DISSECTION IN MEDICAL SCHOOLS OF NEW ENGLAND 195 



Apparently, he served as a sort of jack-of-all- trades at the 

 newly formed Harvard Medical School. This led to the quip of 

 Dr. Oliver W. Holmes later on that the Professorship of Anatomy 

 and Surgery, which Warren held, was not so much a professorial 

 ''chair" as a "setee." This statement was merited because he 

 simidtaneously taught anatomy, surgery, physiology, and elements 

 of pathology and histology. 



Warren was of such disposition that he was constantly im- 

 proving and perfecting his knowledge of anatomy and surgery. 

 He was universally classified as an excellent lecturer; he appeared 

 attractive to his students; he had a good voice, was enthusiastic, 

 eloquent, earnest and, according to no less an authority than 

 Holmes, could make the driest bone the subject of animate and 

 agreeable description. He did not neglect the historical aspects 

 of the subject especially concentrating on the "hero" personali- 

 ties. Always anxious to please his students, he wanted them to 

 feel satisfied with his demonstrations and explanations. 



In his introductory lecture he showed the advantages that 

 could accrue to the minister, the lawyer, the artist, the sculptor 

 and the musician by having some knowledge of human anatomy. 

 He stated, "It may be here observed that no previous medical 

 knowledge is requisite for the perfect understanding of every 

 part of our subject; and, let me inform you, that all the most 

 eminent Anatomists have given it as their opinion that the read- 

 ing of authors on this subject previous to dissections is by no 

 means necessary, because books almost universally convey an 

 imperfect idea of the situation of the parts, or, what is frequently 

 the case, lead those who have not attended the Demonstrations 

 into such errors as are exceedingly difficult to correct afterwards" 

 (Warren, 1860). 



At the conclusion of the six-weeks course, he addressed his 

 students as follows: "The difficulties attendant on the prosecution 

 of anatomical investigation in this part of the continent have 

 been so great that only the most determined perseverance will 

 be capable of surmounting them. It is, however, to be hoped that 

 with the clouds of ignorance and bigotry those of prejudice and 

 superstition will speedily be dissipated. We may yet hope for the 

 happy day when that Profession which has for its object the 



