Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-31

unless he has seen aud heard them ana Observer
the results
The young medical graduate of to-day Is In
nnitely better prepared 20 DO bis work Than was
his predecessor Of forty and nfty years ago.
rN THE BEGINSTsd.
But although you enjoy tho advantages Of tho
present, you must not Tor moment behefe
thft thefc ~ nothing more for you 20 do.
You begin your professional life with only
minimum Of the knowledge necessary FOR inc
performance OF its reonirements For seyersi
years you hHvo been engaged In the study OF
physloi0gy. anatomy. chemistry. Biaierid ntitcd'
surgery, obstetrics. and practice of medicine.
Yet the literature Of each branch forms library
10 it"elf which would re- 4uirc long life 10 mas
ter and study. You 200 then that though you
have learned much, you have only touched the
boundaries % the vast domain OF science
Medicine has been called nc Science of Proba-
bii;ies. rational emDrlcisnn. and 2 witty
Frenchman once lscned tho physician OF his
day 10 a blind man. StWcd with q club. who IN
terfered I'm contest Wlu Death and the sick
man. Sometimes he struck Death. bnt much
oftcner the Dguent. While medicine -
not an exact science and never will be. the re-
cent discoveries in therapeutics. better know
ledge OF tho ctoiCgy Of diseases. aud crenicr
skill IN dioGnosis gives ne reason % believe tnat
the time II not Tar distant when it will approx
mate 80 closely 90 that point that IT. may Justly bo
considered n scicncc, though only at present II
ranks az an art.
GOOD rHysIcGly.
The advantage H. any community in
securing the services of q weli-educated Vhysi-
clan ~ thelr midst cannot bo Oycr.estlmated.
10 oil he IL and should be a centre OF light and
knowledge. exposing old errors, hoary aud tune
hOnOred; dispellinc sug gcrstii0ns and ground
lcss fears, ald disseminating correct ideas
A. 20 health and correct living. 10 Is not alone
by tho s * bed, hut in liz daily intercourse
that ne makes his influence felt. That influence
should always work for g001. II can only do 80
unless the man himself Is fully equipped with
sound knowledge Of his prof. ie7sion.
7uE FIELp.
There ia \ wiio aell Of work before you new,
gCnllemen. see that YOU arc prepared 10 DO u
with honor aud credit TO yourselves and Your
AlmA Mater, whose nursngs you are. You WILL
OF At least ought TO- spond q few months every
two or three years within her walls Iou viii
he improved and benefited moro than you can
imagine.
You Will return invgorate1 and improved.
better prepared for life'- Work. And II in mo
book OF fate IL be written that some of you win
honor and fame and others Are doomed 90 less
conspicuous but equally honorable and useful
lives. You can all live so "a 10 gain tbs goodwill
ana respect of your fcllOw-mcn.
Charles Dickens makes one ~ his heroines.
who was the vito OF q physician, speak OF h9r
husband I'm these words:
- never WAX out with ny husband but hear
the people bless him. ] mover go into q house OF
any degree but hear bls praise; | see IL 10 their
grstoful eyer. mover lie iOwn AT night but
know ne has alloyiAtcd fOmc Tain and sOothed
somo fellow-crrBtIre in 10 time of need.
know that from the beds of those past recovery
thanks hayo gone gp In tie last hour for his
patient miui>naNOn+.'
Oh my young friends. these are noble words
OF praise Live 90 that the same may DC spoken
Of you. Applause.
DR.. Kerr then pronounced a benedic-
tion and the meeting closed.