The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-05-04

youf nigu pTotcssiOn. 10ur StOdteS take
YOU into the loftiest ranges Of science: your
hreS lead you iniO those scenes where lie
the sick. the dying, and the dead, and
where love and gcntlest sympathy ever
hold their court. You cannot in your tray
els In the domain Of Fact get away from the
visions OF the beauties and charms Of that
realm where Faith reigns and In your
sweet communings with the spirits who
live in Faith, you cannot be obliyiovs 10 the
demand OF those laws which bind US in the
Land OF Fact.
Thus, great as are your duties and respon-
sibilties. equally great are your advantages
and opportunities. In one hand you carry
the torch OF Science, throwing its light along
the onward, upward way, where on every
hand "EIceISior" is written, and where,
alas! lie the wrecks OF many fortunes; in
the other you carry the lamp Of Charity-be-
hind you follow the Virgins, to keep II sup.
piled and trimmed, and TO strew the path
with sweetest flowers.
bid you cordial welcome, gentlemen, to
our city, and wish you God-speed in your
noble work
The Governor was at the close Of his re-
marks greeted with very general and hearty
applause.
READY FOR BUSINESS.
Secretary William b. Atkinson, OF Phila-
delphia, occupied, with his assistants, desks
on the left side OF the stage. Acting Vice
President II. ID. Holton. Of Vermont, sat to
the right Of the speakers desk. At the con-
clusion Of Governor Holidays speech OF
welcome Vice-President Hoton said the
body was now open for the transaction OF
business.
The secretary proceeded to call the roll OF
| m knt hob 90 hof -
tion was submitted TO dispense with the
reading, the reason assigned being that the
names would appear in the papers anyhow.
objection was made to this view, and tue
motion, beng put TO vote, was lost. The
reading then progressed to its conclusion.
DR.. Toner, OF Maryland, moved that the
roll, as read, be confirmed; and it was 50
ordered.
PRESIDENT H0DGEN's ADDRESS.
The Nice-Pre>ident next announced that
the president OF the Association, DR.. John
Il. IIodgen, OF st. Louis, would now de.
liver his annual address.
Advancing TO the desk, the President
said:
"In obedience TO the timc-honored usage
OF this Association, shall ask your atten-
ton TO a few thoughts-Such as may be sup
posed to benefit the occasion OF our coming
together FOR our annual meeting. But first,
in the name OF the Association, let me eX-
press 10 the local committee of arrangements
and TO the medical professors and the citi-
Zens of Richmond our grateful acknow'
Judgments OF the hearty reception which
has been rendered by your Governor in this
the capital city OF the Oldest Of American
States, the historic mother OF American
Presidents"
He said the recent progress OF medical
science has been marked by exceptional
strides. Conflicting plans Of treatment too
often frustrated the doctors be>!-drected
efforts. There were several sorts OF doe
tors the enterpri>ing, the ambitious. the
reckless, the timid, the conservative, the
cautious. and the pr0crastinatlng; and be
pictured how each specimen OF these classes
would be likely 10 treat - case, and seemed
rather inclined TO the belief that he who
was willing 10 dare the most would be
oftener wrong than right. A danger which
threatens the profession is the adoption OF
exclusive specialties bythose not well train
ed in general medicine. Ii cannot be de.
MED that the early and exclusive study
of the affections OF part tends to mar
row the intellectual grasp and cramp The
powers Of the man who yields TO the influ-
the best sense, specialist is physician and
something more; IN the worst, he is some
thing else and something less than phySi-
clan. The rapid progress made OF late years
in the precision and perfection OF regional
surgery, the brilliant trumphS secured and
the almost unlimited possibilities attained,
combined to tempt surgeons to reckless
operative procedures.
He then alluded in passing TO tumOrs-
benign or quasi malignant-rodent cancer,
epilheIoma, sympathetic Opbthalmia, &c.,
which he thought should be well consider.
ed before eXcisiOn was INDUCED iU. lie
spoke Of the dangers of delaying operations
i'm certain depraved conditions OF the body
IL often happened that there was occasion
to regret having delayed an operation toe
long, rather than having had recourse to II toe
soon. He alluded TO how shock may act
profoundly upon the whole economy. lie
gave some advice on the treatment OF dis
eased kidneys and an&mia resulting from
the sudden loss OF blood, which he held TO
be particularly unflvorable to surgical in
reference. A familiar instance OF suscep-
tibility to septic influences after large he
morrhage will occur to every Obstetrician
who has learned how often metritiS and
septicamia follow excessive post pdrtem
hemOrrhage.
In conclusion, lie said
"In acknowledging our ignorance le-
earding the precise nature OF variations
from the normal standard, as we believe
mus, exist in diseases like scurvy, scrOfula,
tuberculosis, ETC., we recognize the exist
ence Of wide, uncultiyated fielGs-rich, no
doubt, in promise TO future investigators.
A more perfect animal chemistry, Il more
| hi.frIAuV and "a dee research
into The possibilities Of pathological change
will doubtless throw many ray OF light
into regions where the darkness Is now TOO
dense for our vision to penetrate. To
these fields coming generations OF ply
sicians will surely he attracted, in the
faith that as man advances in knowledge,
and approaches somewhat nearer TO The
| comprebension of the perfect wisdom
which designed the wonderful phySlcll Or
ganism, through which he is brougnt INTO
relation with the world around him, he VIII
be enabled TO solve more and more OF the
difficult problems which now perpleX ana
battle Us, and will gradually raise medicine
| TO a position more nearly akin TO that now
accorded 10 the eXacter sciences"
President Hodgen's address was able ana
| exhaustive, but, rs was necessarily tne
case, full of technical expressions. when
we have cndeayOred to synOpsise and
render palmer TO the general reader.
On the conclusion Of the Presidents ad'
dress a vote OF thanks was returned to him
therefor and copy requested for puoiica-
tion.
GENERAL MATTERS.
Surgeon j. Cooper Mckee, United states
army, was elected a member OF the A,socla-
tion and assigned TO section"
nr prodia ,novpd that all eZ-yico. Dresl