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

nor Tor us to perform, and the answer to this ques
ton determines the place of beginning.
Lest Doubt might arise as to the correctness of
tne opirion, we wish to impress upon the probes
Siona mind that society itself and not we alone are
famehaoe to censure for the abasement to VII ch
OF medicine had descended at the dte
u our associated existence, let US for moment
look INTO the records Of the past tn whether
cannot nnd an antecedeut era, in which the world
mas been subjected TO similar moral cAtoclysms, by
winch ancient institutions we're broken Up, their
materials converted iuto drift, to lay the founds-
IONS OF newer and more horizontal strata, from
"nicn we may draw lessons of wisdom applicable
70 our own time and our condition.
we believe that there is no period of ancient his
tory into which that of our art is intimately inter-
woven, presenting more anaogies to our own, aud,
at the same time, distinctly marked by strong
antithesis. as that which interviewed between the
death Of the Savior and Mohsmmed, when for more
than FIVE hundred years, nightly struggle was 60
ing on between that Divine Word, ''who hghteth
every man which comeLh into the wo:li, the splr-
il of the Indian religion and the maj sty OF the RO-
man Empire, the latter aided by a fascinating Pit
los1p5y, made beautiful by the aesthetics oil Lonei-
ginus each striving for the possession OF the hu-
man race.
Whilst the Empire thus labored to throwi Vpas
shadow over the infant church. social dislntegrs-
ton of castles owing to these strug les and the IT.
ruDlion Of barbarian hosts from the north, took
place, and a consequent universal fusion oil the ra-
ces, languages, and customs, producing an excita-
ton of thought, and blending of peoples analo-
gous to the social fusion and the blending of types
Of disease which we see daily taking place 10 our
own time and in our country. The minds OF men
thus cut loose from their ancient tastenngs, sought
new afsnities, arranged themselves in accordance
| with those difficulties into new forms, many OF
whom wandered into uuexplored paths, hoping with
out the aid of Divine guide to ascertain their r.
lation TO the unseen.
Thus also did the members of our own profession
wander into untred and forbidden paths, in pursuit
of the ideal up to the time this Association was
formed. faithful picture of the last century OF
tits historic period presents the deepest contrasts
OF light and shadow, that can be portrayed 10 sin
gle work of art The darkest hue of vice being
drawn in the same PANEL with the purest tints OF
virtne. The church young and vigorous being
soled by its contact with paganism ineIpressloIy
wicked, against which it waged war, unmi'gated
by acts of mercy.
These outbreaks of emancipated human thought
at each Of these epochs, have had their use: nave
produced their fruits-ate in arriving at maturity,
it is true-and especially so will it be with the
germs that scattered in the midst OF the coniu-
sion of our own times. An abiding faith, that GOOD
seed in spite of the that may choke it, or the
birds that may devour it by the wsyse. will spring
up and produce fruit in good season, has led me into
| this historical retrospect.
| During the period to which we have alluded just
sufficiently to show what forces disturbed and
broke up ancient civilization, we find on closer
examination, that the laws of the Empire relating
to medicine, though unrepealed, were not enforced.
These laws made il the duty of the provincial
governors TO send the youth, subject to their Jurs
diction up to the city magistrates where they were
requi. ed to submit to the most rigid system OF sur
veillance by the municipal authorities, their con-
duct students, their department as citizens, be-
ing subjects of official scrutiny. The medical pu-
pills under the training of the Archiatres or State
physicians were fitted for the performance Of their
duties in either the wards of the cities, or in the
towns or villages whittier they were sent b7 impe-
rial authority, on the requison Of the inhabitants,
who paid for their services stipulated price.
Notwithstanding these requirements OF law were
left unrepealed the new opinions which had got
posses ion OF the popular MUD, b iug more power
full than statutes. when inforced by the PerabOIni
a body Of religious medical enthusiasts and various
other pretenders. who impeled by the spirit which
animates people having just been taught to ex
ercise the privilege of judging in matters OF faith,
become prssumptious in matters of science, and by
pylyng this newly acquired right of action to med
cine, having numerical strength, they overrode
| the prerogatives of caste, and tramped uuderioot
the wisdom Of all preceding ages.
Whilst these conflicts Of opinion were being car
ried on in age that produced all Athanasius, a
jerome, Chrysostom, and an Augustine, and a
system of Christi ethics which abso bed into it.
self all that was valuable in the philosopIies of
Greece and Egypt, medicine acquired celebrity from
such names as Cacsarius, who became an Archiater
! -Palatinus, 0ribasius, whose works remain as
monuments of his genius and proofs of his culture;
Actias Alexander of Trslles, and Paulus guinets,
scarcely interior in reputation TO the father OF med
icine himself The Iusrre of these names seems
but the more expressively to mark the twilight OF
that night destined thence to brood over Europe,
whilst the materials of the ancient civilization,
! broken into fragments by rude aud vigorous bar
barsm, were slowly wearing away the Characters
tics Of the conquering hOrdes, and preparing the
way for its temperance in new FORMS through the
fundamentally Of the Free Cities and the teudal
institutions of Europe.
During this general eclipse of letters, it's occul-
tation continuing till the of printing invent
ed we have had furnished TO US an opportunity Of
seeing how inad quste statutes alone are to the de-
veopment of institutions and how impotent they
are even when aided by professional cooperation,
to resist the Obstacles interposed by an adverse
public opinion.
If our design has been accomplished, we have
shown that the work OF medical regeneration ia 10
be commenced by the profession, " hose success is
made dependent upon an intelligent concurrence
| of the popular judgment. But il must be remem-
bered that in attempting to bring about essential
changes in social lie, in public policy or in the
constitutional relations OF the different States by
whose happy form of union we are permitted TO
meet here to-day as feow-ctizens of a common
country, must keep in mind this fact, that Il
organic nature is developed from embryonic exist
ences-that all great changes in opinion have had
| in ~.
the production of fruit, and that advances in
science and improvements in the method Of its ap-
plicaton to art have also had thsr seed time their
period Of growth, and ever must have their day OF
fruiton.
History is filed with exempIifcatons of the truth
| of this remark and of evidences of the perpetuity
of this law The first step the road to the trans
Atlantic Telegraph taken by Volta, when he
constructed the Voltaic ple-the next was the for
motion of the GAvanic Battery. These inventions
were followed by the discovery that soft iron be
come a magnet when subj.cted to the action of an
electrical current snd resumed its normal condition
as soon as the current was Withdrawn. Then il
was proved that the magnetic action of current
OF electricity is not sssened in intensity BY pass.
| ing through long wire. Out of these antecedents.
by the help OF troves permanent battery, thu Mag
netic Telegraph was developed and the art OF mag.
neic prn ing evolved.
| But Tor the researches OF Fesaiius, who h'd
traced out the course of the lacteaIs the splendid
discovery OF Harvey OF the circulation of the blood
might have BEEN long time postponed.
Notwithstanding the perennial influence Of those
causes to which We have ascribed the ten ieney to
professional abasement, have met here 10 arres,
and to connteract there in the condition Of Thugs
by which we surrounded much to inspire US
with confidence and to stimuli ste Va to exerlion
We have not now as cid those who lived in the
time Of our historic analogue TO resist the pressure
caused by the debris of an elite culture.
1 W. has To- "a n