The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-01-30
THE OLD AND NEW DOCTOR
PREsIDENTCLEYELAND,s ADDRESS
 IN NNEW YORK LAST EVENING.

NJS to oho Village Doctor, and Asks the Doctor of the Present Age to Emulate Ris Prede- cessor in His Civic Virtues.
 New York, Jan. 29-The Academy of Medicine celebrated it's semi centennial tonight in Carnegie Music hall. The exercises consisted of addresses by Dr Joseph D. Bryant, president of the academy, and by Dr. Samuel S. Pur- pie, founder and former president of the academy, and Dr. Lewis A. Sayre, also founder; an oration by Dr. A. Jacobi, former president of the acade- my, and an address by the president of the United States, Grover Cleveland
 The hall was crowded with doctors and their friends, the latter including many ladies in rich costumes.
 Hail to the Chief greeted President Cleveland when he entered the hall, the audience rising out of respect to the nations executive. Bishop Henry |. Potter offered the opening prayer. President Bryant then made the open ing address of welcome He explained that the primal objects of the academy were the fostering of the medical pro- fession, the bettering of the study of medicine and the maintenance of a good medical library. He said that there was no body of men who could add greater honor to the body polite that the physicians for they contributed royal part to the relief of suffering humanity.
 Dr. Bryant then introduced Dr. Pur- pie, who spoke of the spirit of benevo- lence that impelled the foundation of the academy fifty years ago. Dr. Say CT followed and spoke on the same sub ject.
 Dr. Abram Jacobi then delivered the oration of the evening. He spoke at length upon the history of medicine and surgery in America and the vast strides made towards the perfection of both branches of the service during the last fifty years. The speaker pointed out the advance the medical profession had made of late years, especially in its studies in diphtheria, hydrophobia, tuberculosis and cholera and their pre- vention and cure.
 When Dr. Jacobi concluded President Bryant introduced President Cleveland and the audience arose and cheered lustily. MT. Cleveland was applauded frequently and his humor was enjoyed hugely by his audience. President Cleveland said
 MT. President and Ladies and Gem tlemen-I have anticipated the share as- signed to me on this occasion with con- siderable trepidation for various req sons I have been chiefly disturbed, believe because of my inability to dis cover sufficient ground for my right to join those who celebrate the semi-cen- tennial of medical association. If in passing through that period in boyhood when the desirable choice of future ac- tivity seemed to rest between running away from home to be sailor and staying at home to be a doctor, in clined towards the more quiet and or derly of these pursuits, this surely fur Dishes no basis at this late day for claim of relationship to the medical fraternity.
 Nor do I forget that less than seven years ago I was accorded the privilege of participating in the exercises when the corner stone was laid of the build ing which is now the home of the or ganiZation which tonight celebrates it's half century of useful and honorable existence. But this incident which aroused an interest, still undminished, in the welfare of the Academy of Med icine, hardly entities me to share in the felicitations of those who have since borne the heat and burden of it's work, while have enjoyed the ease and hap py surroundings of public station
 Confessing therefore, that have no right to even standing room within the inner circle of the profession, I have boldly and without the least authority determined to speak to you as repre- sentative of the vast army of patients and laymen. At the outset desire to remind you that you owe us much Though largely in the majority, and with plenty of members to spare, those who are we'll conducted among us do not vex you with hurtful competition Instead of making life hard for you by an observance of the laws of health, we assist you by indulging in all sorts of irregularities. We are obedient and submissive to your commands-that is, when we are sick-and we sometimes pay yOuT UlilS even dIIer a recovery to health which we are always certain would have resulted without your in- reference
 In these circumstances, if, when in perfect health we venture to assert our selves and tell you what is in our minds 1t is not fair to liken us to a. certain parsonage who, when sick, a saint would be, thought very differently in clined when well.
 We begin by conceding most heartily and without the least reservation the learning and skill of those now consti- tuting the medical profession, and the wonderful advance that has been made through their untiring labors and in vestigations, in the alleviation of hu- man suffering and the saving of hu- man life.
 It may be that this seems to you an acknowledgement so much your due as to be hardly worth making. You should, however value it because it is sincerely made by those who were not born yesterday, but who hold in last ing and tender memory the ministra tions of the village doctor of fifty years ago and are now the living monuments of his faithful care. He. too, alleviat