THE FORMATION OF THE ECLECTIC SCHOOL
IN CINCINNATI
By RALPH TAYLOR, M.D.
It is now more than a century since the
first Eclectic College
was organized in Ohio and the century
mark for the Eclectic
Medical Institute will soon be reached.
It is difficult to visualize
the social, domestic and commercial life
of the country when
these schools were founded. The writer
doubts if one can thor-
oughly visualize Ohio without a single
college of any appreciable
size, instead of one in almost every
town of consequence, as now.
In those early days a very large per
cent (sometimes esti-
mated as high as 90%) of the medical
profession held no medical
degree. Then education consisted of
"Reading medicine" under
a preceptor, and quite often doctors
were launched on their pro-
fessional career after a few months of
such training. Even
among the teachers in medical college
were found men with no
other degree than an M. D.
Because of dissatisfaction and
disappointment with the
crudity of some of such practitioners,
others were seeking a
gentler and more scientific method of
handling the sick. Thus
arose the so-called reform schools of
which there were several in
the beginning.
The pharmacy of a century ago was also
very crude and
some of the concoctions were repulsive
and nauseous; they might
well have been prepared to exorcise
devils. If for no other rea-
son than their insistence upon and their
assistance in developing
potent and palatable medicines the
smaller schools should feel
their existence as being justified.
No discussion of reform medicine in Ohio
and especially of
the Eclectic Medical College of
Cincinnati, can well be separated
from the name of one man. Dr. T. Vaughn
Morrow, who came
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OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
to this State and was actively connected
with the Eclectic School,
when this was a department of
Worthington College, realized the
impossibility of a continuance of any
medical teaching in this
location after the enforced demise of
his department, and soon
moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. There, in
conjuction with Lorenzo
E. Jones, A. H. Baldridge and James
Kilbourne, Jr., he opened
the Reformed Medical School of
Cincinnati. This institution had
no charter, hence no legal standing.
Opening with a single student, it grew
rapidly. Two terms
of lectures were conducted each year and
the Western Medical
Reformer was published again. In 1845, with a class of thirty
students, inspiration was given to seek
a charter. Much opposi-
tion was encountered in the General
Assembly, through whom
they must obtain this charter.
In the discussion of this bill an
extraordinary compliment was
paid the medical profession by one Dr.
O'Ferrall, chairman
of the Committee on Medical Colleges and
Medical Societies, who
stated in his discussion that
"Medical Science does not need, nor
is it susceptible of further improvement
or reform." The bill
was passed, however, and a charter
issued to the Eclectic Medical
Institute of Cincinnati.
Colonel James Kilbourne, having been
very active in assist-
ing in the work before the Legislature,
was duly presented at his
home town of Worthington with a silver
pitcher, ornamented and
properly inscribed. Thus was the Eclectic Medical Institute
launched upon its course. Three terms of
lectures were given
each year and diplomas awarded at the
end of any term.
In this year there was added to the
aforementioned faculty
Dr. Wooster Beach, who is known as the
father of Eclecticism,
as professor of Clinical Surgery and
Medicine, and Dr. Joseph
Rhodes Buchanan as professor of
Physiology, Institutes of
Medicine and Medical Jurisprudence. Soon
the name "Eclectic"
replaced the term "Reformed
Medicine"; other Eclectic colleges
began to appear. The Scientific and
Eclectic Medical Institute
of Virginia was chartered in 1847. Also
active antagonism was
started against all reform and Eclectic
physicians by the domi-
OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY, 1835-58 281
nant school of medicine. This was
probably the provoking cause
for a circular address to the medical
profession of the United
States, in which the Eclectic Medical
Institute embodied the fol-
lowing:
The leading doctrines of the Eclectic
Medical profession, to sus-
tain which this Institute has been established is: That the investiga-
tion and the practice of medicine should
be entirely free and un-
trammeled; that no Central Body, no
Association, combination or
conspiracy, should have the power to
prescribe a certain standard of
faith or Medical Creed which shall be
received and forced upon
every member of the profession by threat
of professional disgrace and
ruin. We recognize every enlightened,
educated and honest physician
as standing upon the same platform of
professional respectability and
enjoying the same rights no matter what
doctrines he may advocate
in medicine or what system of practice
he may deem it his duty to
adopt.
The fees for the first course in the
Institute were five dollars
for each professor. In January of 1846 a
clinic was established
and the fees for the spring and summer
course were fixed at
thirty dollars, plus three dollars for
matriculation. Ministers and
theological students were admitted to
lectures upon payment of
the matriculation fee, possibly upon the
theory that they should
know more about the abode of the soul.
By the fall of 1846 a new college
building was completed,
built at a cost of $12,000 and capable of
caring for four hundred
students, which was quite an achievement
for that early date.
The annual report for 1847 records
eighty-one students for the
winter session, forty-six for the spring
session and thirty-one
graduates. On May 25, 1848, an assembly of physicians from
over the United States convened at the
Eclectic Medical Institute
and the National Eclectic Medical
Association was formed with
Dr. T. V. Morrow as president. This was thought to be an
agent both to cement the Eclectics of
the country together and to
aid in maintaining interest in the
college.
In 1849 a resolution to establish a
chair of Homeopathy
was passed and in the fall of that year
Dr. Storm Rosa, of
Painesville, Ohio, assumed this position.
The arrangement proved
unsatisfactory and was discontinued the
following year. Six
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OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
graduates, however, were given diplomas
both as Eclectic and
Homeopathic physicians; thus placing the
credit for the first
Homeopathic graduate in Ohio with the
Institute.
On July 16, 1850, Thomas Vaughn Morrow
died and the
Institute was bereaved of its most
inspiring apostle of Eclecti-
cism. His death was followed by a period
of confusion and dis-
sension within the faculty itself. Drs.
L. E. Jones and B. L. Hill
and Mrs. T. V. Morrow, who were involved
financially in the
Institute, made overtures to Dr. Robert
S. Newton of the Mem-
phis Medical Institute, inviting him to
take part in the manage-
ment of the Eclectic Medical Institute.
After a short correspond-
ence Dr. Newton came to Cincinnati for a
conference and as a
final result the entire faculty of the
Memphis Institute resigned
and five of its members came to
Cincinnati. They were Drs.
Robert S. Newton, W. Byrd Powell, Zoheth
Freeman, Milton
Sanders and John King. Drs. King and
Powell refused for
personal reasons to accept appointments.
Under a later reor-
ganization, however, both accepted
chairs and were very active
and valuable adjuncts to the school. The
faculty at this time
(1851-1852) consisted
of J. R. Buchanan (Dean), J. G. Jones,
M.D., R. S. Newton, M. D., B. L. Hill,
M. D., Z. Freeman,
M. D., L. E. Jones, M. D., J. Milton
Sanders, M. D., A. M., L. L.
D., and Orin E. Newton, M. D.
A three weeks gratuitous course of
lectures was given in the
fall. Tickets for a full course of
lectures (until graduation)
were one hundred dollars in advance or a
well indorsed note for
one hundred and twenty-five dollars. For
a single course of lec-
tures the fee was sixty dollars in
advance or an acceptable note
for seventy dollars. The matriculation
fee was five dollars and
the graduation fee fifteen dollars. A
demonstrator's ticket cost
five dollars.
Changes in the faculty were now quite
frequent due to
resignations. Dr. Hill resigned and
accepted the chair of surgery
in the Cleveland Homoeopathic College;
Dr. King now accepted
an appointment and succeeded Dr. Hill.
Dr. I. G. Jones, because
OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY, 1835-58 283
of failing health, stepped out; Dr.
Beach was dropped by the new
organization and the faculty of 1852
consisted of four members:
Drs. L. E. Jones, R. S. Newton, John
King and J. R. Buchanan.
At this juncture Dr. Buchanan conceived
the idea of and plan for
free medical education, theorizing that
the aggregate income
would be greater and the sale of books
increased and incomes
from private lectures abundant.
Objections to this scheme brought
about the resignation of Professors Z.
Freeman and J. Milton
Sanders.
So-called free education was put into
operation by the
abolishing of all fees, except ten
dollars for matriculation, five
dollars for dissection and a graduation
fee of twenty dollars.
New Eclectic books began to appear. King
and Newton's United
States Eclectic Dispensatory was now completed and used as text
book. Jealousies and personal
animosities which began at this
time caused a very stormy condition at
the school for several
years. One member was expelled from the
faculty upon accusa-
tion of another. This accusation was
later refuted. Several op-
position schools sprang up in Louisville
and one in Cincinnati.
While annoying, these schools did not
materially injure the In-
stitute. The faculty of the Institute in
1853 was composed of
eight very good men. The fees remained
low but the student
body was of a fair number. Up to 1855
there had been 2,145
matriculants and 593 graduates, and this
indicates at least a
thriving condition for the ten years of
its exixstence.
The next two years were the stormiest of
all the career of
the school. Owing to chicanery and
jealousies, two sets of trustees
were elected in 1856. This resulted in a
pitched battle for pos-
session of the college building, which
was followed by a suit at
law for a decision as to ownership. The
defeated party proceeded
to open a new school and graduated a
class of twenty-nine, and
in the fall of 1856 filed Articles of
Association with the Hamil-
ton County Auditor for the purpose of
creating the Eclectic Col-
lege of Medicine. This college, with a
faculty of able men, con-
tinued until 1859.
Owing to decreased income from a
lessened student body,
284 OHIO
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the necessity of uniting the two schools
was forced upon them
and in December, 1859, this union was
accomplished with the
following faculty: H. D. Garrison, M.
D., chemistry, pharmacy
and toxicology; J. F. Judge, M. D., with
the same subjects;
L. E. Jones, materia medica,
therapeutics and medical botany;
Charles F. Hart, M. D., physiology and
medical jurisprudence;
Zoheth Freeman, M. D., surgery and
surgical practice; J. M.
Scudder, M. D., theory and practice of
medicine and pathology;
R. S. Newton, M. D., clinical medicine
and surgery; Edwin
Freeman, M. D., general, special and
pathological anatomy; John
King, M. D., obstetrics and diseases of
women and children;
A. J. Howe, M. D., demonstrative anatomy
and surgery; W.
Sherwood, M. D., emeritus professor of
practice and pathology.
The fees were not materially changed,
the total for one term
being fifty-five dollars. At this time
Dr. Kost's Materia Medica
was introduced as a text book. The
following year these eclectic
books were introduced: Materia
Medica, by Jones, Scudder,
et al.; Theory and Practice, by Newton Powell, et al.; and Ob-
stetrics, by King, Scudder and Beach. The fees per term now
aggregated eighty-five dollars.
In the winter of 1861 the Eclectic
Dispensary of Cincinnati
was opened and patients received daily
at 2:30 P. M., thus giving
students some practical instructions.
The following year (1852)
the financial state of the college was
marasmic and its demise
seriously threatened. At this juncture
Dr. J. M. Scudder stepped
in and apparently gained a controlling
interest. Having a keen
business and administrative mind, he
soon had the college on its
feet and going in a prosperous manner.
In fact, from this time
until his death he was such a dominant
figure that the Institute
became known as "Scudder's
School." It soon had the largest
enrollment of any medical college in the
city and up to 1862 had
graduated 1,002 doctors.
At this time classes in all medical
schools were small, prob-
ably because of young men being drafted
for the war and of the
unsettled conditions because of this
war. In 1863 but thirteen
were granted diplomas in the winter and
nine in May. No public
OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY, 1835-58 285
commencement was held but the degrees
quietly conferred in the
college building. The classes gradually
increased, as did the text
books by eclectic authors. In 1867 Dr.
Scudder's "Principles of
Medicine" and Dr. King's
"Chronic Diseases" were published.
Dr. Scudder began writing in the Eclectic
Medical Journal
about "Specific Remedies" and
"Specific Medication." In 1870
this series of papers was published in
book form under the title
of "Specific Medication and
Specific Medicines." This book had
a very marked influence on the teaching
of therapy in the college,
as well as encouraging the manufacture
of a standard line of
botanical medicines.
In November, 1869, fire partially
destroyed the college build-
ing and arrangements were immediately
made for new quarters
and classes continued uninterruptedly.
Repairs were soon made
and classes resumed in the old building,
as it has since been
known, until the fall of 1871, when a
new building was dedicated.
This building was modern, for its time,
and sufficiently com-
modious to care for the student body
from that time forward.
At the dedication there was an
assemblage of eclectic physicians
from over most of the United States and
ceremonies held during
the greater part of the day, October 5,
1871.
There was now estimated to be over five
thousand eclectic
physicians in the United States. From
this time forward the
college ran an almost uninterrupted
course, with Drs. Scudder,
King and Howe a strong trio and guides
for its course. They
must have been highly esteemed by the
students, as attested to by
the number of their sons bearing the
given name of Scudder,
Howe or King, or some combination of
these names.
The faculty of 1871 was composed of
these three men and
L. E. Jones, the two Freemans and J. F.
Judge. Changes from
this time were fewer. L. E. Jones was
retired because of age;
Dr. J. F. Locke took the chair of Medica
Materia and Thera-
peutics in the term of 1873-1874. In
July, 1874, John Allard
Jaencon, M. D., of Newport, Kentucky,
was appointed to the
chair of Chemistry and Physiology; he
was a very able scholar
and teacher. That same year Dr. Scudder
published his work of
286 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Specific Diagnosis. No particular changes were made either in
policy or teaching force until 1877,
when, yielding to popular
prejudice, the school discontinued
admitting women students.
Prior to this time about one hundred
women had been graduated.
A separate department, however, was made
for women and a class
of eight attended the winter session and
six the spring session.
At this time they were still having
three sessions a year.
In the session of 1878-1879 Professor
Jaencon taught physi-
ology only and John Uri Lloyd took over
the chemistry. Prior
to this time he (Lloyd) had been very
highly esteemed by the
trio, King, Scudder and Howe, and
through their influence allied
himself with the Eclectic Cause and the
manufacture of medicines
according to their liking. Even though
he had no academic
training he became one of the best known
and respected chemists
and pharmacists in the United States and
his renown no doubt
was a great asset to the school.
In 1879 the year's work was changed to
two sessions, com-
mencing in September and ending in May.
Diplomas were given
only in May and the recipients were
required to have had training
in a physician's office. There was an effort
made to improve the
quality of teaching and extend the time
of attendance. The term
was lengthened to twenty weeks instead
of sixteen and the work
intensified. Thirty-six lectures were
given each week with an
additional twelve hours per week in the hospital. Dissections
were held at night.
For the following nine years no changes
were made in the
personnel of the teaching staff; but
during this time considerable
activity was shown in revisions and new
publications of Eclectic
literature. In 1880 Dr. Jaencon began
the publication of his
Anatomical Atlas, which was a classic. Lloyd's Chemistry of
Medicine appeared in 1881. Jones and Scudder's Materia Medica
and Therapeutics was revised and came out bearing only Scudder's
name. The Institute was in its most
prosperous period at this
time and of the six medical schools in
Cincinnati, the Eclectic
Medical Institute led in revenues to the
city.
Age now began to tell on the leaders. In
1887 Dr. Scudder
OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY, 1835-58
287
was forced to relinquish a part of his
work to Dr. R. L. Thomas,
who eventually succeeded him in his
entire work. Professor Ed-
win Freeman was forced to retire because
of ill health and was
succeeded by Dr. W. E. Bloyer of
Catawba, Ohio.
In 1890 a laboratory of chemistry and a
physiological and
histological laboratory were added to
the college. Dr. Lyman
Watkins was put in charge of the latter;
he remained with the
college during the remainder of his life
and filled other chairs
with credit. Professor King at this time
also was forced to re-
lease part of his work to Dr. Robert C.
Wintermuth of Delaware,
Ohio; during the year 1891-1892 all of
his work was taken over
by Dr. Wintermuth.
In 1891
the Eclectic Medical Institute received a
silver medal
and diploma appropriately worded from
the Exposition Univer-
selle of France. This was conferred for
a collection of catalogues
of graduates. A bound volume of Eclectic
Medical Journals for
1888 and eighteen text 'books written by
members of the faculty.
The display was deposited in the
Bibliotheque Medicale at the
conclusion of the exposition.
January 16, 1892, saw the active duty of the trio, Scudder,
King and Howe, terminated by the death of
Andrew Jackson
Howe. In 1893 Professor King passed away
and 1894 saw the
demise of John M. Scudder. Among the
alumni were capable
men to step into the breach and the
college went smoothly on.
Dr. Locke was elected dean; a number of
younger men were
added to the staff and additional
courses inaugurated; Dr. Wil-
liam Byrd Scudder was given the chair of
Ophthalmology and
Otolaryngology; Dr. William Mundy of
Forest, Ohio, was ap-
pointed professor of Physical Diagnosis,
Hygiene and Clinical
Diseases of Children. Dr. Bishop
McMillan was elected profes-
sor of Nervous Diseases. A free
dispensary and clinic was opened
and adequately manned.
The Institute was now leading all the
Eclectic colleges in
matriculants and graduates. In May,
1895, the school year was
established as one session of eight
months and matriculants after
288
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
September 16, 1895, were required to
attend three years of lec-
tures, including in addition four years
of reading medicine.
Now the following men were added to the
teaching staff: Dr.
L. E. Russell of Springfield, Ohio, to
teach Surgery and Oper-
ative Gynecology; and John R. Spencer of
Cincinnati, to instruct
in Electro Therapeutics.
From this time forward the Institute
progressed as any other
reputable medical school. The various
branches of medicine and
surgery were taught in a thoroughly
modern manner. The stu-
dents were admitted to clinics and
lectures in the Cincinnati Gen-
eral Hospital on a par with those from
other medical schools.
New members of the teaching force were
drawn from the
Alumni of the Institute. The required
attendance was increased
to four years. Seton Hospital, a modern,
fully equipped hospital,
was made accessible to the students in 1901. Lloyds Library was
also made available. But after a few
years the requirements of
modern teaching became so great that a
privately conducted
school could not carry on and, with no
outside help available, it
was deemed best to close the
institution. After a shut down of
two years it was reopened with a younger
and more enthusiastic
faculty, but this venture was only short
lived, and while the char-
ter still existed until March 17, 1942,
there had been no activity
in the old Institute for some time.