Early Mental and Nervous Disease faculty

Charles H. Boardman was professor of medical jurisprudence from 1888 to1891. That subject was considered the province of the alienist, the psychiatrist's prototype. The course of instruction in the University Bulletin listed it under Neurology or Nervous and Mental Diseases.

Arthur A. Sweeney was clinical professor and lecturer in medical jurisprudence from 1898 until his death in 1928. Dr. Sweeney graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1886. He was interested in forensic medicine, was well read and able. His course in medical jurisprudence consisted of the principles of law, rules of evidence, and duties of physicians in medico-legal cases.                                        

Arthur W. Dunning and Charles R. Ball joined the faculty in 1898 as clinical instructor and assistant in nervous and mental diseases, respectively. Their assignment was to function as Dr. Riggs’ assistants in the St. Paul hospitals and dispensary clinics. Dr. Dunning graduated from the Physicians and Surgeons Medical College in Chicago in 1885. Dr. Ball graduated from the College of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Minnesota in 1894. In 1907, Dr. Ball became clinical instructor and in 1910 Dr. Dunning became clinical professor of nervous and mental diseases.  Dr. Dunning offered an elective course in electro-therapeutics from 1901 to 1908. Dr. Ball then had the course and in 1910 expanded to electro-diagnosis and electro-therapy. Medical electricity was regarded as possessing a real importance in electro-therapy. 

Haldor Sneve was an 1887 graduate of the College of Medicine at Ohio State University. In 1909 he was named clinical professor of nervous and mental diseases. Dr. Sneve was active in many medical groups and was president of the Ramsey County and Minnesota State Medical Associations.                                                                   

John B. Johnston was appointed assistant professor of anatomy of the nervous system, in the Department of Histology and Embryology in 1907. The following year, he became associate professor of comparative neurology and was advanced to full Professor in 1909. He continued to teach several courses in basic preclinical neurology until 1914 when he became dean of the University's College of Science, Literature and Arts.

Dr. Hannah was an early faculty member who joined Dr. Hamilton in practice in Minneapolis. Dr. Royal Gray practiced with them from 1931-1935.

Ernest M. Hammes Sr. was appointed as an assistant in nervous and mental diseases by Dr. Hamilton. He graduated from the College of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Minnesota in 1906 and interned at the City and County Hospital in St. Paul.  In 1909 and 1910, Dr. Hammes did advanced study in neurology and psychiatry in Germany.  He then resumed specialty practice in St. Paul. Dr. Hammes was active in medical organizations and was president of the Ramsey County and Minnesota State Medical Association in 1925 and 1949, respectively, He died in 1967.

In 1914, child neurology was introduced by Julius P. Sedgwick then associate professor of medicine, via an elective course called nervous diseases of children. 

Edward J. Engberg and Joseph C. Michael were added to the staff in 1915 as assistants in nervous and mental diseases to help in clinical neurology and psychiatry.  Dr. Engberg graduated from the Medical School of the University of Minnesota in 1913. He discontinued his appointment at the Medical School in 1919 and has been superintendent of the State School and Hospital, Faribault, Minnesota since 1937. Dr. Michael also graduated from the medical school of the University of Minnesota in 1913. In 1921, he was appointed instructor in nervous and mental diseases, advanced to clinical assistant professor in 1924 and clinical associate professor in 1935. He assisted in the clinics and from 1935 on he had charge of the psychiatry service at the Minneapolis General Hospital. He transferred to the division of psychiatry in 1946. 

Walter Dewitt Shelden graduated from Rush Medical College, Chicago in 1895 and after internship studied in Vienna 1901-1903. was a clinical professor of medicine and a faculty member with Dr. Hamilton from 1905 to 1913. He then joined the staff of the Mayo Clinic and became engaged in establishing a section of neurology at the Mayo Clinic.  He died in 1946 at age 76. Dr. Hamilton readily recommended Dr. Woltman to him and the latter joined Dr. Shelden.

Dr. Henry Woltman completed his teaching fellowship in 1917 and was awarded the first degree of doctor of philosophy in nervous and mental diseases from the University of Minnesota. He joined the staff of the Mayo clinic. In the 1960s, after retirement, Dr. Woltman often consulted in neurology at the Minneapolis VA hospital

Frederick P. Moersch graduated from the Medical School of the University of Minnesota in 1913. He was in practice in Minneapolis with Doctors Hamilton and Morrison. He was an assistant in nervous and mental diseases until 1917. In 1920, he became associated with Doctors Shelden and Woltman at the Mayo Clinic. These three developed one of the great centers of neurology in this country. 

Frank W. Whitmore graduated from Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago in 1915. He did postgraduate study at Freud's clinic in Vienna in 1920.  He was appointed assistant in nervous and mental diseases at Minnesota in 1920 and moved to instructor in 1923 and clinical assistant professor in 1929. He retired in 1945 due to ill health. 

Gordon R. Kamman graduated from the University Of Minnesota School Of Medicine in 1923. He was appointed assistant in nervous and mental diseases, then moved to clinical instructor in 1927, clinical assistant professor in 1939, and transferred to the division of psychiatry in 1946. 

Richard S. Ahrens After graduation from the Medical School of the University of Minnesota in 1923 he was appointed assistant in nervous and mental diseases.  He was advanced to instructor in 1929, and clinical assistant professor in 1935. He resigned in 1938 and became a state hospital administrator. 

George N. Ruhberg graduated from the Medical School of the University of Minnesota in 1921. He was appointed an assistant in nervous and mental diseases in 1925, instructor in 1927 and clinical assistant professor in 1939. He retired in 1947 due to ill health.

Walter P. Gardner graduated from the Medical School of the University of Minnesota in 1927. He was appointed an instructor in nervous and mental diseases in 1931.  He became a Minnesota State Hospital Administrator from 1935 until 1943. In 1952, he became clinical assistant professor of neurology and clinical associate professor in 1957. He transferred to the Division of Psychiatry in 1960. 

Nathaniel J. Berkwitz graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1925, and interned at the University Hospitals. He was a teaching fellow in nervous and mental diseases from 1926 to 1929. His research studies were with Dr. McKinley in animal decorticate rigidity and in human muscle tonus. He received a doctor of philosophy degree in 1929 and was appointed clinical instructor in nervous and mental diseases. He became clinical assistant professor in 1948 and resigned in 1954. In 1946, the faculty of the department of psychiatry and neurology individually elected to be identified as the Division of Psychiatry of the Division of Neurology.

Dr. Royal C. Gray graduated from the Medical School of the University of Minnesota in 1924. After internship he was in rural general practice for three years. He was then a teaching fellow in nervous and mental diseases from 1928 to 1931. His principal research was in a quantitative study of vibration sensation and in hereditary and familial diseases of the nervous system. He was awarded a Master of Science degree in 1930 and the doctor of philosophy degree in 1931. He joined Drs. Hamilton and Hannah in private practice until 1935 when he was appointed assistant professor of nervous and mental diseases. Dr. Gray thus became the division's second full-time faculty member. He conducted classes and clinics in both neurology and psychiatry. He resumed a clinical faculty position from 1938 to 1950; when he returned to the Medical School as professor of neurology and chief of the neurology service at the Minneapolis Veteran’s Administration Hospital.