Texas Surgeon: an Autobiography Page: 67
xii, 180 p. ; 21 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
some three fifths are men. In my day there were even fewer
students.
Danville, so far as I recall, is renowned for only one thing,
Centre College excepted. At the beginning of the nineteenth
century, Ephraim McDowell settled here, a Virginian and
graduate of Edinburgh who was the first surgeon in our country's
history to perform major abdominal surgery. On the way to
the registrar's office, which I think was then housed in "Old
Centre," a very fine example of the classic revival style built
about 1820, I passed a statue of McDowell, set in a little park.
His eye, so to speak, was on me. It was a very grimly deter-
mined Atkinson who enrolled that day for courses in inorganic
chemistry, physiology, and comparative anatomy. Dr. Burnside
had recommended that I study more in the humanities, too, but
I was given notice that courses at Central were restricted to
preparation either for the ministry or medicine. Both poverty
and Scottish practicality dictated this limitation.
Here again Central authorities did everything within their
power to ease my way. I waited on table and served as houseman
in a dormitory. This paid my tuition and board, and I had just
enough laid by to eke out my other Spartan needs. Now at last
within sight of my goal, I worked like a drudge at my studies.
Perhaps too single-mindedly, for I did not do spectacularly well.
However, I did write a biology thesis that attracted a good deal
of attention, an accomplishment which for many years passed
completely from my mind until one day Central University,
now become Centre College, gave me an honorary degree.
Danville was a pleasant little town, much more southern in
character, I would say, than Louisville. But I could not wait to
return to the city and medical school. When my year was up, I
was admitted without difficulty to the Hospital School of Medi-
cine in Louisville and plunged into a course of medical instruc-
tion.
From the contemporary point of view, the prescribed course
of training may seem totally inadequate. And I would be the
67
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Atkinson, Donald Taylor. Texas Surgeon: an Autobiography, book, 1958; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143566/m1/79/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Texas Health Science Center Libraries.