The history of the Department of Neurology dates from the year 1888 when Dr. William James Herdman, at that time professor of practical and pathological anatomy and demonstrator in anatomy, was appointed professor of practical anatomy and diseases of the nervous system.
In that year, also, Dr. Herdman taught the first course on "Disorders of the Nervous System" at Michigan. In 1906, Dr. Albert Barrett was named associate professor of neural pathology and in 1907, after Dr. Herdman's death, was made professor of psychiatry and nervous diseases. Also in that year, Dr. Carl Dudley Camp, was appointed clinical professor of diseases of the nervous system.
At that time the department's functions in neurology and psychiatry were separated, but it continued to be called the department of diseases of the mind and nervous system and remained an administrative unit until 1920 when the Board of Regents divided it into two departments and Dr. Camp was named chairman of the Department of Diseases of the Nervous System.
The next year the department's name was changed to that of neurology and Dr. Camp's title was changed to that of Professor of Neurology.
Dr. Camp continued to be in charge of the department until his retirement in 1950, when he was succeeded by Dr. Russell DeJong as chairman.
Interns were appointed in the department of diseases of the mind and nervous system as early as 1912, and there has been an organized residency-training program in neurology since 1920.
Since 1950 the department has grown from one of two or three faculty members and three individuals in training to one of 10 to 12 full-time faculty members and 12 to 14 residents in training.
The department has awarded the degree Master of Science in Neurology since 1936, and organized postgraduate courses in neurology have been held periodically since 1950.
Fred J. Hodges
The University of Michigan, an Encyclopedic Survey Supplement, Page 196
