This book presents a researched history of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine and traces its growth, from a couple of courses at the College of Philadelphia in the late eighteenth century, to its 225th anniversary in 1990. Highlighted are the school's contributions to science and medicine made by members of the school's faculty, including: Benjamin Rush; Caspar Wistar; Joseph Leidy; Simon Flexner; Isador Ravdin; and Britton Chance. Among the historical events described are the school's transition into a modern medical school, the development of the surgical department, and the institution's aggressive attempts to understand and attack particular health problems caused by infectious diseases. In addition, it is revealed how the medical school sought to merge private medical schools under the control of schools with academic connections, and how the medical school became the first department in the United States devoted to applying the laws of physics to biological and medical problems. Finally, the school's introduction into the modern era of medical training is discussed as it began to focus more on cell physiology, a new field that was brought about by several Pennsylvania University scientists. This book contains an index and appendixes listing: department heads; a chronology of the buildings of the school of medicine; and a chronology of the school's hospital buildings. (GLR)