Geneva Medical College
Encyclopedia
Geneva Medical College was founded on September 15, 1834, in Geneva, New York
, as a separate department (college) of Geneva College, currently known as Hobart and William Smith Colleges
. In 1871, the medical school was transferred to Syracuse University
in Syracuse, New York
. During 1950, the university sold the college to the State University of New York
(SUNY) for only $1, where it remains today.
For many years the college was known as "SUNY Upstate Medical Center," until 1986, when the name was changed to "SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse". The institution was renamed to SUNY Upstate Medical University in 1999.
In addition, Dr. Cutbush was founder and first president of The Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences
in Washington in 1816. The Hon. John Quincy Adams
was president of the institute by 1825. Cutbush attended a dinner, hosted by the institute in early January 1825, where he spoke about science and discussed his hope for the future of education in the United States
; "May the resources and prosperity of our country be increased by its application to agriculture, commerce, the arts, and manufactures."
The medical school opened its doors on February 10, 1835, and later that year the first six physicians graduated.
which later became Rutgers Medical College, albeit, the importance of the relation to Geneva Medical College is disputed by some.
, formerly a professor of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now called Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
}, perhaps one of the most eminent physicians of his time in New York City
, was the first to suggest an alliance with Rutgers College, located in New Brunswick, New Jersey
which was favored because of its close proximately to New York. Hosack and another prominent physician, Nicholas Romayne
, of New York City
, both sought at various times an academic sponsorship for their medical schools. They were early proponents in the belief that medical education should be easily accessible. As example, Hosack was one of the main proponents in the merger of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and Columbia University
.
Hosack was Alexander Hamilton
's personal physician and was with him during his final duel with Aaron Burr
on July 11, 1804.
Not long after the alliance with Rutgers began, he found himself the target of a New York State Board of Regents over complaints of excessive fees charged to students, which led to the resignation of Hosack and four colleagues. "The flamboyant personalities (involved) and notoriety attracted students and money away from competing schools and drew animosity to them like a magnet. The story of the intrigues and political in-fighting of New York City's physicians, their medical societies and institutions during this time period is a complex one."
Consequently, sponsorship of the New Brunswick school created great controversy in the medical profession in New York and resulted in much political maneuvering "involving county and state medical societies, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Regents of the State University of New York
, the New York State Legislature, and ultimately, the New York State Supreme Court."
Determined to continue teaching, Dr. Hosack and his fellow associates, turned to the board of trustees of Rutgers College on October 16, 1826, and requested a "connection" by which the petitioners would become the medical faculty of the college.
Instruction began on November 6, 1826, in New Brunswick, New Jersey
, however, as quickly as the college came into existence, opposition to Dr. Hosack and Rutgers Medical School surfaced. Hosack came under attack by the County Medical Society of New York for "unjustifiable interference in the medical concerns of the state and disregard for the provisions of the laws of the state regarding medical education."
Rutgers countered with attacks against the College of Physicians and Surgeons and its supporters for "perpetuating monopoly in medical education." Two years of acrimonious debate ended with Hosack's opponents successfully enacting a bill that negated any medical degrees "as licenses to practice medicine in New York State" granted outside of the City of New York, effectively ending the New Brunswick connection.
and succeeded in gaining the sponsorship of Geneva College in Geneva, New York
. Soon after, the Rutgers Medical College established under the authority of Rutgers College, New Jersey, transferred its allegiance to Geneva College in the State of New York.
The trustees of the college voted on October 30, 1827, to establish the medical faculty. According to the trustees' minutes, the Geneva College was to consist of two branches, one in Geneva and the other in New York City
. Each branch would have six professors. The medical school in Geneva never materialized, due to one delay after another, and the venture was abandoned.
The second branch was established in New York City
under the direction of Dr. Hosack and was known as the Rutgers Medical Faculty of Geneva College. The doors were opened in early November 1827; "amid a barrage of criticism on the part of the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons."
This affiliation lasted from 1827 to 1830 when Hosack's adversaries filed suit in "The People v. The Trustees of Geneva College" which ruled that the college did not have the power to operate or appoint a faculty at any place but Geneva. This invalidated the branch in New York City
.
Forced by enactments of the New York State Legislature by the New York Supreme Court
, Geneva College severed its relationship with Rutgers on November 1, 1830, although tbe school continued operations in New York City
under the name Rutgers Medical College until 1835. At that time, the fruitlessness of awarding only "honorary" degrees was realized.
Geneva College, as revealed in the trustees' minutes, quietly accepted the decision of the court. The Geneva College, Rutgers Medical Faculty had ceased to exist.
. The school was chartered in 1812. The relationship to this institution is not fully known, however, the first medical instructors at Geneva College were connected with the medical school at Fairfield.
The relationship with Fairfield College is concerned with the formation of Geneva College in 1821 when Trinity Church (New York City) bequeathed a grant of $750 per annum to Geneva College, specifically for the support of an academy at Fairfield, New York
.
"During its early life, the Fairfield Medical College had benefited from a corporate connection with the Geneva Academy which numbered among its friends and patrons the influential and wealthy Trinity Episcopal Church of New York City"
It was noted that the main interest of the church was creating a theological school for training men for the priesthood of the Episcopal Church. With the founding of Episcopal College at Geneva, New York, in 1825, the support of Fairfield by Trinity Church came to an end.
According to Polk's Medical Register published in 1914, the Fairfield Medical College merged "part into the Albany Medical College and part into Geneva Medical College in 1841" and the school officially closed its doors. During its existence it instructed a total of 3,123 students and graduated 596 as physicians.
Whether the early connection to Rutgers Medical Faculty of Geneva College, located in New York City
, had any role in the formation of the Geneva Medical Faculty, has been debated. However, it has already been noted that Rutgers did make use of the Geneva College name in their official corporate title for a period of three years.
Additionally, it did appear that the trustees of Geneva College began a discussion concerning the formation of a medical school at Geneva not long after the Rutgers ties were broken. "The memory of the New York branch persisted at Geneva, and it was not long before voices were raised advocating the establishment of a local medical college."
The trustees of Geneva College stated their intentions that new buildings for the Academic Department would be erected and the "present" college building would be used for the Medical Department and "until this is done, convenient rooms in other buildings will be provided for the accommodation of the Medical lectures."
The Medical faculty of the institution announced that the Lecture Term would commence annually on the second Tuesday of February and continue sixteen weeks. The Medical Commencement would be held on the Tuesday following the closing of the lectures. The aggregate fee for the lecture tickets was $55 and each ticket was required to be paid for at the time it was received. For any student attending the full lecture, the price could not exceed $100 for two years of study.
The trustees discussed how students could obtain board in good families in the Geneva area from $1.50 to $2.00 per week. The graduation fee was $20. All fees collected were appropriated for "the purchase of a Medical Library and Anatomical Museum."
In order to be eligible for the degree Doctor of Medicine; "He shall have attained the age of twenty one years, and be of good moral character; he must have attended two full courses of Lectures, one of which must have been in this Institution and have studied three years under some respectable practitioner of Medicine, and have an adequate knowledge of the Latin language and of Natural Philosophy. He must likewise write and present to the Dean of the Faculty a Thesis on some medical subject, to be approved, and must pass a satisfactory examination by the Medical Faculty in the presence of the Curators of this Institution."
By 1836, a building was erected for the use of the medical faculty. In 1841, a new medical building was erected on the east side of Main Street in Geneva. The medical faculty building (middle building) was then devoted to the use of the literary department. The state contributed $15,000 towards the fund for the erection of the new medical building.
Unfortunately, the medical building was destroyed by fire in 1877; however, long after the college had discontinued use of the facility as a medical school.
The medical faculty, largely opposed to her admission but seemingly unwilling to take responsibility for the decision, decided to submit the matter to a vote of the 150 male students. The men of the College, perhaps as a joke on the faculty, or thinking it was a prank, voted to admit her.
Blackwell graduated two years later, on January 23, 1849, at the head of her class, the first woman in the history of education in the United States
to receive a doctor's degree in medicine. "The occasion marked the culmination of years of trial and disappointment for Miss Blackwell, and was a key event in the struggle for the emancipation of women in the nineteenth century in America."
Soon after, Blackwell was celebrated as the first licensed woman physician in the United States
. Within three years, another 20 women throughout the country had graduated from medical school.
Blackwell went on to found the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and had a role in the creation of its medical college.
, to Hobart Free College. In 1860, the name was shortened to Hobart College and is currently known as Hobart and William Smith Colleges
.
That same year, things took a turn for the worse. The recent establishment of medical school at the University of Buffalo in 1846 took a hefty toll on the number of students enrolled at Geneva. The situation was so serious that, Dr. Sumner Rhoades, one time member of the faculty, published an open letter in the Geneva Gazette advocating the dissolution of the medical faculty. In its place, Dr. Rhoades favored the founding of an agricultural college.
Bishop DeLancey of the Episcopal Church was against the plan, but when the faculty gathered in the fall of 1853, they discovered that no students had registered in medicine. The faculty resigned, and for a year there was no instruction in medicine offered. In 1854, a new faculty was organized; however; enrollment soon fell to below a hundred per year (from a high of almost 200 in the late 1840s). By the close of the 1850s, the number had dropped to 22. During this time, the college was floundering on expenses, but they managed to carry on and keep the department alive.
Finally, in January, 1869, the trustees of Hobart College debated the question of abolishing the Medical Faculty. A local campaign was organized and raised an endowment for Hobart College that managed to yield $10,000 for the school. The amount was by no means sufficient to cover the costs of the college. On July 12, 1871, the trustees of Hobart voted that the "'Medical Department' of the College be discontinued after the first of February, 1872."
At that time, the board of trustees recommended that the medical school be transferred to Syracuse University
in Syracuse, New York
. Many of the professors from Geneva agreed to transfer to Syracuse and all agreed to work without any pay for the first year.
Geneva Medical College existed from 1834 to 1872, and over the course of 38 years, a total of 596 students were graduated.
Medical Society took place in the county courthouse in Syracuse to confer with representatives of Geneva Medical College (of Hobart College) and Syracuse University
. "The purpose of the meeting was to determine the attitude of the local medical profession to the possible transfer of the medical school to Syracuse."
Bishop Dr. J. T. Peck and Dr. W. W. Porter represented Syracuse University
and Professors Frederick Hyde and John Towler represented the Geneva Medical College.
Dr. Peck presented the subject at length. He alluded to the intention of its founders to ensure the university was "comprehensive," embracing the post-graduate departments including law, theology, medicine, etc. and the original founders ideas that although they might not be established immediately, they would eventually "as funds shall be provided for the purpose."
It was felt that since Syracuse was a much larger city than Geneva and already had two "well-appointed" hospitals which were available for teaching and the fact the city of Syracuse offered "chemical advantages and presented necessary surgical and medical cases for practical instruction," that the university offered many advantages to the medical college. "The views, in general, were that medical colleges in country towns were necessarily so destitute of large hospital and chemical opportunities as to fail to furnish the proper condition to success."
In addition, it was felt that Syracuse was situated a sufficient distance from any other large city, connected by numerous railroads "with the towns and country surrounding, it was the natural center of the state." The city's various manufacturing and commercial interests, and its "present rapid growth," gave promise to the board that it would soon be one of the largest cities in New York State.
After considerable discussion, a resolution was adopted by the County Medical Society approving the transfer of the medical school to Syracuse. A committee was elected to communicate the actions to the trustees of the university and to assist in the transfer and establishment of the college in Syracuse.
Dr. Alfred Mercer, a member of the class of 1843, was chairman of the committee representing the County Medical Society in connection with the transfer of the college from Geneva. He expressed the sentiment of the medical group as follows: "What we need is not more medical schools, but fewer and better ones."
In late 1871, Hobart College disbanded the medical school and sold its library, anatomical specimens, and other tangible assets to Dean of the college, John Towler, who donated them to Syracuse University
in Syracuse, New York
on condition that the trustees immediately establish an American Medical Association
approved medical school. Thus the Syracuse University College of Medicine came into being on December 4, 1871, with Frederick Hyde as dean.
Temporary quarters were found for the college in the Clinton Block in Syracuse, the site of the current main postoffice. The first session began in the fall of 1872.
In 1950, Syracuse University
sold the College of Medicine to State University of New York
(SUNY). For many years the college was known as SUNY Upstate Medical Center, until 1986, when the name was changed to SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse. The institution was renamed to SUNY Upstate Medical University in 1999.
The State University of New York Upstate Medical University is located in the University Hill
section of Syracuse
. It includes the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Health Professions and College of Graduate Studies.
In 1840, several members of the faculty at Fairfield Medical College were "removed" to Geneva including Professors Dr. James Hadley (Professor of Chemistry and Pharmacy), Dr. John Delamater and Dr. Frank Hastings Hamilton (Professor of the Principles and Practice of Surgery).
By 1847, a few more names had been added to the medical faculty; Dr. James Webster (Professor of Anatomy and Physiology), Dr. Charles Alfred Lee (Professor of Materia Medica and General Pathology and Dean of the Faculty), Dr. Austin Flint (Lecturer on the Institutes and Practice of Medicine) and Dr. Corydon La Ford (Demonstrator of Anatomy).
Several prominent doctors from Syracuse who were among early faculty members included; Dr. A. E. Larkin, Dr. Edward S. Van Duyn and Dr. Alfred Mercer and his son, Dr. A. Clifford Mercer.
), Dr. Samuel Porter (Onondaga County), Dr. Joseph T. Pitney (Cayuga County
), Dr. Consider King (Cayuga County), Dr. Augustus Crary (Cattaraugus County
), Dr. Henry Mitchell (Chenango County
), Dr. Josiah Trowbridge (Erie County
), Dr. John Coates (Genesee County
), Dr. Eli Hill (Steuben County
), Dr. John Schuler (Niagara County
), Dr. Orson Nickison (Orleans County
), Dr. Richard Welles (Ontario County
), Dr. John B. Elwood (Monroe County
), Dr. John McCall (Oneida County
), Dr. Bryant Barwell (Erie County
), Dr. Sumner Ely (Otsego County
), Dr. Samuel P. Bishop (Tompkins County
), Dr. George W. Phillips (Tompkins County
), Dr. Nathan Boyington (Tioga County
), Dr. John D. Higgins (Steuben County
), Dr. John Miller (Cortland County
) and Dr. Gardner Wells (Seneca County
).
Geneva, New York
Geneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
, as a separate department (college) of Geneva College, currently known as Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
. In 1871, the medical school was transferred to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. During 1950, the university sold the college to the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
(SUNY) for only $1, where it remains today.
For many years the college was known as "SUNY Upstate Medical Center," until 1986, when the name was changed to "SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse". The institution was renamed to SUNY Upstate Medical University in 1999.
Founding
The medical school was founded in 1834 by Dr. Edward Cutbush, MD, a prominent physician and naval surgeon, who also served as the first dean for the college and Professor of Chemistry. He was an officer in the U.S. Navy for thirty years (from 1799 to 1829) and has been called the father of American naval medicine.In addition, Dr. Cutbush was founder and first president of The Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences
Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences
The Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences was a literary and science institution in Washington, D.C., founded by Dr. Edward Cutbush , a naval surgeon...
in Washington in 1816. The Hon. John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
was president of the institute by 1825. Cutbush attended a dinner, hosted by the institute in early January 1825, where he spoke about science and discussed his hope for the future of education in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; "May the resources and prosperity of our country be increased by its application to agriculture, commerce, the arts, and manufactures."
The medical school opened its doors on February 10, 1835, and later that year the first six physicians graduated.
History
The earliest roots of the college extend back to the establishment of Queens Medical College in 1792 in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
which later became Rutgers Medical College, albeit, the importance of the relation to Geneva Medical College is disputed by some.
Rutgers Medical College of Rutgers College
In 1826, Dr. David HosackDavid Hosack
Dr. David Hosack , a noted physician, botanist, and educator, is perhaps most widely known as the doctor who attended to Alexander Hamilton after Hamilton's deadly duel with Aaron Burr. Born in New York City to parents Alexander and Jane Hosack, David was the first of their seven children...
, formerly a professor of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now called Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
}, perhaps one of the most eminent physicians of his time in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, was the first to suggest an alliance with Rutgers College, located in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
which was favored because of its close proximately to New York. Hosack and another prominent physician, Nicholas Romayne
Nicholas Romayne
Nicholas Romayne was a physician of the United States.-Biography:He was the son of a silversmith, and received great educational advantages...
, of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, both sought at various times an academic sponsorship for their medical schools. They were early proponents in the belief that medical education should be easily accessible. As example, Hosack was one of the main proponents in the merger of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Hosack was Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
's personal physician and was with him during his final duel with Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
on July 11, 1804.
Not long after the alliance with Rutgers began, he found himself the target of a New York State Board of Regents over complaints of excessive fees charged to students, which led to the resignation of Hosack and four colleagues. "The flamboyant personalities (involved) and notoriety attracted students and money away from competing schools and drew animosity to them like a magnet. The story of the intrigues and political in-fighting of New York City's physicians, their medical societies and institutions during this time period is a complex one."
Consequently, sponsorship of the New Brunswick school created great controversy in the medical profession in New York and resulted in much political maneuvering "involving county and state medical societies, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Regents of the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
, the New York State Legislature, and ultimately, the New York State Supreme Court."
Determined to continue teaching, Dr. Hosack and his fellow associates, turned to the board of trustees of Rutgers College on October 16, 1826, and requested a "connection" by which the petitioners would become the medical faculty of the college.
Instruction began on November 6, 1826, in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, however, as quickly as the college came into existence, opposition to Dr. Hosack and Rutgers Medical School surfaced. Hosack came under attack by the County Medical Society of New York for "unjustifiable interference in the medical concerns of the state and disregard for the provisions of the laws of the state regarding medical education."
Rutgers countered with attacks against the College of Physicians and Surgeons and its supporters for "perpetuating monopoly in medical education." Two years of acrimonious debate ended with Hosack's opponents successfully enacting a bill that negated any medical degrees "as licenses to practice medicine in New York State" granted outside of the City of New York, effectively ending the New Brunswick connection.
Rutgers Medical Faculty of Geneva College
Undaunted, Hosack traveled to Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
and succeeded in gaining the sponsorship of Geneva College in Geneva, New York
Geneva, New York
Geneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
. Soon after, the Rutgers Medical College established under the authority of Rutgers College, New Jersey, transferred its allegiance to Geneva College in the State of New York.
The trustees of the college voted on October 30, 1827, to establish the medical faculty. According to the trustees' minutes, the Geneva College was to consist of two branches, one in Geneva and the other in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Each branch would have six professors. The medical school in Geneva never materialized, due to one delay after another, and the venture was abandoned.
The second branch was established in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
under the direction of Dr. Hosack and was known as the Rutgers Medical Faculty of Geneva College. The doors were opened in early November 1827; "amid a barrage of criticism on the part of the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons."
This affiliation lasted from 1827 to 1830 when Hosack's adversaries filed suit in "The People v. The Trustees of Geneva College" which ruled that the college did not have the power to operate or appoint a faculty at any place but Geneva. This invalidated the branch in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Forced by enactments of the New York State Legislature by the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
, Geneva College severed its relationship with Rutgers on November 1, 1830, although tbe school continued operations in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
under the name Rutgers Medical College until 1835. At that time, the fruitlessness of awarding only "honorary" degrees was realized.
Geneva College, as revealed in the trustees' minutes, quietly accepted the decision of the court. The Geneva College, Rutgers Medical Faculty had ceased to exist.
Fairfield Medical College
It is also believed that a similar relationship existed (as Rutgers Medical Faculty enjoyed with Geneva College) to "The College of Physicians and Surgeons of the Western District of New York" which was located in Fairfield, New YorkFairfield, New York
Fairfield is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,607 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Fairfield, Connecticut.The Town of Fairfield is north of the Village of Herkimer and east of Utica...
. The school was chartered in 1812. The relationship to this institution is not fully known, however, the first medical instructors at Geneva College were connected with the medical school at Fairfield.
The relationship with Fairfield College is concerned with the formation of Geneva College in 1821 when Trinity Church (New York City) bequeathed a grant of $750 per annum to Geneva College, specifically for the support of an academy at Fairfield, New York
Fairfield, New York
Fairfield is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,607 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Fairfield, Connecticut.The Town of Fairfield is north of the Village of Herkimer and east of Utica...
.
"During its early life, the Fairfield Medical College had benefited from a corporate connection with the Geneva Academy which numbered among its friends and patrons the influential and wealthy Trinity Episcopal Church of New York City"
It was noted that the main interest of the church was creating a theological school for training men for the priesthood of the Episcopal Church. With the founding of Episcopal College at Geneva, New York, in 1825, the support of Fairfield by Trinity Church came to an end.
According to Polk's Medical Register published in 1914, the Fairfield Medical College merged "part into the Albany Medical College and part into Geneva Medical College in 1841" and the school officially closed its doors. During its existence it instructed a total of 3,123 students and graduated 596 as physicians.
Medical Institution of Geneva College
In September 1834, by action of the board of trustees, the "Medical Institution of Geneva College" was chartered and the school began operation on February 10, 1835. It has also been referred to as the Geneva Medical Faculty.Whether the early connection to Rutgers Medical Faculty of Geneva College, located in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, had any role in the formation of the Geneva Medical Faculty, has been debated. However, it has already been noted that Rutgers did make use of the Geneva College name in their official corporate title for a period of three years.
Additionally, it did appear that the trustees of Geneva College began a discussion concerning the formation of a medical school at Geneva not long after the Rutgers ties were broken. "The memory of the New York branch persisted at Geneva, and it was not long before voices were raised advocating the establishment of a local medical college."
The trustees of Geneva College stated their intentions that new buildings for the Academic Department would be erected and the "present" college building would be used for the Medical Department and "until this is done, convenient rooms in other buildings will be provided for the accommodation of the Medical lectures."
The Medical faculty of the institution announced that the Lecture Term would commence annually on the second Tuesday of February and continue sixteen weeks. The Medical Commencement would be held on the Tuesday following the closing of the lectures. The aggregate fee for the lecture tickets was $55 and each ticket was required to be paid for at the time it was received. For any student attending the full lecture, the price could not exceed $100 for two years of study.
The trustees discussed how students could obtain board in good families in the Geneva area from $1.50 to $2.00 per week. The graduation fee was $20. All fees collected were appropriated for "the purchase of a Medical Library and Anatomical Museum."
In order to be eligible for the degree Doctor of Medicine; "He shall have attained the age of twenty one years, and be of good moral character; he must have attended two full courses of Lectures, one of which must have been in this Institution and have studied three years under some respectable practitioner of Medicine, and have an adequate knowledge of the Latin language and of Natural Philosophy. He must likewise write and present to the Dean of the Faculty a Thesis on some medical subject, to be approved, and must pass a satisfactory examination by the Medical Faculty in the presence of the Curators of this Institution."
By 1836, a building was erected for the use of the medical faculty. In 1841, a new medical building was erected on the east side of Main Street in Geneva. The medical faculty building (middle building) was then devoted to the use of the literary department. The state contributed $15,000 towards the fund for the erection of the new medical building.
Unfortunately, the medical building was destroyed by fire in 1877; however, long after the college had discontinued use of the facility as a medical school.
First woman in medicine
In 1847, Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910), was admitted to the Medical Institution of Geneva College. She had applied to and was rejected, or simply ignored, by 29 medical schools before her acceptance at Geneva.The medical faculty, largely opposed to her admission but seemingly unwilling to take responsibility for the decision, decided to submit the matter to a vote of the 150 male students. The men of the College, perhaps as a joke on the faculty, or thinking it was a prank, voted to admit her.
Blackwell graduated two years later, on January 23, 1849, at the head of her class, the first woman in the history of education in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to receive a doctor's degree in medicine. "The occasion marked the culmination of years of trial and disappointment for Miss Blackwell, and was a key event in the struggle for the emancipation of women in the nineteenth century in America."
Soon after, Blackwell was celebrated as the first licensed woman physician in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Within three years, another 20 women throughout the country had graduated from medical school.
Blackwell went on to found the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and had a role in the creation of its medical college.
Geneva Medical College of Hobart College
Geneva Medical College's parent school was known as Geneva College until 1852, when it was renamed in memory of its most forceful advocate and founder, Episcopal bishop John Henry HobartJohn Henry Hobart
John Henry Hobart was the third Episcopal bishop of New York .He vigorously promoted the extension of the Episcopal Church in Central and Western New York...
, to Hobart Free College. In 1860, the name was shortened to Hobart College and is currently known as Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
.
That same year, things took a turn for the worse. The recent establishment of medical school at the University of Buffalo in 1846 took a hefty toll on the number of students enrolled at Geneva. The situation was so serious that, Dr. Sumner Rhoades, one time member of the faculty, published an open letter in the Geneva Gazette advocating the dissolution of the medical faculty. In its place, Dr. Rhoades favored the founding of an agricultural college.
Bishop DeLancey of the Episcopal Church was against the plan, but when the faculty gathered in the fall of 1853, they discovered that no students had registered in medicine. The faculty resigned, and for a year there was no instruction in medicine offered. In 1854, a new faculty was organized; however; enrollment soon fell to below a hundred per year (from a high of almost 200 in the late 1840s). By the close of the 1850s, the number had dropped to 22. During this time, the college was floundering on expenses, but they managed to carry on and keep the department alive.
Finally, in January, 1869, the trustees of Hobart College debated the question of abolishing the Medical Faculty. A local campaign was organized and raised an endowment for Hobart College that managed to yield $10,000 for the school. The amount was by no means sufficient to cover the costs of the college. On July 12, 1871, the trustees of Hobart voted that the "'Medical Department' of the College be discontinued after the first of February, 1872."
At that time, the board of trustees recommended that the medical school be transferred to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. Many of the professors from Geneva agreed to transfer to Syracuse and all agreed to work without any pay for the first year.
Geneva Medical College existed from 1834 to 1872, and over the course of 38 years, a total of 596 students were graduated.
College of Medicine - Syracuse University
On November 15, 1871, a special meeting of the Onondaga County, New YorkOnondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
Medical Society took place in the county courthouse in Syracuse to confer with representatives of Geneva Medical College (of Hobart College) and Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. "The purpose of the meeting was to determine the attitude of the local medical profession to the possible transfer of the medical school to Syracuse."
Bishop Dr. J. T. Peck and Dr. W. W. Porter represented Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and Professors Frederick Hyde and John Towler represented the Geneva Medical College.
Dr. Peck presented the subject at length. He alluded to the intention of its founders to ensure the university was "comprehensive," embracing the post-graduate departments including law, theology, medicine, etc. and the original founders ideas that although they might not be established immediately, they would eventually "as funds shall be provided for the purpose."
It was felt that since Syracuse was a much larger city than Geneva and already had two "well-appointed" hospitals which were available for teaching and the fact the city of Syracuse offered "chemical advantages and presented necessary surgical and medical cases for practical instruction," that the university offered many advantages to the medical college. "The views, in general, were that medical colleges in country towns were necessarily so destitute of large hospital and chemical opportunities as to fail to furnish the proper condition to success."
In addition, it was felt that Syracuse was situated a sufficient distance from any other large city, connected by numerous railroads "with the towns and country surrounding, it was the natural center of the state." The city's various manufacturing and commercial interests, and its "present rapid growth," gave promise to the board that it would soon be one of the largest cities in New York State.
After considerable discussion, a resolution was adopted by the County Medical Society approving the transfer of the medical school to Syracuse. A committee was elected to communicate the actions to the trustees of the university and to assist in the transfer and establishment of the college in Syracuse.
Dr. Alfred Mercer, a member of the class of 1843, was chairman of the committee representing the County Medical Society in connection with the transfer of the college from Geneva. He expressed the sentiment of the medical group as follows: "What we need is not more medical schools, but fewer and better ones."
In late 1871, Hobart College disbanded the medical school and sold its library, anatomical specimens, and other tangible assets to Dean of the college, John Towler, who donated them to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
on condition that the trustees immediately establish an American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
approved medical school. Thus the Syracuse University College of Medicine came into being on December 4, 1871, with Frederick Hyde as dean.
Temporary quarters were found for the college in the Clinton Block in Syracuse, the site of the current main postoffice. The first session began in the fall of 1872.
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
sold the College of Medicine to State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
(SUNY). For many years the college was known as SUNY Upstate Medical Center, until 1986, when the name was changed to SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse. The institution was renamed to SUNY Upstate Medical University in 1999.
The State University of New York Upstate Medical University is located in the University Hill
University Hill, Syracuse
University Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
section of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. It includes the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Health Professions and College of Graduate Studies.
Deans of the Geneva Medical College
The deans of the Geneva Medical College included :- Edward CutbushEdward CutbushEdward Cutbush was born in Philadelphia. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1794, where he was resident physician of the Pennsylvania Hospital from 1790 to 1794...
(1834-1839) - Charles Brodhead Coventry (1839-1841)
- Thomas Spencer (1841-1845)
- James Webster (1845-1847)
- Charles Alfred Lee (1847-1853)
- John Towler (1853-1872)
Faculty
The medical faculty of the old Geneva Medical College included men "who became famous in the history of our country." The Faculty of Medicine was appointed by the trustees in September 1834, and included; Dr. Edward Cutbush (Professor of Chemistry), Dr. Willard Parker (Professor of Anatomy and Physiology) after whom the communicable disease center of the City of New York was named, Dr. Thomas Spencer (Professor of the Institutes and Practice of Medicine), Dr. John George Morgan (Professor of the Principles and Practice of Surgery), Dr. Charles Broadhead Coventry (Professor of Obstetrics and Materia Medica) and Dr. Anson Coleman (Professor of Medical Jurisprudence and Botony).In 1840, several members of the faculty at Fairfield Medical College were "removed" to Geneva including Professors Dr. James Hadley (Professor of Chemistry and Pharmacy), Dr. John Delamater and Dr. Frank Hastings Hamilton (Professor of the Principles and Practice of Surgery).
By 1847, a few more names had been added to the medical faculty; Dr. James Webster (Professor of Anatomy and Physiology), Dr. Charles Alfred Lee (Professor of Materia Medica and General Pathology and Dean of the Faculty), Dr. Austin Flint (Lecturer on the Institutes and Practice of Medicine) and Dr. Corydon La Ford (Demonstrator of Anatomy).
Several prominent doctors from Syracuse who were among early faculty members included; Dr. A. E. Larkin, Dr. Edward S. Van Duyn and Dr. Alfred Mercer and his son, Dr. A. Clifford Mercer.
Curators
The Curators were appointed by the trustees in September 1834, and included representatives from 17 counties in New York State; Dr. William Taylor (Onondaga CountyOnondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
), Dr. Samuel Porter (Onondaga County), Dr. Joseph T. Pitney (Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
), Dr. Consider King (Cayuga County), Dr. Augustus Crary (Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
), Dr. Henry Mitchell (Chenango County
Chenango County, New York
Chenango County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 50,477. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning "large bull-thistle." Its county seat is Norwich.-History:...
), Dr. Josiah Trowbridge (Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
), Dr. John Coates (Genesee County
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
), Dr. Eli Hill (Steuben County
Steuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
), Dr. John Schuler (Niagara County
Niagara County, New York
Niagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
), Dr. Orson Nickison (Orleans County
Orleans County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
), Dr. Richard Welles (Ontario County
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
), Dr. John B. Elwood (Monroe County
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
), Dr. John McCall (Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
), Dr. Bryant Barwell (Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
), Dr. Sumner Ely (Otsego County
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
), Dr. Samuel P. Bishop (Tompkins County
Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
), Dr. George W. Phillips (Tompkins County
Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
), Dr. Nathan Boyington (Tioga County
Tioga County, New York
As of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
), Dr. John D. Higgins (Steuben County
Steuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
), Dr. John Miller (Cortland County
Cortland County, New York
Cortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
) and Dr. Gardner Wells (Seneca County
Seneca County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
).
Notable alumnae and alumni
- Elizabeth BlackwellElizabeth BlackwellElizabeth Blackwell was the first female doctor in the United States and the first on the UK Medical Register...
(1849), first woman awarded a Doctor of MedicineDoctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, graduated from the Medical Institution of Geneva College. - Darwin Colvin, Founder and President of the New York State Medical Association.
- Moses Gunn (1846), University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Professor of Surgery, later moved to Rush Medical College in Chicago. - Robert M. Hunt (1850), County Physician for NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
for 43 years. - Miles G. Hyde, Prominent Syracuse Physician and Professor at Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. - Corydon LaFord, Professor of Anatomy at the University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. - Charles M. Lee (1850), MD in Fulton, New YorkFulton, New YorkFulton is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Fulton, Oswego County, New York*Fulton, Schoharie County, New York*Fulton County, New York...
- Alfred M. Mercer (1845), Prominent Syracuse Physician and Professor at Syracuse University.
- George W. Pratt (1854), Nestor of the Press of Southern and Western New York, Owner of the Corning Press.
- Thomas Fortescue Rochester (1845), MD in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and later Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. - Rev. Stephen Turtelot, Prominent Methodist minister in Herkimer County, New YorkHerkimer County, New YorkHerkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
. - Charles L. Wells, Prominent MD in MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. - William G. Wheeler (1847), Physician for the U.S. government during Civil War.
External links
- Our History: College of Graduate Studies: SUNY Upstate Medical University
- Council of Independent Colleges, Historic Campus Architecture Project, 2006
- http://books.google.com/books?id=ekcZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA263&lpg=PA263&dq=%22Medical+Institution+of+Geneva+College%22&source=bl&ots=mMldUJvwAy&sig=FdMO43CggsDMc-qS0P7nRZDi-Dc&hl=en&ei=Kc8KTLPKBoP2NfPYgbYE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22Medical%20Institution%20of%20Geneva%20College%22&f=falseCases on the general principles of the law of private corporations - The Medical Institution of Geneva College v. Patterson in 1845. Indianapolis - Bowen-Merrill Co. 1902.]