JOHN WILLIAM DRAPER. 



geons was also largely increased. The new movement was, from 

 the first, greatly indebted to the influence exerted in its favor by the 

 New York Herald; and this arose out of the relations of personal 

 friendship which existed between Dr. Draper and Mr. James (lor- 

 don Bennett. To these gentlemen, it has been said, more than to 

 any others, New York owes its present advanced position as regards 

 medical education. Entire pages of the Herald were devoted to 

 reports of the lectures and clinics at the University; and a strictly 

 medical journal, published by Mr. Bennett and called The Lancet, 

 kept the doings of the University school constantly before the med- 

 ical profession. 



The first president of the new medical college was Dr. Valentine 

 Mott, who was also professor of surgery. Dr. Draper was elected 

 secretary. In 1850, upon the resignation of Dr. Mott, he succeeded 

 to the presidency, and by his active measures and wise counsels, 

 inaugurated a period of unexampled prosperity for it. In his own 

 instruction Dr. Draper had always maintained that the functions 

 of an organized being were performed under the operation of chem- 

 ical and physical law, in opposition to the theory of vital force then 

 in vogue among physiologists. And now, when the new views of 

 Liebig and his school gave increased importance to the chemical 

 relations of physiology, he was among the first to recognize their 

 value, and, as a consequence and at his request, physiology was 

 added to his chair. He resumed his researches on physiological 

 subjects, and his lectures were replete with novel and radical ideas. 



One of the severest trials through which the medical department 

 was called to pass during Dr. Draper's presidency was the entire 

 destruction by fire, in 1805, of its college building in Fourteenth 

 street. But the same untiring energy which had secured the edi- 

 fice that was destroyed not only made prompt provision for the con- 

 tinuance of the lectures, but speedily repaired the loss*. Though in 

 the midst of the course of instruction, not a single lecture was lost; 

 and in the fall of 180 ( J he gave the introductory lecture of the course 

 in the new building, which is still occupied by the school, and which 

 had been provided, as he told the class, by the generosity of Mr. 

 Courtlandt Palmer. 



Dr. Draper's personal loss was especially severe. Not only were 

 his extensive library, his lecture notes, and the note-books which 

 contained the results of his experimental investigations consumed, 

 but his entire collection of chemical, physical, and physiological 



355 



