Charles Wilkins Short, M.D. (1794-1863)

Second Dean, 1838-41

M.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1815

Dr. Short was born in Greenfield, Kentucky and graduated with honors from Transylvania University in 1810.  He began the study of medicine under his uncle, Frederick Ridgely, M.D.  In 1813, he went to Philadelphia as a private pupil of the famous anatomist Caspar Wistar, M.D. (1760-1818).  Short practiced briefly in Lexington and Hopkinsville before accepting the Chair of Materia Medicial and the Deanship at Transylvania.  At Transylvania he developed the literary aspects of medicine and was co-founder of the Transylvania Journal of Medicine and the Associated Sciences in 1828.

Dr. Short made prominent contributions to botanical writing, especially between 1830 and 1845, including a “Catalogue of the Plants of Kentucky.”  Several plant species bear his name.

Dr. Short came to the Louisville Medical Institute during its second year.  Gas lights were added to the school with great pride in 1841 and during his tenure as Dean the library increased to 1,200 books and the student body increased to 268 students.  Dr. Short was disturbed by controversies surrounding the sponsorship and faculty of the School.  On receiving an inheritance from an uncle in 1849, he retired to continue his studies of western flora.