The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-08-03

staff, has identified his name and ingenuity
with the greatest surgeons, not only in this
but in foreign countries. l would venture
to say that in all our land it would be diff
ficult to find man who has been more
generous and benevolent to those who were
worthy of charity. myself have witnessed
his benevolent and charitable acts. Mr.,
President, join with you and the men,
bers of this society, in deploring the loss Of
such great and distinguished member OF
the'medical profession.
DR.. Scarboro said: In the ages of eter-
nifty, the life of man is but the blaze of a
meteor. For a moment the flash of the
meteor Eliminates the sky and then it is
gone forever. Some of those brilliant lu-
minaries are so small that they can scarcely
be observed in the darkest sky, while 9th
ers are so grand as to attract great atten-
ton and brighten the darkest night. On
the night following November 18th, 1868,
| arose at midnight to look for the expect
ed annual display of meteors. l was OF
disappointed, as they were in the sky, in
all their glory. Some of these were very
small, and flashing for moment were
gone and left no trace behind them. But
there were Others, only Il few, however,
large, brilliant and beautiful, and these
not only marked u grander course across the
sky, but they left behind magnificent
trails of light, which lasted long after the
life of the meteor was spent. could not
help at the time from comparing these me.
teors with men. The few large ones were
the occasional great men, who now and
then appear in the sky of our earthly cx-
81 1,nt, 1,,rnn 1
true, than the smaller ones, but they not
only dispersed the darkness around them
in their active life, but they left behind
them a light of glory, much more to be adj
mired than an actual blaze of the smaller
ones which followed after. Such in COM
parison was the life of Professor Smith.
To those beings who live in eternity and
who view the life of man as meteoric
course, the career of this great man must
have appeared as magnificent for the vast
trail Of light remaining behind, after his
earthly existence was ended.
| have often thought what pity it is
that such genius should be confined to one
life. If after the body is worn out the soul
and intelligence could be transferred to a
new body, and this could he continued for
many generations, what blessing this
would be to those who follow after. But
perhaps this would be very unfair to the
poor imprisoned soul.
had the good fortune to listen to the
training of Professor Smith, and many of
his remarks are as fresh in my memory to-
day as they were more than twenty years
ago, when listened to them as they fell
from his lips. His grand Roman profile is
so photographed in my memory, that can
easily in Imagination see him standing be-
fore his lecture table i'll the theatre of the
Baltimore 1nfrmary, endeavoring to i'm
part the truth Of his science to an eager
and listening class. Prof Smith was below
cd and respected by his students. Some
times during the lecture season difficult
surgical operation would call him to dis
lance and dctain him from his accustomed
lecture for few days; when this occurred
he, on his return, was the recipient of the
most enthusiastic applause by the whole
medical class.
The fame of Professor Smith is not only
national but 1t extends to countries beyond
the Atlantic. 1t not only belongs to this
age, but it will live throughout succeeding
generations, and 1 am proud to say that |,
too, sat at his feet to gather the drops of
wisdom as they fell from his lips.
DR.. Jno. II. Cochran said: Gentlemen :
l knew Professor Smith intimately, having
first made his acquaintance as a medical
student is his private office. He was most
assuredly an eminent man, with all the
attributes of q gentleman; never withhold
ing his service from the poor and needy.
Well might he be called the emperor" of
surgery. He was one of the first men of his
day.
DR.. w. w. Hopkins said:
"Mr. President and Gentlemen: l am
satisfied that if each one present could
give expression to his feelings on this
special occasion, that we would, one by
one, pronounce handsome culogy upon
our deceased brother, for such is in our
hearts. Nathan r. Smith is no more, and
we are grieved, for we sadly feel his Loss
1t was my duty, within the last year, to
visit our learned, deceased brother, to con-
suit him in a case that was near and dear
to myself had not previously seen him
for more than twelve years. Time and
disease had made striking change in his
noble and manly form, but soon found
that it had encased therein that same good,
noble and parental soul, that we so much
admired and loved when we were
students at the University. In consulting
him, he soon made you feel that your case
was his case, and what he could do for
you he did kindly and willingly. He did
not speak to you in that commanding man.
ner that his great wisdom might have
privileged him to use, but his treatment OF
you was like fond and noble parent to
his suppliant children. Hereafter wo will
know him by his works. We will know
him as we now know Sir Ashley Cooper,
Sir Benz hin Brodie, Sir Thomas Watson
and others that we might name, whose
discoveries and works are their browning
monuments erected by themselves. There
are few men among the physicians and
surgeons of america whose name is more
familiar to the profession of the whole
world, than that of the great man whose
loss we this day mourn and none whose
death will be greater loss to the COM
munity at large.
His life from early manhood has been
devoted to acquiring medical and surgical
knowledge, and in applying the same for
the relief of suffering humanity, both as a
teacher and as a practical physician. He
was not specialist. His great fame was
made years ago, when medicine and surge
ry were not divided into so many branches
as now. He was not permitted then, when
called upon to prescribe for some human
ailments, to say, "that is not my specially
you had better 60 and see Ohisolna; or ovel
to Philadelphia and see C0hen" No, to be
great surgeon, in his younger days, it was
necessary to be acquainted with every
branch of medicine and surgery and his
comprehensive grasp of all is what made
the great fame of Nathan r. Smith. AS a
lecturer he had few equals; as an operator
he had no superior. The English surgeon
John Erickson, said that che well deserved
his great reputation" AS New York
cherishes the memory of her valiant Mott