A Silver Tray from India

This elaborate silver tray was presented to E. Quin Thornton, MD, by His Highness, the Nizam of Hyderabad, India, upon Thornton’s completion of the work of the Hyderabad Chloroform Commission in 1889. Dr. Thornton's report on the action of chloroform was published in 1891.

An 1890 graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Thornton returned to Jefferson as a faculty member. He held the positions of demonstrator, assistant professor and in 1932 was appointed Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics. After his retirement in 1935, Dr. Thornton retained the title of emeritus professor of therapeutics and visiting physician of the College. An author of several works on prescription writing, materia medica and medical formulary, Dr. Thornton died on 16 January 1945.

This tray is an example of the objects preserved in the Memorabilia Collection of the University Archives and Special Collections.