Description

 A Dartmouth medical diploma, printed on vellum, that was awarded to Benjamin Hatch Bridgman in 1826.  Bridgman was not a medical notable but rather a country doctor  who was also involved in local and state politics.See link that follows. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126463990/benjamin-hatch-bridgman

 Dartmouth was third medical school to be established in the USA, following the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisel_School_of_Medicine  

American medical diplomas from the first quarter of the 19th century are not common. When they do turn up the seal is often gone,which in this example is present. 14.25″ x 14.25″ approx. It is in good overall condition: the signatures are faded but legible. It is signed by Bennett Tyler (1783-1858), 5th President of Dartmouth; Reuben Dimond Mussey,MD (1780-1866), Daniel Oliver,MD (1787-1842) and James Freeman Dana,MD(1793-1827). Perhaps the most medically notable of the bunch is Mussey, who is credited as being the first surgeon to tie off both carotid arteries in1829. Dana was the first person to hold a chair in chemistry at Dartmouth, despite being an MD.They all have Wiki listings.