80 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS 



Albany on the 1st of April, 1811. Upon the reorganization of the College of Physi- 

 cians and Surgeons, at this period, the venerable Samuel Bard, M. D. was appointed 

 president ; material alterations were made in several of the professorships, and important 

 changes were effected as to the internal government of the institution. The Elgin 

 Botanic Garden, founded by Dr. Hosack, and lately purchased by the state, was now 

 committed to the college by the regents, for the laudable purpose of promoting medical 

 science ; the legislature also during this year made a further grant of five hundred dollars 

 per annum for the benefit of the college. About this time power was granted the col- 

 lege to confer degrees in medicine. 



In noticing the condition of the college in 1812, the Regents of the University, in 

 their report to the legislature, observe, " The organization of the College of Physicians 

 and Surgeons has been improved, and it now presents a fair prospect of speedily rising 

 to a state of usefulness and celebrity, such as may be justly expected from the impor- 

 tance of the community in which it is situated, and the government under whose auspices 

 it has been erected. A gentleman universally acknowledged among the first in the medi- 

 cal profession in America, has consented to be placed at the head of it, and professors 

 of the best talents have been procured to deliver instruction in it." 



The importance of the services rendered the college by the late measures of the 

 regents and the legislature soon became apparent. On the 15th of May, 1811, the 

 first medical commencement in the institution was held, and the degree of doctor of medi- 

 cine granted to eight students, who had previously undergone the necessary examinations 

 prescribed by its laws, and publicly defended their respective inaugural dissertations. 

 This was a greater number of degrees in medicine than was ever before granted at one 

 time in this city. Since that time twenty-seven gentlemen have received the honours 

 of the medical doctorate in this college, all of whom had received their education there. 

 Of the whole number of graduates seven have published their inaugural dissertations. 



In order most effectually to augment still further the means of medical education 

 afforded by the college, the board of trustees, in May, 1813, appropriated a considerable 

 part of their funds to the purchase of ground as a permanent situation for the college, 

 and completed the elegant and commodious building which they now occupy in Barclay- 

 street. The anatomical, the chemical, the natural history, and other departments of the 

 college, which had, at different times, been enlarged, were also most materially improved 

 and enriched. 



In September, 1813, one of the most important and desirable events took place which 

 has ever been recorded in our medical annals ; the consolidation of the two medical 

 schools of this city into one great establishment for the promotion of medicine. In their 



