Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-06-08
MEDICAL COLLEGE
COMMENCEMENT

evening, in connection with the close of the
Term in the Medical College. We hear that
the Assembly was full and interested one.
We take from the Times of next morning the
following account of the proceedings
The exercises connected with the Medical Col
lege COmmencem0t, took place last evening
in the Town Hall and were opened by prayer
by President Pcase, of the University. Pro
fessor R. Cresson Stiles. then delivered the
valedictOry address The eloquent doctor at
tackled, with characteristic earnestness, the
doctrines and theories Of the dJgmatists,
showing that medicine was progressive but
not entirely al empirical science. and expos
ing the tallacies and errors OF those whose
doctrines are ''only words with which they
keep up their ignorance.
The Professor administered some sound.
wholesome ,and practical advice 10 the mem
bers OF the graduating class, reminding them
that the Diploma was not the sign Ola flu
ished education, or that their studies were
ended, on the receipt of It, The address
abounded in eloquent and brilliant passages,
and was delivered with clearn IS, force and
earnestnes. Below will be found an abstract
which, however, is only OF the substance -
GENTLEMEN -
The diploma Of Doctor Of Med
icine to be placed in your hands this eve
ming, is intended to mark stage in your
advancement. not a goal attained Ii IS your
title of admission into a higher school, in
which your teachers Will be the great master
minds of Aledi al Science, acknowledged such
by the unanimous judgment Of thinking men,
when the law OF nature VIII claim your
study by all the arguments which your
higher personal interest can ahJrd, and
where a lore Of truth and a manly self reliance
will be the springs Of your activity
Viewing the occasion which now calls us
together, IN this light, it seems proper rath-
er than to dwell upon the f0rnalities Of a
welcome into the ranks Of the Medical Pro-
tession, to present you with few notes up
on some Of the principles which lie at the
foundation Of a Rational Practice Of Medi-
cine.
All truths are intimately allied, and, hence
each branch of science is dependent upon its
fellows for It's own advancement. In this
dependence are found the conditions which
determine its stationary periods, and its pc
riods of progression The individual science
moves with the advancing column. its tri-
umpns are shared by all, and its individual
achievements appear as the creation Of the
age, which witnessed them. The present
century has witnessed the origin and devel-
opment Of the sciences of Chemistry, Phy>iO-
logical or General Anatomy and Physiology,
which are indispensably necessary to
knowledge Of the alterations OF structure
and function which constitute disease.
Previous to this period the practice Of
Medicine could have been Mechanical, Ply
sical, or Empirical, but l5nr period Of
comparative stagnatiOn must have proceeded
the rise Of these fundamental branches Of
medical knowledge. The rules and princi-
pies which practical medicine demands Tor
It's guidance it was impossible 10 fix upon
firm scientific basis they were, therefore, for
the most part dogmas, doctrines - sent into
the world before their time, scarcely half
made up. But the sway IF do-mas and
schools has ceased, the yarJislus OF the old
regime that timid but respectable body
which, at all times, breads innovation =
are still many, but the majority of the ply
sicians are zealously lurtharnc ;he advance
of medical science by their corporation OF
y stationary period is marked ty its OBJ
scurity Of thought, lis saryility, Its iu-O5r5nt
disposition and Its enthusiastic mpcr,
these are most plainly manifested in Its
indistinctness OF Ideas, Its c1mmentltlr.dl
spirit, Its dogmatism, and Its mysticism.
All til 50 traits may De found ia th" h'sso-y
OF medicine.
Medical science is in such close dependence
upon Physiology Physiological Anatomy and
Chemistry, it Is no wonder that their pro
gress should have modified the practice Jf
medicine, that traditional principles of treat
ment should manifest pore wava!iug and
precarious existence and that the grosscr.
mechanical, physicdlau empirical resources
Of our predec,ss rs, should have given place
to more truly physiological methods of
the notifications thus introduced. two ol the
most important only will b. considered.
First, The greater precision of our knowl-
edge Of physiological conditions, under
which alone health is possible. has enabled
us to arply them to its restoration when
lost. and greater stress is laid upon their
adaptation to the varying states of the sys-
TEN in is phases of disease.
SEcoND. The next modification Of Tra.-
teal medicine 70 be considered is the OF
spring Of general anatomy and experimental
The learned doctor dvclt at length on
these two divisions of his subject, and in
conclusion said We have now seen that
natural and necessary notifications have
been recently introduced into the practice of
and that the tendency to greater
changes exists 1t is, therefore, impossible
to practice the profession from a chart of dis
eases, and list of remedies. \ knowledge
of the laws of life, sound, scientific and ex-
tended, must be the reliance Of the student.
The class were warned not to rely entirely
on the experience hereafter to be acquired
and were reminded that the errors of mere
experience, had passed into a proverb, tex
perientia fallax, but they were to associate
with their practical duties, scientific zeal and
habits Of scientific observation and experl
ment.
After the address the President spoke
few words to the class, which we are unable
to lay before our readers this morning, on
account of the crowded state of our columns.
Honorary degrees was then conferred upon
E. j. YoUMANs, and the degree of NJ. D. was
conferred upon the following gentlemen
J. II. BANTER, Vermont.
y. III. CHESNORE, -
E. c. CLARK, New Hampshire.
Il. NJ. CoLoMBUs, South America.
B. W. DODGE, Vermont.
P. O'M. Epson,
II. S. FARNswoRTH, Vermont
NJ. II. HENRY, New York City.
j. E. HIrr, Vermont
4. F. HoLT, Mass.
HENRY HILL, Canada.
F. NJ. KELLEY, Vermont
PRENTIss KENT, Michigan
JOHN R. LEWIS, Vermont
W. L. MUNRoE, 4"
T. Z. POTTER, q"
B. F. SUTTON,
A. G. WALLS, La.
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY OF BOsToy.-Ihe
fortyslxth anniversary of the American
Tract Society was largely attended Wednes-