New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-08
PUBLIC MEETINGS.
ACADEMY OF MEDICINE

The eighth annual mee'iog Of the Academy Of
Medicine sas held last evening 10 the arge chapel OF
the University, and wss nuuerously stSeoGei by the
various leading members Of the profession u th. city
After prayer by DR.. HUTTOs, aud some prelin-
mary remarks by DR.. JoHs w. FRANCIS touching the
objects Of the institution Of the Ac .deny Of Medicine
lie history, lie succefs M labrs aud its futdre pros
poets the customary annual adde's vas delivered by
Dr.. JOIN WATSON, 81 d.. who seecied az bis the ne:
"Condiii n of HE medical profession among the
"ancen,s.'
The gentleman commenced BY apologizinz FOR him
self aud said that his life hal been too ired cult
yate eoquf nee. Ours the silsrt professi N. lis
ours TO think much and speak little; for the genius Of
Medicine sits with her finger on Ter hps. We live and
move in al atmosphere Of our W, once hab,ua'ed
to which, il s Difficult, 70 act out oft. Medicue has
it's policy it, poeID 8, ann is ethics. In trseiiobs
and suIersttofs II Is even older than tho Church. 1t
has lie charity, which none can go well under.tscd as
Ourselves Older than the Oldest statutes Of the law,
it owns arbitrary enactmens. | propose TO
contemplate the origin and growth Of our pro-
e scion among t1e anclhnts-a subject which has
occupied many Of my leisure hours, nor
10 the study undressing or uninssructive.
There lie to believe that among the Assyrans
medicine was never practced distinct profession.
Some Of the older nations were 10 the habit Of ex.
posing their sick in The markets. that those passing by
who had been affe tied by similar diseases might
and CON municste remedies. The Romans first sought
regular medical attendance in the year 535. Among
the Druids the sacred mtetoe used al toe sacrifice,
was carefully aside TO be used in Of urgent
sickress Among the rartars, the LLAMA is sill the
only physician One Of them told late traveller that
their king had supplied each of the Leaders Of their
sruy with Llama learned in mediciCe which
rendered them invincibIe. Among the abonki-
mes Of our own country the metic ne
is supposed to be possessed OF magic powers.
and 10 be able to cast his spell for good or evil upon
any ore he chooses Among the Egyptians each
ply scian mace OILY one part of the body his study
enc taking toe tyes one the teeth one The stomach,
&C. Among the Greeks the art of ne iicine seemed TO
be derived from three sources, the gynnasis, the
schools of medicine and the temples Of ESQ alapius.
In the gy nasa the youth were Injured to hardshiJs,
ard prsctced in ali games and exercises cacusted 10
give strer 9Th and endurance TO the body. At the
schools of philosophy some attention always paid
10 the theory OF medicine, taught in books Sta.
denis were not admitted until they had received an
elementary education Plato insc ibed over bus door,
d" Let lone ignorant Of geometry enter here" Plato
was well vesed in some OF the elements of medicine,
in comparative anaOmy, &C., although !; Is
difficult TO tell exactly what progress hal been
made in the science of medicine a, tina; time.
The temples Of IL culapius the first great foun-
tans of kL owleoge among the Greeks. Tablets we're
er ct.d upon which inscIbed the history OF the
various There temples were esta 1shed through
out entire Greece; tina 81 Rtodes was one o. the most
noted The, were usually situated ia some retired
spo-not unfIequently near some thermal spring aud
many were in come respects not unlike asyums and
hospitals Of ow Own day. Patients we're coDPe ed TO
undergo process Of purifc before tney Were adj
mted, ana spiritual iufueI c's were sopetinss re-
lied on TO point out the means OF cure This school OF
medical philosophy was broken ~ by the Pytha-
goreaps AuO org the EsculaPiad@ the youth DIES lined
Tor the profession began his training at the euteth
year, aud il cont Dued until the twenty fifth.
Sons Of physicians, however, commeucef tner stu lies
earlier. Secret societies were Humorous among tue
early physicians, The my sres OF which were oot u1-
Ike The celebrated nys sic rites OF Elsusis In tneir
medical associations the youth advanced by regular
grades in the other secret societies OF the age,
and was compelled to conform 10 certain very strc,
- IN h a m n
study which tenc ed TO give him a thorough aIprecia-
ton Of his profession, as then unders Ood He WAS
compelled to ta,e an oath to i've pure life, TO sb-
stain from unnecessary expei meLts uOon bis patterns,
to leave ali 10 portaDt aud dangerous suri al opera
tons TO those who made those things the object OF
their siecial study, TO give no poisonous or hurt
ful medicine even If requested, ADD TO administer
10 no woman a potion to procure ABORTION. Epidemic
dileases were looked upon as Providentia punish
meni with bch they did not dare 10 interfere; their
knowlet &c of anatomy ana physiology was very
limited, and G. ronc diseases received 30 curative at
eniiop Whatever, and the profession rs only 90 tar
acquainted with them as 10 be able TO detect them
Even al this early DAY t1ere were who were pay
sicans only in name but who USED tn-lr profession
for tbs taes Of purposesand agsost those thel, as
now the better part of The profession ha1 no remedy
save IL their superior education, 10 t1eu cevotioo to
their calling, and in the discerOm-nt OF the puollc
The frat great charge in the philosophy OF medicine
was effected by lppOcIaes whose prot ssloua reiu-
talon was such that at the time OF he Peopoo-- an
war he received from the city OF Athens 1e sreitest
ho ols. His claim 10 our respect rests Father upOu ne
cround that he was the first to combi tie ue1ca
lore and discopr ecitd wiedOm OF his ase ia system
euc and scientific form than upon the usual assump-
ton that he was the inventor OF the healing ar.
Gaen wss bis disciple and pupil.
Having proceeded thus far, the speaker announced
that having already taken up more thsn the allotted
time he would espass no longer upon the pa fence OF
the audience II was moved that he be requested TO
fnlsh the address at his own convenience. So dety
adjourned.