Compliments of the Author. 
HOMCEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION, 
BY 
W. E. LEONARD, A.8., M.D. 
(Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics, Homoeopathic College, 
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.) 
Reprinted from the Hahnemannian Monthly, May, 1891. Homoeopathic Medical Education. 
BY 
W. E. LEONARD, A.8., M.D. 
(Professor of Materia Mediea and Therapeutics, Homoeopathic College, University of 
Minnesota, Minneapolis.) 
Last September, the Medical Times and Register, of Philadel- 
phia, in its so-called student’s number, issued a tabulated summary 
of the announcements of the medical colleges of Canada and the 
United States, including one hundred and twelve in all, but none 
homoeopathic. A comparative table of the thirteen homoeopathic 
institutions is here given, according to the exact arrangement in the 
above journal, in order to show that our colleges are up to, and even 
ahead of the others, in their standards, and for the purpose of pointing 
out any possible weak points in our curricula. By comparison with 
the old-school table, it will be seen that, whereas only two of our col- 
leges require simply an examination for admission—which may or 
may not mean more than the teacher’s certificate—of the old-school 
colleges sixteen require no examination whatever, or one-seventh of 
the whole number. The example of the college that requires, at 
least a high-school diploma, is worthy of further emulation, as is, 
indeed, practically suggested by the last Intercollegiate Committee 
of the American Institute of Homoeopathy. No homoeopathic 
college falls below the minimum of a twenty-four weeks’ (six 
months’) term, while of the old-school thirty-nine, or more than 
one-third have a shorter term, ranging from twenty weeks upwards. 
But two homoeopathic colleges have ungraded courses, whereas fifty- 
three, or nearly one-half of the old-school colleges are not graded, 
having practically but two short years of study. 
It will be seen at a glance, that all homoeopathic colleges teach 
the seven fundamental sciences of medicine, even pathology, of 
which we are constantly accused of knowing nothing. On anatomy 
we are more thorough than the old-school colleges, but four of our 2 
colleges devoting but one year to that study, according to their 
printed graduation requirements, viz., less than one-fourth, whereas, 
one-sixth of old-school colleges require but one year, and fourteen 
others leave the time spent at dissection undeterminate. 
Our college announcements ought certainly to be more specific in 
their statements concerning so important a branch, since a two years’ 
dissection course is commonly recognized as none too long for its 
proper mastery. 
Out of the thirteen colleges, eight (8) require clinical work for 
graduation, whereas, nearly two-thirds of the old-school colleges 
are lacking in that requirement. 
Fees are about the same as those of the old school. 
More than half our colleges offer hospital positions to their grad- 
uates, whereas, only a little more than one-third of the others do so. 
Bacteriology is by no means thought essential to a homoeopathic 
medical education; only two colleges offering it, being those whose 
fundamental branches are taught by old-school professors in State 
universities. 
By way of criticism, it seems that we should show a larger pro- 
portion of colleges teaching, at least the rudiments, of homoeo- 
pathic pharmacy, in order that our graduates may be able to intelli- 
gently explain the radical differences in our preparation of drugs, 
and, if necessary, write an intelligible prescription for a homoeopathic 
drug. 
It is very noticeable that our old-school competitors see no occasion 
to tabulate instruction in what we place at the very head of our 
curricula, viz., Materia Medica and Theory and Practice. Probably, 
it is taken for granted; yet, instruction in that line is lamentably 
meagre in many old-school colleges, if their announcements do not 
lie. 
As to post-graduate instruction, the action of the New York Post- 
graduate School, last year, excluding all homoeopathic graduates, 
while a brilliant example of bigotry and ingratitude, for our prac- 
titioners helped them to become large schools, has brought about the 
establishment of at least three homoeopathic schools of that class— 
Cleveland, Chicago (two) ; and Philadelphia has offered such a ho- 
moeopathic course for at least three years. 
In connection with Table No. 11., it is instructive to note the fol- 
lowing figures for ten years, as taken from the same authority, being 
the number of homoeopathic matriculants and graduates in these 
ten years: 3 
Matriculants 
Graduates.... 
1234 
412 
1 
1880-1. 
1251 
395 
1881-2. 
1238 
445 
1882-3. 
1162 
412 
1883-4. 
1032 
338 
1884-5. 
CO O 
--T Cl 
1885-6. 
1064 
352 
1886-7. 
1091 
386 
1887-8. 
1101 
375 
1888-9. 
1173 
386 
1889-90. 
' 11,411 
3,878 
Totals. 
CO 
Per- 
centage. 
Compare this with the corresponding table of old-school grad- 
uates and matriculants in the same period: 
r—1 
1 
O 
CO 
GO 
rH 
CO 
GO 
1882-3. 
i 
CO 
CO 
CO 
1884-5. 
o 
1 
>o 
88 
rH 
1886-7. 
1887-8. 
1888-9. 
1889-90. 
1 
Totals. 
Per- 
centage. 
Matriculants 
9,750 
10,195 
10,057 
10,059 
9,245 
9,532 
10,116 
10,854 
11,981 
13,044 
104,833 
32. 
Graduates.... 
3,175 
3,730 
3,298 
3,274 
3,078 
3,202 
3,050 
3,219 
3,657 
3,876 
33,559 
The difference of two per cent, here noted in the proportion of 
old-school and homoeopathic matriculants and graduates is to be 
accounted for simply from the greater number entering old-school 
medicine with various motives, and not from the general higher 
scholarship afforded by these schools. 
A further study of the old-school tables, noted in the beginning, 
shows these surprising facts, viz. : Thirty-five colleges require no 
instruction in Physiology as part of their printed curriculum; twen- 
ty-seven do not require a knowledge of surgery ; nine do not teach 
hygiene, nor eight others medical jurisprudence! It is but fair to 
state, the last figures include the elective schools of Johns Hopkins, 
Baltimore, and Clark University, of Worcester, Mass. 
Homoeopathy need not be ashamed of these comparisons. They 
seem to me especially opportune at this time, when various legisla- 
tures throughout the country are being importuned to pass restrictive 
medical laws, giving the old school complete jurisdiction over medical 
practice. The profession and the people should know just what man- 
ner of medical men seek to throttle professional progress; men who 
many of them, graduated from colleges whose standards of educa- 
tion were by no means up to those of the present at the time of their 
graduation, ten to thirty years ago. 
It would do great good to our cause if these figures were published 
in all our journals, and given to the press for the enlightenment of 
those interested. 
Of course, instruction in Materia Medica and Therapeutics and 4 
y-* 
CD 
lO 
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o o 
oo 
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05 
cn 
45. 
CD 
to 
| Number. 
1 of Cincinnati, 0. 
Boston Univ., 
Sch. of Med. 
Univ. of Mich., Ho. 
Dept., Ann Arbor, 
Chicago Hom.M.C., 
Chicago, 111. 
Iowa State Univ, 
Ho.Dept.Iowa City. 
Hahn. Hosp. Col. 
of San Francisco. 
Univ. of Minn., 
Col.ofH.M.&S., 
Minneapolis. 
Horn. Hosp. Col., 
Cleveland, 0. 
Horn. M.Col. of Mo., 
St. Louis, Mo. 
Hahn. Med. Col., 
Chicago, 111. 
New York Ho. M.C., 
N. Y. City. 
N. Y. M. C. & Hosp. 
for Women, N. Y. 
Pulte Med. Col. 
Hahn. Med. Col., 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
Name & Location 
of College. 
GO 
CO 
00 
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-7 
05 Ol 
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to 
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o 
Cn 
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Cn 
GO 
45! 
0 
45- 
00 
Organized. 
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oc 
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00 
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00 
Age. 
g 
T. C. 
T. C. 
H. S. D. 
T. C, 
T. C. 
p 
H 
p 
w 
X 
t-3 
p 
T. C. 
w 
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H3 
p 
T. C. 
*Educa- 
tional. 
cequire- 
ments. 
tion 
P 
P 
2 
CO 
05 
to 
4^ 
to 
4^ 
to CO 
4x 05 
CO 
05 
to 
45. 
O 
05 
to 
45- 
to 
45- 
to 
45- 
to 
45- 
S 
Weeks in RegT’r Term 
CO 
CO 
00 
CO CO 
CO 
CO 
CO 
CO 
CO 
CO 
CD 
CO 
Terms in Full Course. 
kJ 
<d 
Yes 
kJ 
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Ul 
yx\ 
CD CD 
W Ui 
Yes 
tzj 
o 
kJ 
D 
Kj 
c 
o 
lYes 
yx* 
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Graded Course. 
o 
§ 
8 
O O' 
o o 
o 
o 
O' 
p 
o 
O 
r 
o 
o 
o 
O' 
o 
O' 
0 
*-7 
O 
O 
No. Beds at command 
for Clinical Instruct’n 
to 
O' 
O 
3 S 
45- 
o 
<o 
co 
CO 
O' 
to 
45- 
Cn 
O' 
CD 
Number Instructors. 
X 
X 
X 
X X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Surgery. 
0 
X 
X 
X X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
rA 
Obstetrics. 
o' 
X 
X 
X 
X 
A 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Gynaecology. 
OQ 
P 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
rA 
Chemistry 
O 
hj 
O 
*-* 
X 
X 
Pharmacy 
O 
\A 
A 
X 
)A \A 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
\A 
Physiology 
n 
X 
X 
X 
X X 
X 
x . 
X 
X 
X 
X 
\A 
X 
Histology. 
ol 
X 
X 
X 
X X 
X 
X 
A 
\A 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Pathology. 
p 
2 
X 
Bacteriology. 
CD 
X 
X 
A 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
A 
X 
Physical 
Diagnosis. 
& 
Post-mortem 
Examination. 
P 
O' 
X 
A 
X 
X X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Hygiene Taught 
X 
X 
X X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Medical Jurispr’dence 
K* 
£D 
A 
D 
A 
CD 
§3 W 
kJ 
o 
kJ 
D 
kJ 
D 
o 
o 
A 
p 
yx* 
<D 
0 
Women Admitted. 
CD 
oo 
CO 
CO CO 
CO 
CO 
CO 
C3 
CD 
00 
CD 
CD 
Years of Study. 
CO 
CO 
00 
to CO 
oo 
to 
CO 
CO 
to 
CD 
CO 
CO 
No.RegTr Course. 
O 
4i 
P 
to 
to 
to to 
to 
to 
M 
to 
to 
to 
Dissection Course. 
Whole Body. 
H 
O' 
<D 
CD 
hj 
p 
cr 
£ 
td 
o 
P, 
Whole Body. 
Two Parts. 
Three Parts. 
D 
D 
w 
o 
Di 
Three Parts. 
Two Parts. 
CD* 
W 
0 
& 
< 
Whole Body. 
P" 
0 
CD 
W 
0 
Qi 
Dissection 
Required. 
Cb 
P 
P 
O 
w 
0 
►o 
P 
Yes 
Hospital Work 
Required. 
<D 
g 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
CD 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Clinical Work Re- 
quired. 
(D 
P 
: ; yx\ 
• ■ cd 
Yes 
Thesis. 
Cn C Cn 
O' -7 
O' O' O' 
O' 
Cn cn 
O' 
cn 
Matriculation. 
—+• 
oo to 
O' O' 
20 
50 
—f- 
C5 co to 
O' O' O' 
o 
o 
05 
O' 
O' 
1—1 
o 
o 
65 
65 
4^ 
O 
0 
0 
Per Course. 
w 
M tO 
4- OO 05 
o O' on 
y—1 (-» 
O ' CO CO 
O O O' 
150 
300 
i—' 
Cn 
O 
_n 
3 
8 
O 
All Courses. 
w 
ux 
1, 
to 
° 
o 
3 
k-i to 
o o 
O' 
O' 
3 
CO 
O 
3 
Cn 
1 
Laboratory and 
Dissection. 
w 
: : oo : : : 
& 
o 
to 
3 O' 
: o 
oo 
o 
CO 
O 
CO 
o 
‘ O' 
CD 
0 
CD 
Graduation. 
-i 
58 
305 
130 
175 
05 2 
O O' o 
CO 
CO 
o 
O' cn 
o o 
CO 
o 
o 
O' —.7 
O Cn 
cn 
O 
CD 
O 
O 
Total Fees. 
i X 
M 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
i 
Prizes. 
X 
I X I X 
X 
X 
X X 
Hospital Positions for 
Graduates. 
-O 
> 
D 
SP O 
c rJ? 
o 
o 
rn rn 
rn 
rn 
P £ 
• V* 
M 05 
f r 
to 
CO 
:4- 
co 
6 
-7 
: 
p 
>o 2 
05 GO 
rd 
Cn 
2 
to 
0 
Term Begins. 
Homoeopathic College Announcements for 1889-91 (in Order of Establishment). 
* The lowest requirement is given. “ T. C.” means Teacher’s Certificate; “ H. S. I)/’ High-School Diploma, 
f These Universities have two scales of fees—the lesser for residents of their own Stales, the larger for outsiders 
X Indicates that students are required to attend course. 
Table No. I. 5 
the Theory and Practice of Medicine, is given in all colleges, but 
lectures upon the “ Philosophy of Homoeopathy,” or Hahnemann’s 
“ Organon,” are mentioned in the announcements of only four, viz., 
Missouri, Pulte, Michigan, and Illinois, which is not in accordance 
with the resolution of request of the American Institute in 1886. 
No. 
Name. 
Matriculants. 
Graduates. 
Proportion 
For 10 Years. 
1 
Hahnemann M. C., Philadelphia, Pa. 
203 
64 
34.1 
2 
Cleveland M. C. and Hospital 
103 
35 
30.7 
3 
Homoeo. M. C. of Missouri 
47 
24 
38.1 
4 
Hahnemann M. C., Chicago 
243 
96 
43. 
5 
New-York Homoeo. M. C 
122 
38 
31.5 
(G years.) 
6 
N. Y. Coll, and Hospital for Women.. 
36 
15 
31.5 
7 
Pulte M. C., Cincinnati, Ohio 
61 
16 
38.5 
8 
Boston Univ., School of Med 
94 
27 
27. 
9 
Univ. of Michigan, Homoeo. Dept 
71 
21 
26.5 
10 
Chicago Homoeopathic M. C 
114 
34 
33.1 
11 
Iowa State Univ., Homoeo. Dept 
32 
10 
32.2 
(7 years.) 
12 
Hahn. Hosp. Coll., of San Francisco.. 
39 
4 
40 
(2 years.) 
13 
Univ. of Minn., Col. of Horn., M. & S. 
8 
2 
23.8 
Total 
1173 
386 
Average for each College 
90.2 
29.6 
Table 11. 
Proportion of Matriculants to Graduates in 1890 33.9. 
The colleges recentty organized at Kansas City (1888), Baltimore 
(1890), Cleveland (1890), are not here included because not yet, re- 
cognized by the American Institute of Homoeopathy. 
The foregoing table shows the number of matriculants (or stu- 
dents in actual attendance, according to their announcements) during 
the session of 1889-90; also the graduates for 1890, and the per- 
centage of matriculants to graduates for the past ten years (where 
obtainable). Authority—Report (1890) Illinois State Board of 
Health.