Thomas F. Andrews to Thomas Jefferson, 23 June 1821
From Thomas F. Andrews
Norfolk—June 23d 1821
Sir
By the advice of my excellent Friend Dr J. F. O. Fernandes I have the honour of addressing you a few lines respecting the nomination of Professors to the medical chairs of the Central University—Dr F (my former teacher) has honoured me highly in his recommendation to you & made me extremely anxious to obtain one of the chairs, notwithstanding I have learned that none of them can be filled for a considerable time hence. I ought not and do not desire to promote my wishes upon any other ground than that of individual merit & ability to fulfil the duties of a professorship, therefore I shall be most happy to furnish you with ample & satisfactory documents, of my qualifications, from my late Professors in Paris, Berlin Edinburgh and London, if you can give me any hopes of receiving the appointment; in which case I shall lose no time in writing to Europe.
I have understood a few days since, that only one medical professorship is contemplated; if this be correct the Professor will necessarily have a laborious task, to perform, which however may be rendered highly useful by proper arrangement.1 Three courses annually of 3 or 4 months each would be sufficient to give a class a just idea of medical science & practice. These courses might embrace the following branches viz. Anatomy, Surgery, Physiology, Pathology Nosology, Therapeutics, Midwifery & Medical Jurisprudence. To these it would be advisable to add Clinical Medicine, if the establishing a public & gratuitous dispensary were practicable.
I will use all my exertions to promote the interests & reputation of the University, if you should confer on me the honour & dignity of a professorship in an Institution which promises to shed lustre on my native state.
Thomas. F. Andrews
RC (DLC); between dateline and salutation: “Thomas Jefferson Esqre”; endorsed by TJ as received 2 July 1821 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosed in John F. Oliveira Fernandes to TJ, 25 June 1821.
1. Omitted period at right margin editorially supplied.
Index Entries
- anatomy; collegiate education in search
- Andrews, Thomas Francis; letter from search
- Andrews, Thomas Francis; seeks professorship search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of application and recommendation to search
- law; medical search
- medicine; and jurisprudence search
- medicine; education in search
- medicine; midwifery search
- medicine; nosology search
- midwifery; collegiate education in search
- nosology search
- Oliveira Fernandes, John Francisco; introduces T. F. Andrews search
- pathology; collegiate education in search
- patronage; letters of application and recommendation to TJ search
- pharmacy; collegiate education in search
- physiology; collegiate education in search
- surgery; study of search
- Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; faculty applicants search
- Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; medicine professorship search