22 Medicine, [Chap. IV. 



like sum, to be devoted to the same object. His 

 brother. Dr. Abner Hersey, of Barnstable, and 

 Dr. John Gumming, of Concord, left each five 

 hundred pounds, to be also applied to the en- 

 couragement and support of medical instruction*. 

 These generous donations were aided by that of 

 William Erving, esquire, an opulent gentleman 

 of Boston, who, a few years afterwards, gave one 

 thousand pounds towards the support of an addi- 

 tional professor f. 



Though the first of the benefactions above stated 

 ■was made some time before the commencement of 

 the revolutionary war, yet nothing effectual was 

 done toward executing the will of these public- 

 spirited donors till near the close of it. In 1781 

 Dr. John Warren began to lecture in Boston on 

 Anatomy and Surgery^ and prosecuted his plan 

 for two seasons. In 1 783 the government of the 

 university of Cambridge proceeded to organise a 

 regular medical school, when Dr. Warren was 

 appointed professor of ^;za/6>7?ij/ ^xi^ Surgery ; Dr. 

 Benjamin A\'aterhousc, professor of the Theory 

 and Practice of Physic ; and Dr. Aaron Dexter, 

 professor of Chemistry and Materia Medica. Since 

 that period these gentlemen have regularly de- 



* Theso several sums, amounting to four thousand pounds 

 Massachusetts currency, are funded, and their annual proceeds 

 equally divided between the professors oi Anatomy 2ind Sargeri/, 

 and of tlie T/ieory and Practice of Plii/sic ; each of which profes- 

 sorships bears the name of Hersey. 



t The bequest of Mr. Erving wns exclusively devoted by him 

 to the support of a professorship of Chenustry and Materia Me- 

 dica. This professorship also bears the name of its lirst and 

 principal benefactor. 



