 
powers conferred by the legislature of Maryland upon the Trustees, 
they are yet required in candour to say, that at the time, they had 
doubts with regard to their policy, and probable advantage, nor 
would they have been instituted but for the urgent desire of the fac- 
ulty of physic to that effect. We thus find that nearly simultaneous 
with that action of the Trustees relating to the demonstrator's de- 
partment, an ordinance was passed at the request of the faculty, 
doubling the expense of the medical student, that is, he was re- 
quired to attend each of the Professors twice, instead of once, making 
a difference in the cost of medical education of $120, in favor of the 
Professors and against the student. And yet you are strangely left 
to infer by a neglect to mention these facts, and indeed you are 
told by the positive declaration of the faculty of physic, that the 
required expense for the privilege of dissecting and demonstrations, 
and attending a course of lectures on practical anatomy, a privilege 
which all concede the students will have and must pay for some- 
where, " has precipitated the decline of the class." Or to place the 
additional expense in an apposite relation with each other as con- 
troling causes to influence the selection of the student in the choice 
of a school, you are asked to believe that the student is regardless 9 
of the additional expense of $120, but that he will not consent to 
pay by regulation $10, which if left to his option, it is undeniable 
he will pay to some one. 
The Trustees do not deem it necessary in this form to say more 
in defence of the propriety and justice of their action in relation to 
the Department of the Dissector and Demonstrator; except to 
state, that previous to the action- complained of, the incumbent of 
that Department was required by ordinance passed at the instance 
of the Faculty themselves, to pay the one-seventh part of the cur- 
rent expenses of the school; nor would they have extended to 
such length their remarks upon this subject, but that the Faculty 
of Physic have singled it out as cause of special complaint. Dis- 
interested as are the Board of Trustees, they have been governed 
in this matter by what they considered a due regard to the attain- 
ments of the graduates, the rights of the instructor, the interests of 
society, and the character and prosperity of the Institution en- 
trusted by the State to their government. In concluding this part 
of the subject, the Trustees feel it due to themselves plainly to de- 
ny the statement made in the memorial of the Faculty, that they 
had failed to reply to the petitions thereon. After the most delibe- 
rate investigation of the whole ground of complaint, by a commit- 
tee appointed for that purpose, who made an elaborate report there- 
on, (a copy of which was furnished .to the Faculty) the Trustee* 
were confirmed in their opinion of the correctness of their action, 
and this opinion was respectfully communicated as well to the Fac- 
ulty, as to that portion of the students who thought with them. 
In their annual report recently submitted to the Legislature, the 
Board of Trustees took occasion to mention some of the views 
which presented themselves in opposition to a participation by the 
Faculty in the government of the Medical Department. To that 
report the Trustees beg leave to invite the particular attention of 
the Legislature; it is not their present intention to repeat what is 
therein set forth. They will merely add, that should the Medical 
Faculty be allowed to participate in the general government of its 
department, beyond that regulation of its appropriate internal ar- 
rangements which they have always and exclusively exercised, 
that all the other Faculties of the University will have the same 
claim to participation in the government of their respective depart- 
ments. This being granted, by a temporary unity of action among 
the individual members of each Faculty, and aided by but a small 
minority of the Board of Trustees, each Faculty, respectively, will 
be able to manage its own affairs in opposition to the views of a 
large majority of that Board, and the general controling power will 
finally, if not immediately cease : then the officers who do not par- 
ticipate in the government will have no redress of grievances, inas- 
2 10 
much as there will be no impartial appellate tribunal; the conflict- 
ing interests of the different Faculties, and those which frequently 
exist among the individual members of each faculty, will come into 
unrestrained action, and a condition of things will arise similar to 
that which existed previous to the December session of 1825, when 
a portion of the Medical Faculty, that Faculty being then divided 
and each portion by turns constituting the government de facto of 
the University, declared that the institution was in a state of anar- 
chy,'and that the purposes of the Legislature in granting the char- 
ter were likely to be entirely subverted. These representations 
of the Faculty were fully corroborated by a report of the joint com- 
mittee of the General Assembly, appointed to examine into the 
state and condition of the University, and made on the part of the 
Senate by Mr. Tilghman, and of the House of Delegates by Mr. 
Maxey. From that report we beg leave to make the following ex- 
tract. After setting forth at length the general organization and 
pecuniary condition of the University, the report proceeds to state, 
that although $100,000 has been granted by the Legislature at va- 
rious times, "None of the Faculties of the University has gone in- 
to full operation except the Faculty of Physic and the Faculty of 
Law : That all the. funds received under the authority of the State 
have been applied to the benefit and under the direction of the Fa- 
culty of Physic. With respect to the charter, your committee are 
unanimously of opinion that it is radically defective, and requires 
fundamental alterations. It will be recollected that the regents 
are composed of the members of the four Faculties. This makes 
the body too numerous and unwieldy. In consequence of this, 
your committee found that although the University has been in 
operation for more than thirteen years, the regents had not had even 
one meeting a year, regularly, during that time. 
"The charter provides that the regents shall make rules and reg- 
ulations for the discipline of the University. This duty has been en- 
tirely neglected. 
"The.law granting a lottery for the benefit of the University re- 
quires, that the money arising from it, should be paid to the regents 
and expended under their direction. This has never been done, 
but with the exception of a very trifling sum, all the money has, 
from the neglect of the regents to act, gone immediately into the 
hands of the Medical Faculty, and has been expended entirely un- 
der their direction. 
"The body of regents is too heterogeneous in its composition, 
and being made up in part of Professors, who have strong person- 
al interests, often conflicting and opposed, will necessarily be dis- 
tracted in its counsels and measures. 11 
" After mature reflection upon the existing difficulties and their 
remedy, your committee have unanimously determined to recom- 
mend, that a supplement to the law establishing the University 
should be enacted, which shall abolish the Board of Regents, and 
also all the members of the different faculties except the Professors 
belonging to each, and to substitute in their place a Board of Trus- 
tees consisting of fifteen members, none of whom shall he profes- 
sors, or have any personal interest to be affected. The Governor 
of this State for the time being to be President of the Board, which 
shall elect from their own body a Vice President. The Trustees to 
have the power of appointing the Provosts, Professors and Lectu- 
rers, and also the Dissector and Demonstrator of Anatomy, and the 
same to dismiss at pleasure. 
" From conversations with the different members of the Board 
they found the opinion to be general, that a change is necessary. 
" In conclusion your committee beg leave to recommend this 
Institution not merely as a medical school, but as an University, 
where all branches of learning may be taught, to the fostering care 
and patronage of the Legislature." 
Such was the magnitude of the evil resulting from the original 
government, which, it is seen from the above report, resolved it- 
self finally into one merely of the Medical Faculty, that we find the 
committee of the Legislature recommending an entire re-modelling 
of it. The Medical Faculty in their recent memorial admit the 
existence of "unhappy collisions in which the Faculty participated" 
-these however the Faculty state in their memorial " occurred in 
relation to fiscal affairs in regard to which they seek no power"- 
" only soliciting that their department may continue to participate 
justly in any pecuniary aid which the State may render to the Uni- 
versity." True, the Medical Faculty did participate in unhappy 
collisions relating to fiscal affairs, applying as they did the entire 
munificent grants of the State to their own benefit, and refusing to 
accopnt for their disbursements to the legitimate authorities of the 
University, the Regents, when called upon so to do. Thus the 
funds, until the accession of the present Government, were entirely 
diverted from the channel originally contemplated, none being 
appropriated by the Medical Faculty to the establishment of the 
other Departments of the University Scheme, which it was, and 
we presume, still is, the expectation of the Legislaturejtc see in full 
operation: and if, according to the same measure of justice, " they 
continue f as they solicit in their memorial, to "participate justly in 
any pecuniary aid which the State may render to the University," 
there will be little reason for those, who desirfl to see more than a 
mere Medical Department, to expect a realization of their wishes. 
But the "unhappy collisions" of the Medical Faculty, as must be 
known to a portion of them, turned likewise on the regulations of 12 
the medical department, a division in their Counsels having been 
not uncommon, as well in relation to individual prerogative, as to 
particular faculty arrangements. The right of teaching private 
classes during the session was claimed, and contested, by different 
members of the Faculty at various periods, and with great warmth; 
and the appointment, assignment of duty, and allotment of privi- 
leges, to the then Demonstrator of Anatomy, Dr. Turnbull, were 
fruitful themes of dispute between the Faculty, the Professor of 
Anatomy, and the Professor of Surgery. 
Hence it was, and in conformity with the views presented in the 
report which we have quoted, that the Legislature created the pre- 
sent Government of the University. Not contemplating the es- 
tablishment of a mere isolated school of any one department of 
learning, not intending to restrict their action to the rearing, mere- 
ly of a Medical College, but proposing a more becoming object for 
State enterprize by founding an University,complete in all its parts; 
and experiencing the evil of entrusting the fulfilment of their plan 
to those whose conflicting, and personal interests, might mar the 
general scheme, the Legislature, in their wisdom, determined to 
guard against a recurrence of the evil, by adopting that form of 
government which now prevails, and has been found to be produc- 
tive, of the happiest results in all the universities of this country; 
a government, administered by a Board of Trustees, free from the 
influence of personal interest, and therefore looking to the promo- 
tion of the general good-removed from the operation of preju- 
dice or partiality by official station, and therefore unbiassed in ex- 
tending justice to all those employed in performing the detailed 
duties necessary to the fulfilment of the whole design. 
The Trustees of the University of Maryland do not expect, more 
than those of other similar institutions to be exempt from complaints 
growing out of resentments, resulting from the just and necessary 
exercise of authority. The interests which have been confided 
to their keeping by the State, are of too important a nature for the 
Trustees to allow any default in the execution of duties assigned 
to their official agents. And if in the just discharge of their trust, 
they have occasionally been compelled to require a greater fidel- 
ity and attention, in the performance of duty frem some of those 
agents, the necessity for such action may be regretted, but the 
fulfilment of duty should not be condemned. 
In conclusion, the Trustees beg leave again to invite the 
attention of the Legislature to their last Annual Report, and 
likewise to the Report and accompanying documents submitted to 
the General Assembly by their Joint Committee on the University, 
at December session, 1825. 
By an examination of these we feel assured, that such informa 
lion will be obtained as cannot do other than convince the Legisla- 
ture, of the too probable failure which is likely to attend their ori- 13 
ginal design, of establishing an University complete in all its parts, 
by such a modification of its present government as has been so- 
licited. 
If, however, the Legislature are inclined to bestow any further 
consideration on the subject, or to pass any act with reference to 
the government of the University, the Trustees respectfully ask 
them first to inquire fully into the acts of the government which 
has been assailed ; and to that end they desire that a Committee 
be appointed. 
Respectfully submitted, 
By order of the Executive Committee, 
NATHANIEL WILLIAMS, 
Vice President Board of Trustees.  
1. Centre Building. 2. Front Wings. 3. Lateral Wings. 4. Porticos. 5. Soli- 
taries. 6. Wash and Store Booms, a. Front Portico. A. Entrance. B. Hall. 
C. Parlours. B. Office. E. Dining Room. G. Patients Dining Rooms. H. Halls. 
J. Rooms for Patients. K. Attendants Rooms. L. Sink and Bath Rooms. 
M. Passages. O. Water Closets. B. Wash Room. Q. Store Room. R. Passage 
to Solitaries. S. Enclosed Area, 2200 square feet. T. Arched Passage Way. 
U. Proposed Chapel. 
The Centre Building is four stories and a basement: the Wings are three stories 
and basements. The arrangement of rooms is alike in each.