Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-06-12
NASHVILLE JOURNAL OF
- MEDICINE.
valedlctory Of Its Editor, VIM, X.
as f.ss Bowling. ~

i l5 ~ Bowling.
The senior editor of this journal, an
enterprise he founded a quarter Of q
century ago, begs of his lifelong read
ers and others permission to retire. He
is not so old but that he might boast 3
few campaigns more storedaway in him,
but he pants for short evening of abb
solute repose, that he may the better
''set his house in order" Twenty years
apprenticeship, and twenty-five moro
as proprietor, one would think should
entitle whoever served them to holt
day: s.-.
r Alas what we have written We have
writtenp' and we may say of the writ
ings, that the printers stamp. like
| thatof fate. has fixed their perpetuity."
While we could wish much Of it had
never been written, we can conscientf-
ously say we have "nought set down
in malice If at any time we have
banded hard words with contempo-
raries, when the teapot tempest was
over it was all forgotten. We were
born with no organ for enmity or envy.
When, twenty years ago, We com
menced public medical life, our poor
genius found no grooyG fitted to il, and
it had, of necessity, TO plow out one for
itself. Many didn't like it, because it
was ostre, they said but with us twas
that or none. NapOleen had done this,
and though it succeeded, his eontem-
poraries complained that his rut was
fashioned in violation OF well organized
canons, and that there was no tolera-
ton for so reckless an abandonment OF
universal usage. Success, with US, was
always the objective pointof our opera
tons. We were unable to perceive
the philosophy of indirection, however
fashionable, with its haphazard failure
or success. A wise man never attempts
impossibilities, and as we were not
fool, our grooves were so many straight
lines converging to a common point, so
that success was inevitable. We say
it with all humility, and with most
appreciatiye recognition of the over
ruling Cause, that every link of our
chain of life has been as perfect sue
cess as is compatible with imperfect
human nature. Strict justice to others
Is condition precedent to any success.
Dead fair" is the motto of every per-
manently successful man.
1t was not always that our eontem-
poraries saw as We saw, when some OF
them would throw their powerful ar
ray OF talent and knowledge between
US and the point we were struggling 70
make. These were often impregnable
to ordinary enginery, aud extraordinary
measures had to be put into requisi-
ton to remove them. They must, of
necessity, be removed, or our force was
misdirected, and our objective point
made unattainable. But did the ends
justify the means? Yes We are sure
of it. Never did we undertake any,
thing in medicine not honestly believed
to be for its honor and glory. We
ought to be believed when We assert
that self was never factor in our cal
culations. Our whole public life. We
dare offer as proof and illustration.
In regard to the religion Of medicine
its ethlcs-we can cOnseientiously
say we have kept the faith in spirit and
in truth. In our consultations, with
the young or the old, we have never
failed to endeavor earnestly to make
the occasion rebound to their honor
and benefit.
We have said, in the heat of contro-
versy, hard things of public medical
men, which we would obliterate if We
could but that being impossible, we
avail ourseIf of what is LETT to as, sim
cerely to ask their forgiveness.
To the lifelong friends in our hon
ored profession, who, in every trouble
of professional life, have formed a wall
Of irearound US, werepeat the aeknowl-
edgment Of our profound gratitude.
TO those who have assisted Us in de-
velopiDg and establishing this journal,
and to whose labOrs IL is indebted for
SO much of its prosperity. we avail
ourself of the occasion toaeknowledge
our grateful recognition Of their SER
vices-Eve, Blaekie, Foster, Jones,
Briggs, Nichol, and host of talented
contributors. To Prof. Briggs, now Of
very considerable experience, and Prof.
Summers, who has just commenced
editorial life, we leave the destiny of
the Nashville Journalof Medicine and
Surgery, not doubling that, in their
able hands, il will continue to deserve
aud receive its old patronage, enlarged
by a new one, and reach higher plane
than graced any period of its past
history.
The kind words of our brethren of
the medical press, recently, in allusion
to Us, have overwhelmed us, for our
profound sense of gratitude seeks in
vain for utterance. If every medical
editor in the United States, without
exception. was all thatAwe wish him,
earth would be to him a paradise only
to be surpassed by what awaited him
in heaven.
Readers, public and private, fare
well.-Nashriue Journal Of Medicine
for June.
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