Francis Donaldson

Artist: Mrs. Harvey Brinton Stone; Pastel on paper

Francis (Frank) Donaldson was born in Baltimore, July 23, 1823. He was educated at Prentiss’ School; and was a pupil of Drs. Samuel Chew and Thomas H. Buckler; M.D. at the University of Maryland, 1846. He studied in Hospitals of Paris from 1846 to 1848 and returned to Baltimore to begin practicing medicine first as a resident physician at the Marine Hospital, Baltimore from 1847-50. He was Secretary, Medical and Chirurgical Faculty from 1851-55.

Dr. Donaldson was an attending physician at the Baltimore General Dispensary, 1846-48, and at the Baltimore Almshouse from 1852-55. He was connected with Maryland Medical Institute in 1852; and was a Clinical Professor of Diseases of the Throat and Chest, University of Maryland from 1866 to 1888; in 1880 resigned the didactic chair and, in 1888, the clinical chair.

He became an Emeritus Clinical Professor, 1888-91. In 1881, he became the President of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty,  from 1881-82; President, American Climatological Association; President, Alumni Association of the University of Maryland, 1889-90; Dr. Donaldson was also one of the authors of “Pepper’s System of Medicine;” he paid great attention to Disease of the Throat and Chest, and was an expert in Physicial Diagnosis. 

Dr. Donaldson died December 9, 1891. His son, also Dr. Frank Donaldson, also attended the University of Maryland’s Medical School.

From the 1911 Bulletin:

We do well to cherish the memory of such ornaments of our profession as was Francis Donaldson, who for nearly half a century exemplified the best ideals of the physician and the citizen. Now, twenty years after his death, his portrait has been painted from a photograph by Mrs. Harvey Brinton Stone, an accomplished artist, who had not the advantage of knowing Dr. Donaldson personally. To the generosity of Mrs. Waters, the daughter of Dr. Donaldson, the Faculty owes this valued possession, and I beg to express to her the grateful appreciation of the members. In her behalf, I now have the privilege and honor, Mr. President, of presenting this portrait to the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty.