RICHARD ALEXANDER FULLERTON PENROSE, 

 M.D., LL.D. 



(Read January 15, 190^.) 



Richard Alexander Fullerton Penrose, son of the Honorable 

 Charles Bingham Penrose and his wife, Valeria Fullerton Biddle, 

 was born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the 24th of March, 1827. He 

 was graduated in 1846 at Dickinson College, where he received also 

 the degree of doctor of laws in 1872. After completing his college 

 course, he entered the Medical Department of the University of 

 Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1849. From 1851 until 1853 he 

 was resident physician at the Pennsylvania Hospital ; in 1853 he 

 became physician to the Southern Home for Children, and in 1854 

 consulting physician at the Philadelphia Hospital. He was one 

 of those who secured the opening of the wards of the hospital for 

 instruction. He delivered clinical lectures there on diseases of 

 women and children. He also lectured on obstetrics in the Phila- 

 delphia School of Medicine, being associated with Da Costa, Agnew, 

 Darrach and Hewson. In 1856 he was one of the founders of the 

 Children's Hospital, and contributed to it time, energy and money. 

 With Levick and Hunt he founded a successful and a very profit- 

 able quiz association. 



In 1863 the trustees of the University of Pennsylvania elected 

 him to the professorship of obstetrics and diseases of women and 

 children, made vacant by the resignation of Dr. Hugh L. Hodge. 

 He occupied the chair until 1889, when he voluntarily retired from 

 the position, and at the same time gave up active practice. 



It was as a medical teacher that Doctor Penrose was known. 

 It was his life work. As he acquitted himself in his chosen field 

 he should be judged. It is by this standard he himself would wish 

 to be judged. In estimating his success we must remember the limi- 

 tations imposed upon him. Medical education in America was in a 

 stage of development so different in his time from the present that 



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