New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-03
BELLEVUE HOSPITAL MEDICAL COLLEGE.
TENTH ANNUAL ENCEMENT-ADDRESS BY
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.

TENTH ANNUAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES BY
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
The tenth annual Commencement of the
Bellevue Hospital Medical College was held at the Acad
cmy Of Music last evening. The house was densey
crowded with persons Interested in the graduating class
which numbers 49, and in the Institution. After a
prayer by the chaplain Of the college, the Rev Alfred b.
Beach D. D. the degree OF Doctor OF Medicine was con-
ferrcd upon tho graduates by Prof. l. f. Taylor NJ d.,
President Of the Faculty Prof Austin Flint then an
nounced the result OF the competition for the prizes
offered by Pros. Mott and wood Of the Faculty For the
Mott prizea complete ease OF surgical instruments
two essays had been prepared the Committee decided III
favor that written by DR.. Thomas X Bruce. or ne
was awarded o. Dr. Horace p. Bidweli Iho essays IN
each instance were upon the best preparations rc"'hs
The address to The graduates then delivered by
Or. o. W. Holmes. He said Let me give YOU iSw
hints how patients and how to keep them at tls
most receptive moment lou are now iresh ron V w.
ecturc-r0om, and can pass examinations on matters ~
which your seniors IN the profession would ma Hl
cult To compete lidrd WORK VIII tfdlh NE y
OF knowledge of you, as tine lat Is trained on IIzu
fighter There many things we can anOrd 10 Iofstt
which II Is yet wen 10 learn, ana tle nsp",55T "
to-day finds soil in the forgotten facts OF Yesterday.
Your diploma very long to night but 1t begins To
shrink from this hour Your present % ny
mcut viii. cure itself. Yet your education las eH
largely practical and IL Is tho advantage OF great ccS
that in the hospitals yon many kinds OF disease ana
many specimens Of the same kind -,
Though you have not learned all the mysteries OF tne
ant would rather have the least skilled among You u
attend me through fever th!n any OF tIc he1Ioai
dcrratiug your accomplishments. You know what To 40
for an alderman IN an npoplcXy and iOi woman u
certain test OF time can teach you the htall0h1 ul
your knowledge. our training has Two stdSeSii NV
rst nothing difficult everything beng as Simple as
uiayiug on Hamet's pipe. Then there - the second
stage when has 20 try thousand times Deloc We
King can be done right. See how siiul surgeon scIa
"A limb, or how old physician SMILES away an aPp4I
emily serious aud will tnd you have sometuls
il lys giving something t. Interfere with his patients
ntcrrs oTrangecitS tie old one takes matters more
rand ISL ID
/. the voung who promote liberal ideas Inc hraI
nni.nr of truth not bcin: first heard by those who
have begun To feel the need OF an ear trumpet
with regard 10 patients IL may be Hiiu lnat ln1s @
r IN Ie rid OF their ailments and mich attached to
this planet place OF residence lhcy ale WHINE ~
,,+ can he osyed 81 them to prove their honesty do
not know that the community here - more Ignorant az
medical science than the English of whom lIu4ley SAID
that even the educated classes were profoundly Ignorant
Of The laws animal ite But If people only hne" their
own Ignorance the practitioner would nave IN easiDr
time OF il. Thi, Ignorance has always pre-
vailed. and oven Bacon and Bcrkiey put
faith in the most absurd prescriptions. -. 10
gain confidence you must possess all those qualities
necessary 10 make you the ultimate lIehl oi your
patients family. Very likely 10 interfere WIN souhd
talents is a fondncs5 for uanllosc generalization
also warn You against all ambitious ASPIRATIONS outside
Of your profession DO noi dapbe III lhe inuuy StNor
of potrs, Tile great Practitioners concentrate all their
powers on their business To get practice, YOU must
really want II. Were you in the apaSn OF an ODE WOI
Won ike To be called to teCthng infant or 10 an ancient
person afflicted with the lumbaGOi The community very
soon finds out whether you are IN earnest OF a mere
a, 10 pcrsoni habits temperance is necessary There
have been too many tipping doctors Mood remind you
of the Importance OF pulrtuaHty II you tdli
too carly on my lady, her hair may not be SMOOTH II you
tt too Late, her hair be- smooth, but her temper
NAV he otherwise Your face, too, like dp.onatist -
h0uld be impcnctrablc Your patient has no more right
10 NH YOU know than to all the medicine III yOdr saddle
has, II YOU carry them Above all. N the SICK chamber
l,cu yor doubts 10 yourself y0ur patient discharges
Won do not take II aiirOnt lou nave no property
In him was once called to lady, who, IN the prlilu
mary word skrmi-h, informed me that was tio TWEEN
tysxt medical adv scr In whose arms she ad PROBES
siouay thrown herself / immediately dtcLnea the re-
spnn.iiy i'm favor of the twcuiy-scNenth! Your reE
tou, with your brother practitioners may he source OF
Measure or the revcrs, but II the brillancy or your
cgbors reputation attracts you do not dash your n'
through his window. ,, -, .,,
DR. iloimcs whose remarks were emphasized by the
frrgurpt laughter and applause Of the large audience
concluded his address by touching tribute 10 I'Uehy
deceased member OF the Faculty. Prof. Geo. d. EhOI
and a word OF praise for his successor, PfOi WIN -.
Insk quoting as farewell, the Latin eAhOrtatoh OF
the students diplomas. ~ VII,
Tine yaledict0ry was then pronounced by DR.. Edward
{ Humber Of the Graduating Glass. The stage was
crow,ied by a large number OF the medical profession
and the literary exercises were relieved by music by an
excellent orchestra under the leadership OF Carl Berg