The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-18
opsnirg CT tbe University OF New York.
PROFESSOR DIR PER a LECTURE, Hr

received with enthusiastic cheers Having taken their
respective chairs, the Introductory lecture was then de-
lyered by Professor John W. Draper President of the
Faculty readers will not require any eulo5y from
s as to the rsets of the leeture-suce 1t to II Is
al nexed and III, read with interest and profit
The large hal crowded ia every part with ladies and
gentlemen and many eminent members OF the medical
profession; ar particularly struck with the IN
ccent and gentlemanly appearance OF the crowds OF
students assembled from every portion OF the continent
vrom what we have seen and heard we should TANK
the ASS of students University this session Is very
large The South represented from every quarter and
as Judge there cannot De less than four
hundred students attendance We glad of the
of the York University, which has for its
object the proper education of medical students, who
will not receive diplomas unless they duly qualified
oy medical knowledge go abroad in society, and minis
ter to the wants of suffering humanity Why should
New York take the leae in medicine we'll it does
The following is the able and brilliant
OF rofessor Draper
AN APPEAL TO TIE STATE OF NEW YORK TO EGALIzE
THE DISSECTION OF THE DEAD.
Ar introductory Lecture delivered the Class of the Mlioa
department n Ne tninasiy Of Nec York BY Dr. Draper
President Of The Medical Fdculty.
tlemen--It is related of a well known minister Of
the Kirk of Scotland invited to dine the table
of lord and requested to ask the accustomed grace
the various creature comforts beautifully spread be-
fere Them that he took occasion not only
himself az some length usual in those times but
also in suggestive way observe that the present bes
sings would be greatly enhanced If it should be put into
the heart of his noble enerta liner to send him
and still particularly if there should add
ed thereto gown for his wife.
! have sometimes thought that a similar advantage
might be taken at the Introductory lecture which
assigns to each course in medical colleges For
which could understand these discourses
sought for wi avdity, and circulated and read
surprising extent Strangely enough they have become
in the United States the most eifectual medium
nunication between profession and the public for
Thousands who would never dream of looking into
diea journal, take morbid delight in this annual
literature.
Why then should professors Of medicine the
opportunity afforded them? Do not labor under
great grievances which want to have removed
there not things which would increase usefulness
ii they granted to us? There boons which
have to ask and rights which have to demand
II is Of OF these rights am about TO speak this
evening Like the good CALIFORNIAN minister to whom
have referred, addressing myself to and intend
ing TO reach another Nay perhaps II is not TOO much
for me to assume to be your mouthpece and speaking
to you, and for you. Of the most momentous
questions which profession, arraign the
public at the bar Of public opinion
| know that in the before me the odds all
against The people are at once the defendant and
the Judge The success CT argument which is to
reach the understandings of men, in spite of the sympa
thies and natural instincts OF our race is all but des
perate yet less the United States than in
part of the world The American if he be charged with
injustice and wrong DOING even by the most obscure
accuser will listen, and, if he be nvinced will reform
Al the foundation Of all true medical knowledge-and
without which there can be neither physician
geon-is the study of anatomy This which reveals to
the construction Of bodies, is the only method
by which intelgently respecting the
cause of disease, determine upon methods of cure
He who attempts tbs practice of medicine without this
but by which that knowledge be perfectly
obtained It is by the dissection of the dead
The public demands that the medfssl institutions shall
furnish it with pshed physicians, yet il set
its face against the only of doing this-it dis
countenances the study of anatomy. This sentiment
prevails in every part of the United States both in the
cities and in remote country places. Some luckless
medical student, caught in the act Of midnight nva
county JAIL with his pckaxe shovel and sack Hs bless
his that the walls thick and the gratngs strong
for mob is bowling at the outside Some country col
ege CONSPICUOUS in its remoteIess suspected by the
populace of teaching anatomy. It is torn TO the ground
and the professors fee for their lives These not i'm
scinary cases but realities which have again
and again. and OF which the and dates could be,
without difficulty, supplied
You are beginning understand the point of my
discourse it is with this sentiment | have deal
have underta the almost hopeless task of reasoning
.he community ont ~ IT. determination in This re,neet
Now, if it worth WHILE might lake the different
States in succession, and show what dscretabe spec
taclc their legal enactments present Yet out of
tesy will abstain and limit the remarks have to make
this point to my own State.
The people of the state of New York have directed by
law. that shall be taught in their Medical Col
eees they have assigned the conditions under which they
authorize distinctou-the diploma Of Doctor of Med
cine is to be gvenone of which is knowledge of
tony. Even more than this, they have quite recently,
descending in unusual way TO particular details, di-
rected by general law that the science shall be taught
by demonsator whose fee shall be five dollars for
~ STUDENT And yet by another law they have declared
that whoever shall be convicted of dissectng the dead
shall be sent 10 the State prison. Oh people of New
York what kind OF legislation do you call thatY 1t is
for you that your neghbors of Pennsylvania
other states have stultifed themselves in the same way
But politician whispers to me-The intelligent
part of the immunity understand perfectly your pro-
essional necessity, and these penal enactments
dead letter. intended merely offering to popular
prejudice You doctors should about overcoming that
prejudice, aud statesmen win quickly such in
consistences from the statute book If it affair."
could persuade the people that it pleasant to be dis
sectedust often persuade them that it is profit
able for them that should put hands into their
pockets. To him reply-0h learned successor of Soon
perfectly understand professional necessity-a ba
lancng my FRIEND between conscience in scale and
popular prejudice IN the other accept your sagacious
suggestion and far in me lies will try to convince
the community that f the living duties to the dead,
the dead also have duty TO the living
Practical anatomy is to be defended by the advantages
arising to the living from its cultivation for beyond all
other means diminishing the amount of human
misery by bling to to mitigate the
diseases to which are ncitent and in proportion as
the structure of the body is better KNOWN so ae the
chances of relief the better An ignorant whose
has stopped tries in vain to set going by shak
ing olting but the silful artist who understands
it, various parts, examines the complicated mechanism,
and applies the necessary adjustment And SO
with the physieian-the knowledge he has acquired by
the examination of the dead he brings to the bedside of
the sick The tables of mortality show how striking the
result all cities and indeed wherever there
intelligent practice Of medicine, and registers of mortality
kept recognise from period to period increase
in the chances OF life. am not wrong in ascribng this
improvement 10 the more thorough preparations which
receive and the steady advance of their
II is from isolated which may meet with in
the harrow circle of experie nee that to
Judge but such universal results those which
referring There persons it is true, who profess
to doubt whether in this point of view the practice of
medicine is of any avail The issues of life and death
they say with God alone and deceive ourselves if
suppose the skill Of man postpone the inevitable
hour The threescoe years and ten still remain the pro
verbal date of old. For like the sands OF
hour glass some fall away early, and at later time
there moment predestined by memorable fate,
beyond which not shall remain.
accept the metaphor of those who would reason in
this way and admitting that there time beyond which
generation does last, would bid them watch
closely the sand grains Of which they speak Some des
cend in direct and for there is marked out wind
ing way In the changes and chances of this mortal
ree the skilful physician turn aside from the down
ward course, and keep awhile from the fall
II there is better motive than selfish desire to
avail ourselves benefits great is it for each
to do what he can TO give force those benefits
for ourselves alone do these advantages arise all
classes of society participate in them, vet perhaps
not equally For long wealth is attend ed by com
fort and poverty by athletic and suffering 50 long viii
there be greater demand for the skill the physician
among the lowy and deolae and therefore cast back
Infamous assertion dissect the for the sake