Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-05-07

having, tnen, 10 our feyor the v1gor ana impress
soility OF new people, the re<ources OF new and
rapidly developed country, the intelligence OF
selt-governng population, the augmeutations OF
that intelligence by the unrestricted importations
OF learned works and toe immigration OF cultivated
strangers; and without the propulsion derived from
a free and active press, we have right to expect
success. With such auxiliaries, by persistent
sssduiiy on our part we shall at gone future day
eljoy the happiness of seeing our labors crowned
with the pageant of brilliant triumph.
The ore thing already achieved in the adoption
and enforcement of the code of medical ethics, !.
worthy of commemoration by the observance OF
an annual bolyday. Till then We had suffered more
from quackery within the profession than from ir-
regulaIities without. Now that order OF things is
reversed.
From survey even of the surface of society
We learn how soon the knowledge derived from
medical sources strikes its roots into the popular
soil. Take as example the subject OF organic
chemistry, and We shall see how rapidly its princ'
pies are passing into the stock OF general inttli
gence. The numbers are daily on the increase, 10
every community, of those persons who know the
necessity of heterogeneous articles of diet when re-
pairs to be made 10 the brous and srsolsr It's
sue, and how important an agency the carlo by
drogeaous are supposed to exert, by increasing
combustion in the removal OF certain morblt cor
tons OF toe lungs. In this way the mutual rela-
tons OF the profession to the ppope is made apDa-
rent The instruction communicated by the scien
ti6c physician is refunded to him 10 the increased
capacity of the people to appreciate his worth.
We have spoken Of the professions IS the pro
duets of general culture, to which in our country,
they must Of necessity bear fixed and dehnite re
ation, and of the reciprocal Influences they and
the society out of which they spring, exert upon
each other We have shown 10 single example
by what apparently simple quotations 10 scientific
di covery, men are led to great practical results
As an incentive to industry and as treason tor con"
fdence in slow but certain success, we will detaln
you one moment longer, in hasry sketch OF the
materials for thought that arise out of the contem-
pation Of the field of nature, such scene beng
as suggestive of thought and full of instruction,
as the examples furnished by the achievements OF
art.
In adjusting our telescope, to study the features
of some snow-clad mountain, the organ OF Vislon
perhaps takes in the form of enterprlsIns ex-
porer whose feet still sparkling With ice as he des-
cends from its summit, will crush out The fragra ice
of the plants which spring up TO greet him as De
walks downwards into the valley OF hDwers From
the eminence attained by his enterprize, he cOuli
trace the course, and measure the elevation OF
the mountain chain, which give origin and direction
to the rivers, effect the commerce, the language
aud migrations of men, fix the character OF the
bits of its population.
Subsidiary to the interes. excited by this scene
as landscape, but not subordinate IN importance,
lies the geological formation of the ranges which
contain their mineral productions, give character
to their fountains and increase to tue variety and
beauty of the vegetation, both on the slope, OF the
mountains and ia the valleys below.
Although scene like this may excite emotion
in the bosom of a savage and awaken sentiment
nf aAo for ha nd
give such grandeur to nature and pass from the
mind OF au ordinary observer without any other
expenditure OF thought, vt to master IL AS sub
jet of scienti6: study would require prep ratory
knowledge OF what is contained in the wrtlnt Vi
Werner and Hutton and Miller on Geology, OF Cur
vier and Buckland on Paleontoogy, OF Godfrey,
st. Hiliare and Agassiz, on the races OF men aDc
the migration OF animals, of NJ. BIoi on Ethno'
graphy, and Of Linnaus aud De Candolle and Tor
ry and Gray on Botany. And 10 condense tie
whole into the congress OF the Cosmos would re-
quire the genius and longevity Of Humboldt
What is there then gentlemen, left for US to do,
but to declare the perpetuity Of this Association
and renew our Of fidelity to the requirements
Of its constitution
In this proclanati) IN and 10 these involved
the pledges, that 10 our professional acts we will
aonOr the principles OF moral law, which lie at the
foundation of our code of Medical Ethics. That
we Will use our INDIVIDUAL ibuuenCc anu gu w W
direct the power of this association as to secure
higher mental culture TO medical students aud can
didates for medical donors When that IS accom-
plished the medical schools will rise in character as
correstive effect, and the profession establish Tor
itself legitimate claim TO public confidence ana
popular esteem. Our custom of meeting IN each
successive year. in a different State OF the Union,
prevents the decay OF the body, by the introduc-
ZION of new material; and we illustrate 10 this way,
the doctrine of zymosis, y the rapid assimilation
of these elements iuto the common mas
Another custom of the Association has done much
to bind it TO the indv iual States that OF shedding
its donors upon the profession Of the State in which
the meetings are held, through which We hope to
the sympathies OF the Ople, and enlist them
allies in the warfore We are engaged IN, against
the hosts OF ignorance
A departure from the established usage OF the
Association in either of these particulars, would
mark the date OF its decline, both in vital 'orce and
mental vigor. ANY restriction put upon It's freedom
Of motion, or attempt m4de to ntrallLe It, lnnd-
ence, would eDstsmp &c with the seal ct decay.
But il the avenues to material success are so Oh
rect and rilian that the tai nt OF the country Is
tempted to take The shorter road to wealth whereby
We fell in our attempt to lay the foundation oil ma
tonal m dica literature, in holding up 1lSh e1-
emplar to the medic student, by teacolng MIN tue
necessity OF a thorugb preparatory discipline De-
fore commencing professional studies, aud urging
him by the force of opinion CD master the eeme ds
Of his profession before assuming the Responsibilities
which attach to the discharge of its duties, we may
yet in one way leave our traces upon the national
character and footprints the national history
in the halloSing of one day 10 our annual calendar,
on the r, currence Of which may have oy the
example OF our patriotism, the stamp OF nAuon-
atty, 10 bringing shrine no sectional PAS
sions aud so conducting proceedings that bril-
hant memories shall adorn our annals, the names
OF our celebrities be embalmed national oenelac-
tors and the anniversaries Of this Association, in
honor of their services. shall foIm by popular con
sent, one of the holidays of this glorious Republic
Often in the crisesof sectional conmotiOn the moral
necessity OLA common shrine, national ieas, place
a time, or memory sacred to fraternal sympathies
and general observance, appals the patriotic heart
with rtgret, or warns 1t with desired Were such
nucleus tor popular enthusiasm, such goal, Tor
nations pilgrimage, such day for reciprocal gra-
tuation our owns time when the oath Of fealty
could be renewed at the same altar the voice o. en-
couragement be echoed from every S ction oil the
coniederscy, the memory OF what has been, the
appreciation OF what is and the hope of what may
be, simultaneously feli,-wh@t bond Of Union, q
motive forbearance and pledge Of nationality woulI
be srcGredl
Big the blessing Of the Divine Founder of our
holy religion, who, nineteen hundred years ago,
went up to jerusalem, wi b his disciples 10 cele-
brate national feast may the proceedings Of this
body be so overrued, that the reco Lotions Of this
meeting at Nashville to-day, when soltened by the
moonlight OF memory" may become a hallOsed
event IN the annals OF our yearly migrstion
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