National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-11

Tf
wons., his hssp-nsts, VIII lax behind himf
When brave might throws aside his sword, shall
fair lady retain her l1tes u It reasonable to
saPpose that the women Vt the pressat day have
NJ desire y tske passage in the great car Of pre-
gress that goes rollisg down tie track Of time
crushing, hkethe fatal 5uggsrnaut the fossils VINO
i've only In the traditions OF the pestf o..
Ist reasonable 70 suppose that the majority 81
women desire but . BUTTERFLY existence Oh oeau.y
and scnshinef By such suppssittons We insult
the sex. Women ure human They nave oralns
and bodies to feed, and many must tal The
widow and orphan must toooften look To- them
selves for protection and support and there are
greatminds among them thirsting for knowledge.
When they come to rs saying 1--WE have brains
and hands and will to work, tell NJ Whist to do"
what shall be our answerf Should We turn our
back upon them, thrust them thereby into the
hands of quacks and chnrlstaus, who, by bad pre-
cePts and insufficient teaching, make them danger
ous elements to society? or should NO try to Gre
ate them yaiusbie assistants n nurses, and teach
them proper application Of their knowledgef
This, gentlemen, is question have raised, but
leave It Tor your future consideration. But be It
understood that no act calculated to destroy that
can be for anoment sanctioned
There Is another question agitating the profess
SION that will force itself upon your attention.
refer to tho Introduction Of physiology and n.y.
Ef0ne into our schools. The people are wofully
ignorant ofthe simplest laws governing health
and life. Daily is the existence Of the most pru-
dent endangered by . want Of knowledge Of pro-
tective measures. We are no longer in the dark
ages; the reign of mummery and mystery is over.
The people want knowledge and protection Of
life This knowledge is particularly necessaryto
women. Mothers have the immediate care Of
their children during their tenderest years. Then
should they not know why they must look for
roses upon their cheeks instead of words Of pre-
cocious wisdom from their lips! Should they not
know why the badly ventilated, over-heated room
saps tho growing lives of their babesf Would
not knowledge Of the laws Of digestion prevent
those gross errors In diet which are the cause Of
one half Of the diseases Of childhood? Would not
knowledge Of the laws Of respiration change the
atmosphere Of many apartments! And would not
. knowledge of the cutaneous secretion, and tho
effect Of changes Of temperature upon It, aid them
In selecting the proper kinds of dress? To the
females OF the family naturally falls the care of
the sick. Then should they not know enough to
bridge over that period Of agony which intervenes
between the sudden attack and the appearance Of
the physician, and to be able assistants when no
arrives? . -' p, --.
How many mothers would permit their little
children 10 be loaded down by tasks they must
learn BY rote without comprehending the sense,
their hours of recreation being spent upon the
piano-stool, II they knew that such . process Of
mental examining and physical starvation was
surely laying the foundation for the most dis
tressing nervous disorders in later lifef If the
people but knew what they should Of physiology
and hygiene, our school system, 90 far Is little
children are concerned, would be materially
changed. Tho child's head would no longer be
filed with the higher mathematics, studies Of
value to her in after years. but the time would be
consumed in teaching her valuable truths regard
ing herself and life, and how to live. think /
hear the prude cry out in horror against this idea
one Of that class who, while starving, would not
acknowledge the existence Of q stomach. To her
would simply say that in the dim distance, I
really do not know how long back, woman was
granted will of her own. Some time later 1t was
acknowledged she had . mind, and now, in this
nineteenth century, We must admit that she has
body of which she should know.
The physician Is frequently offered larger
sphere Of usefulness than that attached to his pri
vate practice. The law, by creating boards of
health and other sanitary forces places him in the
position Of public benefactor. The physician 50
placed should fully appreciate the Importance Of
his Office, and bring to it thorough knowledge of
its duties. The physical welfare of communities
should be intrusted to no ordinary minds, and
the appointing power which selects incompetency
to fill positions SO directly affecting human life
commits great crime. The health officer should
be fitted for his position by close and special
study Of sanitary and hyyienic measures.
Unfortunately the scientific student too often
waits for the position to seek him, while that hun
CRY specimen Of the profession, political doctor
I know OF no better term-stands with out
stretched hands begging the drppings from the
party tub. He knows and cares but little about
sanitary measures, but he has been o good wire
puller at primary meetings and an effective
worker in the lobby. He may be ignored, for
good reasons, by all respectable members Of the
profession, but this does not affect tho appointing
power. He has done great deal Of dirty work,
is ready to do more If called upon, and must be
kept in the family. So this mongrel watchdog,
made up of politics and medicine, stands guard
over cholera, smallpox, and other epidemics,
consuming two-thirds of his time in slumber at
his post, and the other third in baying ut
shadows. Young gentlemen, some Of you may be
honorably called to fill such posts. Do not let
the summons find you unprepared, but in your
hours Of leisure post yourselves upon sanitary
laws, 50 that you can administer them with bene-
fit to others and credit to yourselves.
sion and 1 will cease to trespass upon your time.
You are entering upon o life that will demand
great sacrifice OF personal comfort and great self
control. You will be able to obey NO fixed rules.
You can designate no definite time for recreation
or study. You will be subject to calls of suffer-
ing at all hours The irregularity Of the life You
must lead will doubtless shorten 1t. Many times
it will be embittered by ingratitude and IN
reasonable complaints. At such times you will
be sorely tempted to lose faith in man, but re-
member the selfcontrol your profession demands,
and let no impulse prompt an act that after
thought might condemn. You must not think
that your written prescription completes the duty
you owe your patient. The meaning word, the
assuring demeanor, often send abroad beam of
hope that drives from the dark of the sick
room the demon of despair. Confidential matters,
which you must jealousy guard, will be intrusted
to You. Let no breach of faith violate this point
of your professional honor. The voice OF charity
will call to you from the haunts of poverty, mis-
cry and pain. Do not turn . deaf ear, but render
what aid you can freely and cheerfully. At the
same time, in justice to yourselves and brother
practitioners, demand Of those able to give the
proper compensation for your work.
And now, in the name of the faculty, bid you
farewell. The relationship Of teacher and stu
dent is thing Of the past, but the memory of our
pleasant association will ever Keep alive warm
interest in your future. May the brilltancy Of
this hour illuminate your life paths through the
years to come. Beauty has brought its tribute of
flowers, and fragrant odors from buds and blooms
float up a. petitioning incense for your success.
Bright eyes are beaming kindest interest upon
you; friendly tongues are longing to utter words
of cheer, and hands to offer the congratulating
clasp. To these We relinquish you, trusting your
ways Of usefulness may be many, and each oppor-
tunity for good deeds so faithfully embraced that
when the moment of death arrives, when the past
is tho present, nothing neglected will cause you
to remember that
aof all sad words d tongue or pen,
The saddest are these, It might have been"
After the playing of q very sprightly polka by
the orchestra, J. Lewellin Eliot delivered
THE vALEDIcroRY,
as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen: Delegated to represent
the class Of 1874 1t is with great pleasure an At
tempt is now made to perform the duty. To ex
tend you another welcome would be superhuous,
since the many bright and smiling faces sec as
sure me all feel welcome after what has been said
by the orator Of the faculty.
Judging the health Of the world by the happy
and contented looks Of this audience, the medical
profession would soon be numbered As one Of the