The Knoxville News-Sentinel from Knoxville, Tennessee • A21

KNOXNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2020 21A Knoxville had at least three medical schools by 1900. One was established at Knoxville College in 1895, and another one, the Knoxville Medical College, was established in 1900 to train Black physi- cians. The Knoxville College school closed in 1900 after graduating two phy- sicians. The Knoxville Medical College on College Street graduated 21 physi- cians before it closed in 1910. Although both made contributions to medicine and the community, they were plagued with serious problems.

An astonishing development The third medical school, Tennessee Medical College, existed for 25 years. The Daily Tribune of April 27, 1889, re- ported: "The people of Knoxville were astonished yesterday morning when they read in the Tribune that the 'Ten- nessee Medical College' had been orga- nized and located in this city. The gen- tlemen who have taken the lead in its or- ganization assembled at the of Dr. Ristine on Prince Street Yesterday morning." The school was established on the second and third of the S.T. Atkin Building at the corner of Gay Street and Main Street.

Dr. J.C. Cawood was intro- duced as dean of the faculty. He made a brief statement indicating that he would "go into the great work with all his energy," and aroused the enthusi- asm of all present for the new institu- tion. Twelve other physicians and men of science were announced as faculty members.

The Tribune said, "The dis- tinguished physicians who compose the faculty need no introduction to readers of the Tribune. They are all well-known in the community and stand in the very front of their profession in Tennessee. We expect them to build up at Knoxville the leading medical college not only of Tennessee but the entire South." Building destroyed by In a short time a new building was erected for the school at Cleveland Place and Dameron Avenue. It was a ry brick structure built at a cost of $25,000, with another $10,000 for the Unfortunately, on Dec. 3, 1897, the building was destroyed by with only $10,000 in insurance to cover the $30,000 loss.

While the school was rebuilt, it rent- ed the building that would later be called Staub School from the city until it moved back into its own facility in 1900. Beginning in 1905 the school was closely with Lincoln Memorial Uni- versity, and in May 1909 it was sold to LMU for $50,000. Women were admit- ted to classes there in 1904. The end of the Tennessee Medical College was likely brought about by the required standards of the American Medical Association as referenced by the Tribune of April 25, 1914: "The Amer- ican Medical Association, through its council on medical education, has set such standards that no medical college having income only as fees from its stu- dents can successfully meet the re- quirements for an acceptable medical college." LMU had purchased land for expan- sion and erected a new laboratory build- ing, but philanthropists asked what Knoxville had done for the medical col- lege and questioned if the city really wanted one. There was a concerted ef- fort to get citizens' opinions on keeping the school and how it could be properly but it closed in June 1914 after from some of the same ills as the two other schools.

Robert J. Booker is a freelance writer and former executive director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. He may be reached at 546-1576. Tennessee Medical College lasted 25 years, had ties with LMU Robert J. Booker Columnist Knoxville News Sentinel USA TODAY NETWORK TENN.

Picture this: You or your other are 23 weeks along with a long- awaited pregnancy. Your water breaks and, ready or not, having this ba- by. Thoughts run through your head: Is my baby even viable? What are the chances for survival at this gestation? Fast-forward 24 hours and your baby is in the neonatal intensive care unit, hooked up to multiple monitoring de- vices that are continuously beeping. A ventilator is breathing for him. Lines are running through his belly button into his heart, pumping medications and to keep his heart rate up and fentanyl to keep him comfortable.

You cannot hold him because he is too small and unsta- ICUs is of undeniable importance. It is imperative that parents be properly educated to make the most informed decision on the fate of their child, as well as be emotionally supported during that time. Having proper counselling avail- able in the hospital will aid in giving par- ents the and reassurance that they have made the best decisions regarding their care. Unfortunately, not all hospitals have these services available. The hope, how- ever, is that every hospital that cares for the physical needs of infants and chil- dren would also have the resources for families in the case they are faced with this unfortunate circumstance.

Medi- cine is more than science and numbers. It is also compassionate care for pa- tients and families in times of most need. Brooke Heisner, RN, BSN, of Nashville is a master of science in nursing student at the University of Connecticut. There is an ethical dilemma in to- world for infants born at the edge of viability, infants with borderline in- compatible-with-life diagnoses, and formerly healthy pregnancies that end- ed with grave birth trauma. Every day, parents are sat down and asked the question of whether they want to con- tinue to for their life or let them go.

More often than not, parents choose to continue treatments, for obvi- ous reasons. However, is this the best choice? Are they acting on emotion and failing to fully understand what it means for their future? Are the parents given proper education, coun- selling and time to truly make the best decision? Parents need education, support The importance of end-of-life and palliative care counselling for parents with children in neonatal and pediatric ble. A scan of his head tells you that there is bleeding in his brain, inevitably leaving him brain damaged. The doctor tells you that his future looks grim and his chances of living a healthy, fruitful life without pain and are slim. He is struggling, his heart rate and oxyg- enation dropping frequently.

Nurses are constantly at his bedside, attempting to save his life. This normal. This right. What would you do? Does this sound like a nightmare? Unfortunately, this happens all too of- ten. In a world full of advancing medi- cine, sometimes there is just nothing else that can be done.

However, this is your baby the baby you prayed for and so deeply love. You will be given the choice to continue heroic for your baby or to let him pass peacefully in your arms. What would you do? Parents of preemies should have counseling Your Turn Brooke Heisner Guest columnist Dangerous rhetoric Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist, suggested that Dr An- thony Fauci, top infectious disease expert, and FBI Director Chris- topher Wray should be beheaded for failing to adequately back Trump. put their heads on pikes. Right.

put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureau- crats. You either get with the program or you are This from a former Trump top advis- er. Is it any wonder that there is such di- vision in our country when top Repub- lican spout such hatred for those that politically disagree with them. But they are not alone. Many radio political hate talk shows throughout the nation spout similar trash on a daily ba- sis and have done so for years.

Demo- crats are not political opponents. They are the enemy to be destroyed by what- ever means necessary be it lies or in- timidation. Sounds like something out of Germany in the 1930s. Frank Schingle, Knoxville Convenient downplaying of Sanders Before the election, Joe Biden was only too happy to get the support of the Bernie Sanders supporters. Now some Democrats are urging their leaders not to mention or the This was predictable.

It is a Lucy and the football moment with the Bernie supporters playing the role of Charlie Brown. William Cepeda, Knoxville I voted for America and civility question which the priest and the Levite asked was: I stop to help this man, what will happen to But the good Samaritan reversed the question: I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to I know there are many feelings blan- keting our country, but the current our enemies, but the silence of our The time for civility is overdue. God Bless Biden and God Bless America. Archie R. Wortham, UT 76 Grad- uate, Universal City, TX Demagoguery gone wild The results of the election are clear.

Joe Biden won and Donald Trump lost, even though he got more votes than in 2016. Unlike all of his predecessors, he has refused to concede, anybody who dares to challenge his authority, and is claiming that the election was a fraud, with no Credible evidence of anything illegal. He has instructed all federal agencies to refuse to cooperate with Bi- den transition teams. He has convinced his adoring supporters that he has won and will not accept reality. I just hope that mature voices in the Republican Party have the ability to convince him that his attitude is de- structive of American democracy and that he needs to concede as soon as pos- sible.

Unfortunately, I suspect that Trump and his supporters will never ac- cept defeat. Americans are scared that Trump is destroying our democracy and democratic values. I hope Trump will nally accept the decision of the Amer- ican people and gracefully exit the White House on January 20, 2021. Raphael Panitz, Knoxville tion on winning has to stop. readily admit that I vote for Biden.

In the mix of all the tumultuous hate, vitriol and on where we need to go, stop and acknowledge where we are and important. Ask yourself as an American, if you do not stop and help this man, what will happen not to him but to America? The election is over. Done. Finished. Time to move on.

He wants to untie the chokehold around our neck and help America. why I vote Biden. I voted for America in the hopes that this man can back As Dr. Martin Luther King, put in the pulpit of our homes will hap- pen to as he also said, the end, we will remember not the words of LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OPINION Go online to see the editorials, column and op-eds, and letters, and share your views on issues. Subscribers, go to knoxnews.com/activate to access your full range of digital content.

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