The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-21
TIE MEDICAL COLLEGES.


NJ D. Ill. d. to a numerous audience. He said:-
GEST1EnEs-On the part of the Faculty oner you
cordial welcome, the recognition OF enusnP W those
who have been and return with the expeca
ton of completing their studes-and 10 those who are
here for the first time hope that shall spend to-
rether a pleasant and profitable session. Many Of you
have come from distance In the expectation of finding
in this city unusual opportunities for the cultivation OF
the studies of that profession to which you have deter
Soned to devote yourselves. In this you will not find
yourselves mistaken for in truth such opportunities
nowhere But it is well the outset to
recoect that these constitute only of the elements
for achieving the success at which you aiming, and
that you must depend much upon yourselves upon
them. Opportunity is of value unless pre-
pared to take advantage OF it, Professor d. here referred
to the probable intentions of the student to the PREVAIL
ing ideas regarding self taught men, and alluded to the
difficulties in the way ofmedical attaining pro-
per knowledge of their profession by sefnstrucon
the Importance Of avaing themselves Of the of in
formation abundanty furnished 1t is good in
the affairs Of life to lay your plans scale
below your DESIRES but in his schemes of proceeding
medical student ought not to follow it, but include
more than he may reasonably expect he shall want.
Since know where the chances of life may carry
MS, how unwse would be for those who suppose their
permanent home to be in city to make that the
for super fcality Incompetence of study or how
wise to act the presumption that the apothecary the
surgeon the chemist will relieve them Of part OF their
duty Still more foolish would it be for any one to find
In such considerations for determining his ex
pected place of abode. Ought not to admit of the
country physician that his position is truly more honor
able than that of his city brotber The acquisitions
his knowledge murious, his labors are more
sources of intellectual recreation the want of which
educated man he keenly appreciates, his solat-
ed position cuts him off On occasions Of anxiety
counsel and assistance cannot he obtained-he in-
an undivided responsibility. And think not only
must we admit his position to be more honorable but
useful for viewed phlosophcaly, there is very
wide distinction between the result of the work of him
who labors in dense society and of him whose duties
are in sparse population We all admit that the ply
stefan the lives of his patients; but there is
difference much greater than Is commonly supposed be-
tween the saving of vc in the and in the other of
these positions. Else why is it that the bills of mortality
give the almost unvayng per centage proportion from
year to year, And the law long recognized by
men, that the maximum density of population i. al
ways in proportion TO the of supply, exerts its
number has reached its almost possible limit, land Of
many parts of Europe this holds good the saving the
life Of one is at the cost of ese Under such
circumstances, professional action becomes arranging
Of mortality, but not its check. Whereas in the open
country where the density of the population is nded
to himself the consolation that by the restoration Of one
he puts pressure another and that he is truly
dispenser Of the Blessings of life Perhaps it may not be
out place If pursue little further the consideration
have been urging and by its aid endeavor to remove
ment of the profession your pursuits, say they tend
greatly to reduce mortality what the that the
that in old settled countries like England and France the
population remains at the point for many years.
You do not deny that in England for the first half Of the
last century there great physicians as have
lived and yet, during that time the population was little
better than stationary Why did it take upward start
after 1760, and then come to an equilibrium for forty
years after? Why there increase from 1900 and
that in spite Of the Drain Of great and other
1t is still rnantained At epochs Of 160 and 1900
there great advances made in your sciences Or
do not these events demonstrate the neciency Of your
this reply BY recalling the principle which has suggest
cd the caaon that the influence OF the medical pro-
try by tending the increase population by the pre-
aervaton of individual life only manifest itself in
has reached that maximum which the means Of the eoun
try support the effect Of the labor Of the physician
is averaging Of the mortality but not its check yet
medical influence make Itself felt masked though it
be whenever favorable conditions channel
Of wealth may be opened and sudden increase Of
offamiy support may change the conditions of the social
problem, and corresponding increase of the popu-
iation occurs the mortality becoming simultaneously
less the fact that there is the reduction of mortality
and increase of numbers with increase Of means
that there is tendency to more life, and longer life
males its power felt when You give it chance. 50
the art of the physician, compressed, it were by
as weight OF our social condition cannot manifest Its
less IAN example was here introduced in the of the
introduction of steam power and other improvements in
manufacturing which fenced to increase the wealth Of
England in the beginning of the present century, and
thus relieved the individual distress and the conjunctive
country.l have purposely abstained from mentioning
influence which has made itself felt in these respects
ali over the civilized word-an influence precise In its
date and distinct in its consequences speak Of the in
9 Dr. s
exceeding in good effects the Of incubation, which
had previously been in vogue To realize its value let
family by whom it's benefits have been most felt.
81 those who born ~ cent die before they Is
years old. In the United States the cost of their
support from birth to the age of 49, may be estimated at
800. Between these ages our estimated number Of
them being thus totally losince Il not until after
this age that with they aids producers of wealth
children must ss estimated at
tetet's work on the Development Of Man, the is
stated n similar terms Tor France But there y another
sents These the bghted affections of parents and the
hoiiest affections crushed to the dust Are there here
to whose memory my words do not recall little lost
whose hepssness dependence and innocence bound
it to with cords more delicate than gossamer but
stroDg iron cable9 Whatever abste this infant
mortality is indeed boon TO the human race and such
vaccination has proved. From the illustration which has
been given you what position the medical profession
occupies in the complicated social machine We are
therefore equally interested in all that advances
direct Offices Of our OCCUPATION in %erns to the re
lief ofthe sick In all the social advances and useful dis
s Of which No1 ws ssa we nai mixed up
race alone. The great Mohamedan physicians OF the
middle ages stood in the same attitude When the intel
lect Of Europe emerging from they guided
it through the Arabian medical colleges OF Odessa and
Khuris,an institutions which shine in the darkness of
those times like stars Of the first magnitude 1.-THE Pro-
fessor here apoozed for eulogizng these ancens and
referred to many Of the uxues we enjoy originating
in Asia and alluded to the fact that indebted to
the Prophet Of Mecca for the first Maine liquor aw An
engineer when called upon to repair injured machine
gives at frat general survey and may perhaps profit
ably conclude remarks in spending few moments in
similar examination. We are proposing to aid in
moving the Affections TO which humanity is liable-a
pretty extensive field Of usefulness. OF those who
born % per cent die before the Of year, and 81 per
cent before they are years old after which there Is
unusual mortality until the 18th year, when the
chances OF death again Increase for nine years. and then
another lease Of life ia taken In the adult state the
Gi,ion under which life and health is maintained is
perpetual balancing. There identity of person.
but constant reception, appropriation and waste like
lie dame Of lamp which only exists by being sup
Piled below while Il wastes above; that with all the
seeming identity It maintains, that which is
mot that which we instant before. ton and a
tah O. material Is annually supplied consumed and
wasted oy every adult [Alusion here made to the
1hysoogy OF nutrition and its effect upon the supply Of