The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10

as q medical Instructor the bioaraphor has
undertaken to present a fair sketch. not from his
own knowledge, but by awaiting himself OF rem
inlsccncos and criticisms called forth by his
subjects death, from the physicians who had
sat under him or had worked with him. or
these nrst-hnhd testimonies we have read with
especial interest those OF DR.. Cheevcr and Prof.
Dwight, DIR. Cheever saysi Too sympathetic
to practise medicine. he soon abandoned the art
for the science. and always manifested the same
adherence for death and Tenderness for ami
mails. When 10 became necessary to have a
freshly killed rabbit for his lectures. he always
ran out of the room, left me to chloroform II,
and besouHht me not to let II squeak
Prof. Dwight says; TN spite OF the at
tention bestowed on dissection, do not
think that he much fancied dlssecting himself.
though our museums still have some few
specimens OF his preparations. Once no asked
mo which part of anatomy | liz cd best, and
on my saying: the bones he replied: So do I;
It is tho cloanest.' Still. he usually gave the
class the tlme-honored Joke that bones are dry.
Almost the only topic on which he could not
speak with patience was the cruelty often prac-
tised in vivi.ection. Like all sensible mon. he
recognized the necessity Of vivisection. He has
called It n mode OF acquiring knowledge justi-
fable in its proper use. odious beyond measure
in It's abuse But ! am sure that, in his heart,
ne nhteu II Dlttcrly.' well worth noting, Also,
is what Prof, Dwight recalls concerning DR..
Holiness scheme of instruction: Amy one who
has experience in lecturing recognizes that he
must decide whether ho will address himself
to tho higher or lower half OF tho class. DR..
Holmes lecturcd TO tho latter. It was
n part OF his humanity to do so. lie felt q SYM
pnthy for tho struggling lad preparing to prac-
tise where work Is hard and money scarce. L
do not give the best lectures that I can give he
said on several occasions; i should phoot over
their heads. | try to teach them q little. and to
teach It WELL" The period Of DIR. Holiness ton
ure OF his medical professionally was one of
change and Advancement, and during his day
there took place n desperate engagement be-
tween the friends and the foes OF the admission
OF women to the Harvard Medical School.
While not altogether a neutral. he was not
an active combatant. DR.. Cheever says that
"his kindly nature inclined him to the
claims Of the other sex, but he voted
with the majority in tho negative for
prudential reasons. He affirmed that he WAS
willing TO teach women anatomy. but not with
men in the same classes" DR.. Dwight says
that DIR. Holmes had inclined to the losing
side" but does not remember that he ever
showed much enthusiasm in the cause" A
short time afterward. Mt the opening OF the new
building Mt the Harvard Medical School. Dr..
Holmes delivered an address regarding which
Prof. Dwight recounts the following anecdote:
o this occasion. after speaking in his most
perfect style on woman as a nurse. with a pathos
free from mawkishness which Dickens rarely
reached, he concluded: i have always felt that
this was the vocation of woman rather than
general medical. and especially surgical. prac-
t!ce.' This was tho signal for loud applause
from the conservative side. When he could
resume, he went on: Yet l myself followed
the lectures given by the young Mime, Lacha-
relle In Paris. and. II here and there an intrepid
woman insists In taking by storm the fortress
of medical education. 1 would have the gate
flung open to her, as il It were that OF the cita-
del Of Orleans and she were Joan Of Arc return
ing from the field of victory The enthusi-
asm which this sentiment called forth was so
overwhelming that those Of us who had led the
first applause felt, perhaps looked. rather fool
ish. l have since suspected that DIR. Holmes.
who always knew his audience. had kept back
the real climax to lure us to our destruction"