Establishment of the Medical School of Maine

In this letter, Bowdoin and Medical School of Maine faculty Parker Cleaveland (1799-1858) makes a case to Vice President of the Board of Overseers, Charles S. Daveis (1788-1865, Class of 1807) for the continuation of the $1,000 annual grant allocated by the State of Maine in the first legislative session. The grant was under scrutiny at this time by Judge Ashur Ware (1782-1873), of the United States District Court for the District of Maine, and eventually ceased in 1834.

"Brunswick Feb. 21, 1831
My Dear Sir,
Judge Ware requested me to give you some information concerning the Medical School, that it might be in readiness, provided the committee should request it. All the facts stated in this letter are for your use; but I must request that the letter itself may be confined to may be confined to your own inspection.
1. The first query relates to the extent of the Apparatus. If this word is employed in its usual occupation, the medical apparatus is yet small, consisting chiefly of injecting syringes, some [illegible] instruments, and a nameless machine employed in obstetrics. Many articles of apparatus in surgery are wanted; but we have hitherto thought the Library more important. If under apparatus, you include Anatomical Preparations I answer our collection of dried preparations is good, though not complete. The wet preparations are less numerous, but considerable, and every year increasing.
2. Our Library contains about 2600 volumes. We have each year devoted whatever could be spared from the State Grant for increasing the Library. Many of the books, which, which contain plates, are very expensive.
3. The third query of Judge Ware relates to the number of pupils who have attended our Lectures.
The whole number since the establishment of the school is 390. Of these Maine has furnished 224, New Hampshire 68, Massachusetts 51, Connecticut 21, Vermont 11, N. York 7, Lower Canada 3, Virginia 2, Rhode Island 1, Florida 1, West Indies 1 = 390. Of these 243 have received degrees of this College. Ten courses of Lectures have been delivered.”