The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-11-08

during The Centennial celebration in Phila'
delphia(of which notices have been taken
by the press) will be az exceedingly inter
ssting body-one from which "a great deal
of valuable Information may be gathered
The class OF doctors is remarkable for Its
knowledge in ali departments OF life. We
have heard q, man say that doctors knew
more about anything else than they did
about their own profession "a sarcasm thai
eannetbeat,all unpleasant to ear medical
friends when they are informed that it was
q bit Of ,raillery from one of thesgseatest ad
rnirers oil, the profession. Me certainly PAID
them high compliment for thsir general
knowledge. .-,.,.,.. ....... =.
Good to mankind ia their many af1iction!
should always come Of meeting of physi
clans from SO wide territory as this coun
try. The comparison Of observations will
regard to disease as it is modified by the diff.
ferent ATTITUDES covered by our national
boundaries could not fail to throw much
light upon the, practice Of medicine. 1t il
known that the nature of disease has frou
time to time changed widayin this country
These changes have been in part wrought
by the changing, conditions Of tbe'colntry
but 1t would seem that there have been
changes of type of disease not sotceerly at.
tributab!e to changes of field, and forest, and
of drainage. 1t would be beth interesting
and valuable to listen to the Intelligent doc
tors on these points.
According to our recollection there has
been a great change in the nwtare of-srmc
feYers. What We now call .old,fashioned
bilious fever" was 4 violent disease. 1t
seized upon The patient and ragged so thatthe
physician was efsen baff1ed in his efforts to
subdue il, and it spent itself in aboEtninedsys
and allowed The patient to recover or puIhim
to that sleep fromwhich there is no pestoration
to life In this wonld. Most diseases at that
time wore the APPEARANCE of activity and
violence; but for years there has been "a
strong tendency dS:the typhoid phase. The
physician now watches closely the isurn. Of
symptoms, often with apprebensioa that,a
disease will relapse into the typhoid state.
We look forward 10 the Convention Of
doctors with interest The meeting ~dll be
q treat to all present, and we are sure tharit
will also prove beneficial to society.
Philadelphia at one time had the only
medical school that Syas In this cou&ey,
There. the students of medicine all went TO
.eomple:e their education. The graduates In
that institution were foand' all over the
Union. Philadelphia wss Remarkably libe.
ral.oity. The South dad number OF stu.
dents always there, aud at, one time the 80.
ciety there was much distinguished for its
southern tone. Perhapsnesrly half the phy.
sicians Of the Union at this tiaae are gradu.
ates ofiPhiladeiphla.
Itris barely possible there may.still survive
q few s9ho were pupils of :Dy. RUSH, who
was one.of the signers of The Declaration or
independence, and was the foremost man in
medical science OF his day. Ne was be-
heyer In depletion by bloodletting--a pre-
sailsng theory when be studied medicine, but
which was discarded by the faculty soon
after bis day. The famous Coassqr once
published paper in Philadelphia, aud
being 9 man or general Information.
ne Tas fond .ef medical diseussiona
de had great repugnanceto blood.lessing,i
ana attacked Or. RssH With great energy
ssnd pangeney. Pbiiadelphia was proud Of
ner medical college, wbieh was a source ~
great profit to her, and her citizens became
10 the controversy warm yartisans Of Dr,
hfsH. CossETT invoked upon himself their
hostility 70 such a degree that be was finally
forced, as It were, to leave theaty. He re.
moved 70 Ne" York. where he meyer forgot
10 nfe away OF RusH lin his paper, the
.Gdto Rorksr1 from bis safe position He
ioss 90 opportunity to make hit at the EN-.
lasn. Doctor. ea:e, 3 man had scmnlaea {