The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1870-05-11
TFor the Herald.
Address Before the NeWber-
nv Medical Association.
BY THE PRESIDENT.

GENTLEMEN In rising to dis
charge the duty properly attached
to the presiding officer of an asso-
citation like this, I am prompted
by the first thought presenting
itself, to congratulate You upon
the prospect Of forming, among
US, a permanent Medical Society.
It is matter of surprise, as we'll
as regret, that proceeding Of so
much Importance has been so long
neglected since the slightest con-
sideration Of the emotion, in which
she Healing Art obviously had its
origin, viii point out cooperation
as the second movement towards
it's establishment and maintenance.
Ifa traveller, Of ordinary humanl-
ty, finds fellow-being in the high
way, with a fractured limb, his
first impulse is to relieve him; his
second is to call for help. A hu-
name desire to remedy bodily at
fictions, gave rise to the Practice
Of Medicine; and, as this generous
inclination was, at first, free from
expectations Of remuneration, no
feelings of avarice, pride, or en-
vious competition stood in the
way of two or moro persons think
ing and acting together, for the
accomplishment of such a purpose.
There can be no doubt, that Medi-
cine originated in ncighborly love.
It is . cheering trait in our fallen
nature, that few men can lcok up
. on suffering Of any kind, without
sympathy, and i corresponding
manifestation of willingness to
give assistance. This cannot be
obliterated, even by misanthropy;
for the Hermit in his banishment
from society, will still gather his
"fumitory," ana s:eyebright," to
cure sickness. Nor can hatred
overcome it, quite; for Aaron
Barr, when Hamilton fell by his
hand, made a gesture Of regret,
and took one step towards his vic
tim. I can imagine, that Cain,
before he fed in his terrible exile,
started with this same step to-
wards his fallen brother; thus,
signalizing the triumph Of Pity
over vengeance and indifference:
It is the step fthc good Samari-
tan; and the one, which marks
the path Of the true Physician.
Medicine is the oldest in the
Sistcrhood Of Charities and was,
once, as pure as hermothcr. But,
in following mankind through
luxury and vice. in the exercise of
her Office. she has become warped,
perhaps, contaminated; and her
votaries disposed to selfshness
and ambition. Yet, although
:ieered in cpigram and romance,
she never can be deprived Of her
title to respect, while she reminds
her disciples, that she is the off
spring of Pity; and she calls upon
them, to restore her to the purity
other childhood, by the encourage
ment Of Professional friendship;
by thcsupprcssion Of false notions
Of independence; and by linking
their thoughts together, until a
chain is formed, which, differently
from the material law, shall grow
stronger as it becomes lenGthen-
ed.
Tits pleasant to dwell upon this
spiritual feature in Medicine, this
goodwill fron one mortal towards
another. I can fancy, that, when
the great Digest of the moral law
was proclaimed,-To love God
with all our heart, and our neigh
Dor as ourself, Religion and Medi-
cine rose up as the special hand.
maids to be employed. Love,
whether for God or man, is. insep-
arabic from confidence, from faith;
and faith is co-incident with graft
tudc. In this way, Physicians
are linked with the People. The
poor EsquimauS woman, on the
very northernmost border Of hu-
man existence, had faith in dim
Deity, and also in her neighbor;
for, with her child strapped to her
back, she came to DR.. Kane, at
the moment Of his desperate de-
parturc, to remind him of his prom
isc to do something for the health