The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-03-06
- -s.lHnas -tEss .rEas7
LOCAL MATTERS.
Medical College Commencement
ADDRESS OF DIR. GAILLARD.

A large audience of ladies and gentle
ment besides the students, assembled in
the chemical room of the Medical College
Of Virginia last night to attend the COM
mencement exercises. This occasion never
fails to call forth good attendance of the
medical profession and of ladies, many of
the latter, perhaps, being relatives and
friends Of the students. The following
gentlemen were announced graduates in
medicine, and received their diplomas
from the faculty.
John L. Aydelott, Worcester, Md; G..
W. Butts, Nansemond, Va; Morgan B.
Campbell, Highland, Va; NJ. G. Deal,
.Surry, Va; Paul Faver, Fayette, Ga. ;
Charles A. Fox, Fairfax, Va. Joseph W.
A. Johnston, Morgan, W. Va; John A.
Lewis, Frankfort, KY; j. Addison Logan,
Montgomery, Va; Richard z. Meade,
Clarke, Va; James F. Pendleton, Rich
mond, Va; Thomas L. Painter, Wythe,
Va; Walter L. Roy, Warren, Va; j.
Alonzo Simons, Richmond, Va; Edgar B.
Smoke, Frederick, Va; Lemuel 81.
Vaughan, Petersburg, Va; George W.
West, Richmond, Va; B. F. Whitescar-
yer, Rockingham, Va; Richard A. Wise,
Richmond, Va; John N. Upsher, North
ampton, Va.
After the delivery of the diplomas, the
prize of valuable case of surgical instru-
ments was awarded G. 81. Vaughan, of
Petersburg, for the best essay on dis
pepsia.
S. L. Gaillard, of this city, then deli
vered an interesting address to the gradu-
ating class.
ADDRESS OF DR.. GAILLARD.
His subject was: The Medical and Sur
qical Lessons of the Late War. After
citing briefly the various changes that
have taken place in the history of the
South during the last eight years, and
contrasting her present with her past con-
dition, he alluded particularly to the state
of the medical profession now and then.
In the sad history of the late war none
suffered more than the physician; he suf-
fered in common with all, for in war and
peace he is the familiar associate and
friend of all. His property, like that Of
others, has been swept away; and not
only has he had to bear his own losses,
but, in the discharge Of his daily duties, to
witness the irremediable sufferiDgs of bis
fellow-men. Unlike all others, however,
the physician has had much compensation
for the trials, disasters, and disappoint-
ments, of the late struggle. He has had an
opportunity of seeing much, observing
much, and hearing much. Few appreci-
ate that the war has been to him of meal
culable advantage, as afording school in
which, during few years, he has learned
those great lessons that long lifetime
would have been powerless to impart. He
is. perhaps, now more efficient and useful
at the bedside than ever before and the
country is now furnished with medical
corps which the war has thoroughly and
reliably educated. Every community has
derived some compensation, at least, for
its SORROWS in the increased efficiency Of
the physician.
After this introduction, the Professor
announced that he would first consider
the surgical lessons of the war. He then
adyerted to the general introduction of the
use of the trephine in gunshot fractures of
the skull, it having been discovered that, so
fart rom being unjustifable, it is essentially
correct and indispensable. 1t is now
established that the use of this instrument
should be the rule, and not the exception,
in fracture Of the skull attended with de-
preston of the fragments. It had been
previously held that amputation at the hip
Joint was so exceedingly fatal that the
operation was regarded as reprehensible
surgery. Success in the northern and
southern armies reversed this law, and
rendered such amputations judicious and
proper. One of the most important les
sons is founded on the fact that ampu-
tation in compound gunshot fractures
involving the upper third of the
femur has been found not inadmissible,
while leading surgical authorities formerly
held another opinion. We have learned
that, in military surgery, resections, unless
confined to comparatively small joints, are
injudicious. The dangerous error that
tetanus from gunshot wounds or general
spasms is commonly caused by exposure
in field or open hospitals has been cor
rected by the experience of Confederate
surgeons. Although the wounded were
largely treated in open tents, tetanus was
comparatively a rare occurrence. The
course adopted by the Confederate Sur
geon- General in cases of modification con-
spicuously diminished the number of
deaths from the .scourge Of hospitals (;
treatment in open tents in pure country
-.