The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-26
MR.. CUMBACK'S SPEECH
DELIVERED AT AMERICAN MEDICAL
COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT.
A Plea for q Broader View of the
Profession OF Medicine-Ef-
feet of Creed.

The American Medical College held its Sec
ono commencement last night, in Plymouth
Church. The graduates were: Charles Fred
erick Cleveland, Adolph Dietrich, James
Henry F. Prentice, Reuben Sumner Trask.
Eli vestal Rice. George Washington Harri-
son, ]. Stephen Malloy, BENJAMIN f. Bye.
George Franklin Yeager, Curtis T. Wolford.
Joseph Tyrdall Sparks, Alfred Leonldas Ma
pie. Ephraim Rinehart, Daniel O.. White,
II. 5. Tanner, August Marschback.
There were two selections Of dialect poetry
by w. w. Pfrimmer. OF Kentland. The ad-
dress Of the evening was by Hon. Will Cum
back, who spoke as follows:
In the invitation to be present and make
a snort address on this commencement oc-
%casion, my esteemed friend, DR.. Cunning
one that embraces all the .pathies. nav
ing teachers from all the school or sects
OF medical men. and is not bound down to
any narrow code OF ethics. The code is
simply to be gentlemen, honorable and eff
Gent" He further said. This is the first
college in the world which has for it's OBJ
Ject the teaching of all medicines on a
scientific basis, teaching medicine IN all
Its phases with a view of breaking down
While I know nothing about the science
or medicine beyond what a layman en-
gagged In other pursuits may incidentally
pick UP in a lifetime. and was therefore
as much astonished as battered by the in
v~itation, yet the purpose of the college to
put everything pertaining to the treatment
OF human His on their merits is in such
complete accord with my W convictions
that 1 accepted the call of the faculty to
perform this service. AS it could not be
unknown to thew that l was not a doctor
OF any sort of school, it affords me some
satisfaction and relieves my embarrass-
ment OF my poor performance, to cast the
generalities and avoid particulars, SO far
as the purposes of the college are con-
Some years ago I heard an able address
from that writer. John Clark Ridpath. on
the Epoch of Integration." He proved TO
ing feature of our time. This : movement If
yours is another strong witness or this
tendency. The lion and the lamb are lying
preachers Interpretation OF the Script IRE.
the lion first swallowing the lamb" Dog
mat.sm disintegrates and binders and de-
evil has been seen and felt at all times
In every department of human affairs. 1t
fas been a straight jacket on every calling
physician. 1t prevents hearty growth in
social life. in politics. in literature. in re-
lgion and everything else. The intclligent
from its shackles. But they do not. They
have sometimes refused to go TO the
bedside of Of the suffering and dying
one Of another school "SlandeS. the foul
est whelp OF sin," has become the weapon
that one DOCTOR mas hurled at another be-
cause the pill he used was smaller or larg-
er than the one his school had prescribed.
The sweet fountains of social life have been
poisoned in many of our towns and villages
among the followers of the different sorts
of doctors in the place. The health of the
people became secondary in the conflict of
physicians.
This American College is the first ray of
hope that sweet peace may yet come, If
not to US, to those who may come after
US. / am happy to know that this great
reform is inaugurated in my own native
State. 1t has not come too soon. The spirit
OF the age will welcome ii. That great
writer, Froude, said: In the ordinary
branches of human knowledge and inquiry.
the 1~udicious question Of received opinions
has been regarded as a sign of scientific
vitality-the principle of scientific advance
ment, the very root Of healthy progress and
growth" 1t Is this questioning spirit that
a view in medicine to secure the survival
of the ~fittest." Every man who loves his
race and every broad-minded physician will
give a hearty cheer to this forward step
in the noblest of professions. There can be
no higher calling than to fully understand
serve this priceless blessing. "without
health" a great man has said. "a man
starves at the best and greatest tables,
cate wine, Is poor and wretched i'm the
midst of the greatest treasures and for
all s1pe yig o1re asa SeaTty d all ehsr youth m 10sae
grows harsh and conversation disagreeable:
palaces are prisons or of equal confne-
ment; inches are useless, honor and attend
ance cumbersome, and crowns themselves
are bundens-" In a matter of such vast
Importance the fullest inquiry should not
The light Of experiment should not be put
out by a rigid adherence to preconceived
opinions or at the Ndictum of bigoted
schoolnhen.
PLEA FOR A BROADER VIEW.
1t seems to me that the only question the
rhvciofop rrho.r11 och bfpocoIf x-noo IL
to the bedside of a suffering patient is
''what is the very best thing to be done?
How can 1 most effectually assist nature
in expelling this disease?' He should be
broad enough to accept any remedy. Any
thing in al the wide range OF all the
schools that would seem best adapted to
cure the special case in hand. . There is
such an infinite variety of constitutions and
conditions of men that, to a layman, it
seems that the doctor is not wise who is
bound down to the creeds and formulas of
any particular school. He ought to possess
the intelligence enabling him to know what
is best TO be done and be broad enough TO
adept the method that will bring health
whether his school approves or ~disapproves.
This l understand to be the purpose of this
college. 1t will lift the professor to a high
er and broader plain. Let me say that it
will not be an easy thing TO ccomplish.
Gigantic power is required to pull the human
a(C OaG III lAlC OA4 LUIS IL GUS
toms and habits 1t will take angelic elo-
quence to have the race seriously consider
the question of giving up pet theories and
darling hobbies. Prejudice is both unrea-
soning and stupid. and some one has truly
said, Against stupidity even the gods are
powerless." But any close observer of the
times in which we now live cannot but see
that the bands or prejudice are weakening.
Any proposition claiming to be reformatory
can have some sort of hearing and the
dust OF ages is no longer a complete bar
to a fair investigation A dogma canno
now sustain itself by pleading its antiquity,
nor Will a scheme be entirely rejected be-
cause OF its novelty. There is manifestly a
shaking up and so there is hope for a good
future for this college. The broad-minded
physicians Of all the schools will sustain
IL, II II is seen that it accompiishes the
great purposes for which 1t is intended. Let
IL be said 10 the credit OF this noble pro-
fession that Ii is their supremest Joy when
they can relieve the suffering and restore
their patients to health. Some of them are
SO narrow that they are unwilling to test
any remedies except those mentioned in the
textbook of their own school. From this
class, these extreme sectarians, you will
how health can be restored by the practice
OF another school This begets a like mar
r0wness among the people they serve. They
nave no faith in any other doctor han one
CT their sect. This state of things increases
the army of doctors. 1t is said that in this
healthy country OF ours We have more Of
thas profession than any other country on
the face OF the earth. Many of them have
a very small and poor clientage. AS q con-
sequence some of them in their inpecunios-
ity are compelled to wear long-tailed coats
for reasons il given would be more forcible
than elegant. This not only lowers the
character of the profession by bringing into
n a Psa So 0f. mQn who are willing tn Iva