Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-02
Opening Address.
Dr. McGhee made an elaborate address,

DIR. McGhee made an elaborate address,
from which the following are excerpts:
Such is our interest and ambition for you, gen.
temen, that | undertake to say, not for myself
alone, but for the entire faculty, that no amount
of time or labor will be spared part TO in
sure the success we so much wish you to attain.
But allow me to remind you that you too have a
work to perform-a work the most earnest, seri-
and responsible. In the language of the
great Sydenham: ''IIe who gave himself to the
study and work of medicine ought seriously TO
ponder that he must one day give an account to the
Supreme Judge of the lives of the sick COM
science he shall attain is to be directed mainly to
the benefit and safety of mankind and that it is
a dishonor to himself and them to make these
celestial gifts subservient to the vile lusts of
avaricc and in0rdinate ambition. Moreover, that
he has undertaken tine charge of mean or
cinting the true worth of the human race he
should not forget that the only besotten Son of
God became man, thus ennobling by his
dignity the nature he assumed. And lastly. that
he Is himself not exempted from the common lot,
mortality, the same mIserles and pains, as are all
the rest, SO he may endeaVor all the more dill
gently, and with more tender affection, be-
ing himself fellow sufferer to help those who
are sick.
Young gentlemen, my opinions, my eonyic-
uons. as to the profession of medicine, place il
high that am neithe- ashamed nor afraid to in
yite YOU to become co-workers and partnkerS with
me and my brethren in America and throughout
the world, of those chances for fortune and for
honor which the profession presents to every
true-hearted student. But you must be students
in fact. and l :eel to know that if you fail the
fault will be yours: for it is true. that a who
is mani speak not of foOls'-can do, in this
world of ours, very nearly, if not exactly, what
he wills to do. invite you 10 this vocation,
as scarcely second to any as presenting the means
of doing good to your fellow creatures. | invite
you to come in and work along with the benevO-
lent and learned physicians and the educated
surgeons of America and, like heavens minis
ters, bear messages OF consolation and hope; and
through llnowl edge and power nearly akin to
the miraculous, burst asunder the bonds that lead
men to premature death; giving strength for
weakness, joy for horror aud dismay, and the
sweetest cnmplacence and tranquility, where was
woe indiscribable and pain inexorable but for
you!
1t is true that our institutions-our Western
ciyilizatiOn-do not permit the hope of rising ~,
in France, TO senatorial dignities under rich
and powerful government. nor of obtaining, as in
England, barren title of knighthood. and a re-
lucant annuity: yet. to be tried by peers. and
-renderen illustrous by their esteem and appro-
and distinguished by them worthy of honor
and mem5rance earth has crown to offer
more desirable and more ennobling.
. 1t is II curious, solemn fact, that among the
thousands OF lllustrious names OF men and women
scenes of classic biography and history a bare
ffty-two of them, celebrated for virtue, for tai
ents, or by their vices and crimes, have been
transmitted to the present age by history, by
medal and bust. or by statues in marble or bronze
These alone, ont of the myriads who engaged in
the tumultuOus struggle for wealth. power, fame
and dominion are they whom we truly know.
lllustrious examples Of what may be accom-
plished by fixed and determined effort abound
in every department of science, art and litera-
ture. DemOsthenes the and apprentice
of Il blacksmith, and Virgil of baker; Tanner
lane was the SON of a shepherd, and Shakespeare
of II butcher; kepler and Calico were poor lads.
and Tasso. AriOsto, Dante and Petrarch were
peasant boys, and studied while they toiled in the
fields. Arkwright. Watt and Ferguson-simpe
mechanically diut of industry and psrscver-
anoe, accomplished revolutions in science sur
passing all the revolutions in politics that ever
thundered through the annals of time,''
/ Nor = our own profession without illustrious
examples. Nelpean was Il working blacksmith,
Charles Bell matchmaker, Sir John Hunter a
cabinet-:nakcr, and Dupuytrcn an army apothe-
cary 5 assistant. SO might go until your
patience would be weary, to uIaerate n,e af-
ter name of men who in spite Of the lack of early
training, end in spite of poverty, have by sheer
industry, and dogged perseverance, wrung as it
were from the hard hand of destiny the praise
and the gratitude of mankind! And if you will
but do your part, do believe, gei tlemen, these
things within your reach; for feel my col
l. leagues are men in the highest degree competent
to do their wark and filled with the most earnest
wishes for your success and for the honor and
fame of this institution of medical teachings,
with which their own good name is allied.