Philadelphia, Oct. 21st, 1854 Dear Sallie As I have delayed writing to you so long, that I feel almost afraid to attemp it at this late period, though I assure you in the first place that it was not a want of esteem which I have for you, but was because that I have been so occupied in other ways that I have not had the time to answer your very interesting and welcome letter. And am Sory to say that I would not take time at the present but knowing no other way in which I can hear from home as I have written four letters to Ma and one to Jim and have not as yet received a letter from either of them and feel very much hurt to think that I should be treated in such a manner. I would not mind it, if I had not writeen business letters, and which letters it is important that I should have an answer for here I am without money or friends, living on the wind. I wrote to Ma if she could not send me three hundred dollars, that I could make out on one hundred for about one month,or to the first of December, but would rather she would send me the three hundred if it was convenient, but I have but one way to account for not getting a letter, that is this, my letters have not been rec'd or I hope that they have not. Uncle John Hunt says that he would pay me or send it to me that is Ma's interest in the land sold in Va. while I was there, and wrote to Ma to that effect, so if I can't get the money on those terms that I have already spoken, I shall write to the Sheriff of Floyd to sell my whole interest both in nigros and land and forward me the money as soon as possible. I have been trying to study but have made no progress as my mind has been altogether planing out how I should get along without money. answer this immediately for I want to know how I shall be compelled to act. Give my love to all. Nothing more but remains your loving Brother. D. G. H. (David Granville Hunt) ---------- http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2156587211427404 Medical Training in the United States Prior to the Civil War* Jefferson Medical College Philadelphia, PA was opened in 1825 Cost of Medical Education It was customary in proprietary schools for the student to buy individual course tickets from the professor involved. These usually cost $15 to $20 a year for a total of $90 to $120 a year for tuition. This money was paid directly to the professors in most cases. Operating expenses for the school were shared. Even at Harvard when it opened, professors’ salaries were the amounts paid for the lectures.7 In addition, there was an initial matriculation of from $10 to $30 and a graduation fee that was usually $20. There was also an anatomy laboratory fee—usually $20—and attendance at the associated clinic or hospital often cost an additional $100 for a year. These fees did not include living costs, and these varied more widely than did the tuition costs. In general, room and board was $1.00 to $1.50 a week, although in some cities it could reach $3.00. In tabulating the total cost of medical education then, we must add all these factors together (see Table 5). When a clinical or hospital rotation charge is added, the total cost then increases to $788. This total could be as high as $1250 at some of the city schools. Either amount was a large sum of money to be accumulated at a time when the annual income for a physician seldom surpassed $600 a year.24 A factory laborer earned about $360 a year, whereas a farm laborer earned about half of that sum. Unless one’s family had money or the person had a good loan source, it took several years of parsimonious living to save the required amount of money.