EDITORIAL. 
397 
New  Lectureships  in  the  Uniyersity  of  Pennsylvania. — The  following 
statement  in  reference  to  this  liberal  act  of  Dr.  Wood  is  taken  from  the 
Medical  and  Surgical  Reporter  of  July  8,  1865  : — 
"  Publicity  having  been  given  to  the  proposed  endowment  of  Lecture- 
ships in  the  Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  we 
will  state  the  facts  as  briefly  as  possible,  so  far  as  they  have  transpired. 
"  The  Trustees  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  through  the  liberality 
of  the  distinguished  Emeritus  Professor  of  the  Theory  and  Practice  of 
Medicine  in  that  institution,  Dr.  George  B.  Wood,  as  we  are  informed, 
have  devoted  the  sum  of  $50,000  to  the  endowment  of  lectureships  in  the 
University  on  the  following  subjects  : — 1.  Zoology  and  Comparative  Ana- 
tomy ;  2.  Botany;  3.  Mineralogy  and  Geology;  4.  Hygiene;  5.  Medical 
Jurisprudence,  including  Toxicology.  We  have  heard  the  names  of  com- 
petent gentlemen  mentioned  in  connection  with  each  of  the  chairs,  but 
do  not  as  yet  feel  authorized  to  give  publicity  to  them.  The  appoint- 
ments will  be  made  in  November  next,  and  the  first  course  of  lectures 
will  be  given  the  ensuing  spring.  Each  lecturer  is  to  receive  a  salary  of 
S500  from  the  fund,  and  also  all  fees  that  may  accrue  from  the  sale  of 
tickets,  the  fee  not  to  exceed  $10,  and  regular  matriculants  and  alumni 
to  be  admitted  free. 
"This  liberal  action  of  Dr.  Wood  is  entirely  in  keeping  with  his  well- 
known  views  on  the  subject  of  medical  progress.  He  has  always  been  a 
friend  of  thorough  education,  and  when  a  teacher  and  professor,  always 
insisted  on  a  close  application  to  his  studies  on  the  part  of  the  student, 
and  a  proper  qualification  for  the  discharge  of  the  responsible  duties  of 
the  physician  on  the  part  of  the  graduate. 
11  In  no  better  way  could  he  have  shown  his  love  of,  and  confidence  in, 
the  science  of  medicine,  and  his  attachment  to  his  Alma  Mater,  the  vene- 
rable University  of  Pennsylvania,  than  in  the  establishment  of  these 
lectureships.  The  devotion  of  a  well-earned  fortune  to  so  high,  honorable 
and  ennobling  a  purpose  as  the  advancement  of  medical  education,  would 
serve  to  immortalize  the  name  of  this  distinguished  friend  of  medical  pro- 
gress, even  if  he  had  done  nothing  more  to  secure  to  him  so  eminent  a 
position." 
As  regular  matriculants  are  to  be  admitted  free,  it  will  follow  that  the 
tickets  sold  by  the  Professors  will  be  to  other  than  students  of  medicine ; 
hence  an  opportunity  will  be  offered  to  apothecaries  and  others  to  gain  a 
knowledge  of  botany,  mineralogy  and  geology, — departments  of  science 
which  should  be  included  in  a  scheme  of  pharmaceutical  education,  but 
which  our  College  has  not  yet  included  in  its  curriculum.  It  is  of 
great  importance  that  these  chairs  should  embrace  the  best  talent  that  can 
be  obtained,  as  much  of  the  influence  of  this  act  of  munificence  in  building 
up  a  reputation  outside  of  the  Medical  School'of  the  University  will  depend 
on  the  ability  of  the  new  teachers.  We  hope  the  teaching  of  the  three  first 
chairs  will  be  conducted  on  a  thoroughly  scientific  basis,  and  not  narrowed 
down  to  suit  the  present  wants  of  the  medical  student.  We  presume  the  lec- 
tures will  be  open  to  the  classes  of  the  collegiate  department  of  the  University. 
Jefferson  Medical  College. — Dr.  John  B.  Biddle,  of  Philadelphia,  has 
been  elected  to  the  Chair  of  Materia  Medica  and  Therapeutics  in  this  Insti- 
tution, rendered  vacant  by  the  death  of  Dr.  Thomas  D.  Mitchell.  Dr. 
Biddle  is  already  favorably  known  as  a  teacher  of  Materia  Medica, 
