New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-02
MEDICAL COMMENCEMENTs.
THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SUR
GEONS.


GEONS.
GRADUATION OF ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT sru-
DRNrs-ADDREss BY THE REV. DIR. wAsHBURN-
PRIZES AWARDED LIST OF THOSE WHO RE-
CEIvED DIPLOMAS.
The exercises of the Sixty-eighth Annual
Commencement OF the College of Physicians ana sur
gcons the medical department OF Columbia College, TOOK
place last evening at Steinway Hall. Among those
present were President f. A. p. Barnard, Drs wizard
Parker. Edward L. Beadle. Gurdon Buck T. Gaillard
Thomas John Dalton I. NJ. Markoe. Henry b. Sands,
Ellsworth Eliot, Thomas T. Sabine, William H. Draper
AlonIo Clark and Charles r. Chandler The music was
furnished by Grafullas It'll Regiment Band AFTER u
prayer by tho Rev. Sullivan II. Weston d. d., the de-
grees were conferred by Dr. Edward l.. Beadie
upon graduating class numbering Ioo
Dr. Beade made remarks. In which he referred IN
terms Of high praise their late President Dr. Edward
Delafed by whose death the duties OF President ae
yolyed on him. Continuing. he addressed the class
You have of length reached this goal and the "orio
opens before you full Of grandeur, and beauty ana s
terry. The College has never more than now com
manded the confidence Of the profession and the puoc
Never has large class been graduated as the present.
while standard Of requirement has not been lowered
You NAV not command success but you deserve IT,
welcome you to our ranks, and in the name OF our
| Alma Mater bid you godspeed.
The following prizes were awarded by Prof j. c. Dial
The first prize offered by the Faculty for the best
thesis awarded to william H. Welcn OF
Conn., subject GoItre;" the second prize to Joseph d.
ANYWAY OF New-York, subject, "Pelvic Hematoele."
Honorable mention was given to George +. Carpenter
Bryson d. Delayan, New-York; Howard w. Longyear
Ann Harbor, Mich. John L. Stlwell. New-YorK. and
G. d. Bryson. Prof. Thomas's prize case OF insru
ments was awarded to AonzO Blauyelt OF New-fork;
Prof Oiss prize to John +. Slwell OF York
prof seguins prize a microscope, Alfred Masters Of
Now-York. A prize was offered by Dr. s. Oakley van
awarded at the next Commencement OF the College.
Tue vaedictory address was made by Stephen B. Burt
The Rev. e. A. washburn delivered the address to the
graduates He spoke IN substance as follows:
ADDRESS OF THE REV. DR. wAsHBURN.
am glad OF the privilege, gentlemen OF the Medical
College, meeting to-day so many who are masters ana
students i'm the school OF scieGce For IT, believe
all our studies whether Of nature mind, are only
chapters of book there can be nothing wiser In our
day. when the growing mass OF learning almost eompeis
roscopic research and somewhat OF microscopic
bas-nothing wiser than at times to Interchange our
points OF view. 1t indeed OF the phases OF that
heredty which much is said at present. that our
calincs beaueath their mental habits that the cer
eyman often born without the power OF indmctlye
REASONING and the naturalist with suspicion OF ali tna
cannot be analysed by his blowpipe. Yet am sure
| that you are OF larger school than this and
thoughts on the true aim of scientific culture shall
not try your patience by treatise on tne Mosaic cos
mOgOny or evolution; and indeed must ask your
allowance beforehand If betray In my remarks that
surface knowledge OF gases or nervous tissues no,
strange TO one more busied with Greek aorsts and
primitive church deposits IL is your noble calling t0be
students IN that branch OF science perhaps me most
fruitful discovery to-day, which explores the laws OF
highest organic iie III can point OUT iew oI Tue
common of such culture, which gives meet
ing ground with you for who is Ike myself physl,
clan OF the souOr studies that bear Oh the riddles Oh
our mental lite the lurRest aims Of moral edacaon
my essay VIII rot lie thrown away.
II pain TO all that the marked feature OF our MOD
is the enthusiastic study OF ndture hnt the
fact demands impartial thought Ths change even
within tho ast 80 Years II striking one IL comes III
part from the magncenee OF the discoveries gained Ia
OF the mind after time or oversiraned ideal
pursuits; it strange, when the phiosopny which
began with noble thinkers had evapOrated at last into
misty PAntheism that VIC should ask u more robust |
sense, ana positive knowlcdge. Is anusiGg 10 meet
to-day awhile were talking of the uni'er
soul in man, and are now quite proud Of their ped
grec West African ape But look Tor me source
Of feature OF our modern culture not merely ~ such
reaction. Il Deokens solid growth IN the method OF
inquiry Although dlsthguish IL from many Vi ,ns
theories which calls themselves science YET the
principle wc 1e begins nsm S WIN sure e espeman
and rests ascerained laws the key OF All discov
ery our modern culture did not indeed, originate H.
Nor can admit that the great thinkers OF the pact
have done immeasurabe service IN ther spheres OF
knowledge; rather claim that there Is not single
foundation truth, regard to the mind or moral ma
tuIc which not known. even before Pa.o or an
truta 1t only opens Ia its clearer relations Tue Fixed
stars sped tho hight aorctl e. although me
But the peculiar character oil natural science ana
grandeur of It's warch on this nghr0ad which nave
SiIay Tie kno Wedge of the heavens is
when Aristotle reasoned from the ideal perfect
ness OF the circle to tno planetary motions lie made
the world" in BacOns phrase, out oil his categories
or TO illustrate from your sphere, the ancient theories
OF material and spiritual substance, when led " sucE
fruess speculation 10 recent days have been ex
changed for exact analysis.
Bnt this method is not conhned to the Interpretation
of nature; it is the common law or advance Ia all
knowledge Mental silence must now begin with the
related facts OF biology and psychology, In order 10 rise
v clear anas to the laws vi Thought or WILL History
obcys principle, and 1t has passed. siuce the
dag Nebuhr out OF the eoudand Of legend to terra
hrina. oar vast researches INTO Ianguage nave come
tho dismissal OF tne old ny Pothess OF primitive
tongue and the correlation OF AL inc facts gathered
from kindred forms OF speech 1t Is the same
with social science. And although am aware Of the
notion OF many doctors, both OF divinity ana
medicine that theology Is liked deposit,
Indeed thai there is an eternal conflict religion aud
science, yet bold 10 say that it Is vulgar error.
There is "A Dalpabe movement In the science OF
nature, because 1t has TO do with material forces while
the theoo.an explores the more subtle laws OF thought
ana moral history. We do not deal with scapel or
microscope yet recognize tho method Of analysis.
1t might be curious pursuit II You should study medi-
cal history from the day OF Gaen through tue Middle
Ages and the speculative notions OF soul
aud BODY entered into the current dogmas OF the
C6rIsanty arc always the same; but Biblical criti-
cism the com parItIve study OF Hebrew Christian
epocEs the domain OF doorlnal thought are growths OF
uue ana every advance has Deen the fruit OF expert
mental searching And ir We have some cergymen Us
sutess modern ideas the Englisbman who moved
the rsbes OF scientific circle by claiming that the
fossils OF tue caves we're the bones Of the rebel angels
possibly may have few doctors OF medicine almost
able appreciate the scientific Criticism OF the four
Gospels
the culture shall be able 70 the inter
denendence of MI these branches of knowledge All our
gains are helpful TO each other. might the
history Of science In woro-that IL has taught the
harmony of law not only In the correlation OF natural
forces but OF moral social forces human ife
But look especially at the studies which employ
Your profession as they shed such light on the
marvellous secrets of The canning laws
OF cereUraIoD; thei wOndrous rhythm that runs be-
the sensitive nerve ceners dependence thought
the supply Of the chemical brain food the expana
ton of the riddles Of our dream life the relation II our
mental functions TO the loss or decay OF organs