220 HUMAN DISSECTION. ITS DRAMA AND STRUGGLE 



Shippen was succeeded by Caspar Wistar, who trained under 

 him. A year before he assumed the chair of anatomy (1805), 

 Wistar was giving a demonstration to the medical students, at 

 which he had asked a Quaker student, by name of Joseph Parrish, 

 to assist him. At this session, Parrish wore his Quaker hat in the 

 pit, an act which prompted the medical class to hiss him; the 

 teacher immediately came to his defense, explained the signifi- 

 cance of the situation, and praised the man for his religious 

 principles. The assembled students took the explanation in good 

 stead and thereafter showed respect to Parrish (Middleton, '42). 



Wistar was a well-trained anatomist, having studied at both 

 Pennsylvania and Edinburgh, where he obtained his M.D. degree 

 in 1786. He was a born teacher and his success was immediate 

 on returning to America. A part of his efforts was devoted to 

 collecting models, casts and preparations for a museum. He 

 stressed the need of each student possessing a set of disarticulated 

 bones, which was an innovation. Published under his name was 

 a text entitled, A System of Anatomy for the Use of Students of 

 Medicine, in two volumes, 1811-1814. It remained popular as 

 an American text for many years. 



He became famous as a professor and was able to fascinate 

 his audience with his powers of description. His subject matter 

 was treated philosophically as well as anatomically. In harmony 

 with this, he endeavored to cultivate literary people. Attracted 

 to his famous Sunday Wistar parties, were the intelligentsia of 

 the region; these sessions were later continued by the American 

 Philosophical Society. He left his anatomical collection to the 

 University of Pennsylvania; they now form the nucleus of the 

 Wistar Museum. He taught at this institution between 1791-1818 

 (Mettler, '47). 



Following this, there was an interval in which the chair of 

 anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania was held by John 

 Syng Dorsey and then by his uncle, Philip Syng Physick. William 

 Edmonds Horner (1793-1853) succeeded to the position in 1831. 

 His character stood out because although he presented a calm 

 exterior, he possessed a sensitive soul; he practiced self-accusation 

 and depreciation and frequently suffered severe mental anguish. 



