Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-06
Oily AND SUBURBAN.

CONNENCENENT or THE MEDICAL COLLEGE
OF VrRGIxIA.-A large crowd Of ladies and
gentlemen assembled last night, at the First
Baptist Church, TO witness the closing exer-
cises of the Virginia Medical College.
The students came into the church in a
body, the band playing march, and presented
fine appearance.
After prayer by DR.. Burrows, the band in
attendance entertained the audience with ap-
prOpriate music.
DR.. JoyneS, Dean Of the Faculty, announced
the following graduates, and conferred upon
them the degree Of Doctor of Medicine.
Samuel Il. Austin, Greeubrier county, West
Virginia Thomas j. Barger, Montgomery
county, Virginia Daniel r. Brewer, VI. d.,
Norristown, Pennsylvania: Thomas NJ. Diet
rick, HenricO county, Virginia; Edmund Hell
nemann, Richmond Virginia; Samuel \. Nell
York District, South Carolina; Alonzo B.. Lit
tie Clark county, Virginia J. Newton Nc
Mutt. Knoxville. Tennessee: Thomas II. Par
han, Sussex county, Virginia James l.
POague, Rockbridge county, Virginia James
Poulson, Accomac county, Virginia; Llttletoh
s Ray6eld. northampton county, Virginia
YIN. +. Richardson, VI. D., Richmond, Nir-
oipia John W. Robinson, GreenSyille county,
Virginia Hiram 4. Sims, Greene county, Nlr-
ginia James b. Spicer, Hanover county, Nlr-
GINA John B. TerreS, Charlotte, North CARROLL
ma George VI. Wells, Floyd county, Virginia
John b. Whitehead, Nelson county, Virginia.
Professor Mcclure delivered an interesting
and eloquent address, repletc with valuable
hints for the e outward bound Leaving the
beaten track of advice rs 10 their duties 10
wards their patients, towards themselves and
professional brethren, he said g. propose to
leave the old and well-woru track, So often and
closely followed that il would be difficult 10
find a new path about il, and glance tor a few
moments al the different branches OF our yOca-
lion. and to some OF the men who have
practiced it. Ii 1 succeed in this way in cN-
citing for your profession your love and pride,
ar in adding to these, IL they already exist,
shall feel fully rewarded For this purpose he
considered the different elementary branches OF
the profession OF Medicine, beginning with
natOmy, he proceeded To sketch briefly the
progress OF Anatomy, an accurate knowledge of
which was necessary to the successful pructi-
TONER. He took up Physiology next, and de
veloped its great Importance. Nateria hcdica
and Chemistry came in for their share. His
reference to chlorOiurm was very beautiful ?
Amer portraying ut some length its Importance,
he ended its eulogy with ''lt is Gods boon To
the suffering, robbing pain of ITS awful power,
leSSening the grim terror of the surgeon 5
knife, and lifting from maternity portion OF
the curse OF its fearful agony
lie passed next To a consideration OF the
men who had followed the profession Of medi-
cine-paid a tribute To the forty mJrtyred
heroes OF Norfolk and alluded 10 the char
acter OF the surgeons in the late armies OF the
south, many OF whom bear upon their persons
this dav the marks OF the bullet, and a number
oil whom gave up their lives upon the field OF
battle for the sake of the wounded. He be-
Heyed that stheir answering devotion 10 duty,
their uutiriug energy and cheerful support,
Contributed no little to'inSpire that heroiSm
which turned our defeat int honor, and made
our surrender the proudcSt memory OF the
war;
He denounced, in UnmeaSured terms, the
charlatanism and quackery which had brought
reproach and opprobrium upon the profession,
anil related an instance, which had come UNI
der his own observation, OF the terrible evils OF
ignorance ofthe medical practitioner. He con-
cluded bis discourse by calling the attention OF
the graduating class to the responsibility Of
their calling, aud in this connection alluded
very touchiugly to the memory of Jackson.
His lecture was a very line one, chciting the
praise of the audience, aud should, We think
be published.
The exercises closed with music by the
band.