The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-30
CLEVELAND TO DOCTORS.
His Address Excites Considerable
4 Merriment.
NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE

NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE
Speaks Of the Advancement Made 10 Med
icai Science, and Makes Some witty Al
iusions to tho Village Doctor Of fifty
Years Ago.
: NEW YORK, Jan. 3O.-The occasion Of
the celebration of the semi centennial OF
the New York Academy of Medicine at
Carnegie Hall last night was made aus
piclous by the presence Of President
Cleveland. The hall was taxed beyond
It's capacity by tho doctors and their
guests long before tho exercises of the
evening were begun, On the stage and
In the audience were many leading ply
sioians from all over the United States.
The feature Of the entertainment Of the
evening was, Of course, the address Of
President Cleveland, which excited con-
siderable merriment and good feeling.
Other addresses were made by President
Bryant, DR., Samuel 8. Purple, Of New
York and DIR. Lewis A. Sayre
President Cleveland spoke in part as
follows:
'If, in passing through the period in
boyhood when the desirable choice of
future activity seemed to rest between
running away from home to be a sailor
and staying at home to be q doctor, l
inclined towards the more quiet and or
dsrly of the pursuits, this surely furnishes
no basis at this late day for claim Of ro-
lationship to the medical fraternity.
"Confessing, therefore, that l have no
right 10 even standing room within the
inner circle Of the profession, havo boldly
and without the least authority deter
mined TO speak to you as q representative
Of the vast army of patients and laymen.
We are obedient and submissive to your
oommands--that is when we are sick
and we sometimes pay your bills even
after recovery to health which we are
always certain would have resulted with
out your interference In these circum-
stances, IT, when In perfect health, we VEN
ture to assert ourselves and tell you what
10 In our minds, it is not fair to liken us to
certain parsonage who when sick a saint
should DO, though very differently in
Cllned when we'll.
Ave begin by oonceding most heartily
and without the least reservation, the
learning and skill of those now constitut-
ing the medical profession, and the
wonderful advance that has been made
through their untiring labors and inven-
tions in he alleviaton of human suffer-
inSs and the saving Of human life. 1t
may be this seems to you an acknowledge
ment so much your due as to be hardly
worth making, You should, however,
value 1t, because 1t is sincerely made by
those who were not born yesterday, but
who hold in lasting and tender memory
che ministrati0ns Of the village doctor OF
hfty years ago, and are now the living
monument of his faithful care He, too,
alleviated suffering and saved human
life
1--WE remember without adherence bis
ready lancet, and the scars of his blood
letting found in every household, We
endure with compacency the recollection
of his awful medicine case containing bot
Ties powders and pills, which whatever
might be thought of them now, seemed
then to be sufficient for all emergencies
90 say nothing Of tooth pulling tools and
other shiver breeding Instruments some
times exposed to view. II he was ignorant
ef many of the remedies and appliances
now In use he, in u large measure. supplied
the deficiency by hard headed Judgment,
well observed experience and careful nurs-
ing.
''If we have now arrived at an under
standing you are, | hope prepared for
suggestion quite in keeping with the ex-
tremely moderate and reasonable DISPOSE
tion that characterizes the patient and
laymnn. We have invaded our benighted
pontentment and led US out into broad
fields of scientific discovery. We are quito
certain that you should be required to de-
stroy the origin OF disease and ultimately
usher In the dGy when the only escape
from the world will be through passage-
way marked old age exit
I'm some instances investigation has
performed its part and only effective ac-
tion In other quarters is necessary to sup
ply needed remedies. In such caSes of
course, you are absolved from all resp0ni-
btlity in your professional character by
exhibiting dangers and warning against
them. Yet ignorant prctenders roam over
the land Offering TO perform miracles, or
nre located in towns and cities, preying
upon the weakness of the sick nud afflicted.
You seek to restrain any approach to
criminal malpractice, yet newspapers dis
gustingly though covertly advertise the
why to such crimes and startle their read
ers with sensational tales Of death and
misery to which they are directly ac-
csssory. | heod not suggest that such
evils are allowed to exist by reason of in
efficiency Of our laws or IL laxity ia their
execution.
III the laws are needed to abolish
abuses which your professional inyesti-
cations have unearthed, your fraternity
should not be strangers to the agencies
which make the laws. Lot me remind
you of the application to your case of the
truth embodied in the homely injunction:
III you want a job we'll done, do it your
self, If members of your profession were
oftenor found in our national and state
Legislative assemblies tho ripened results
Of your professional labor would be
brighter and nearer.
mo object for personal ambition and
no activity of professional life should be
permitted to withhold from our govern
Dent the tithe Of devotion and service due
from Its thoughtful, intelligent and edu-
Gated citizens. THE reward of a willing
recognition of our obligation to watch and
protect our free institutions, and preserve
them from weakness and decay will surely
come when just government supported
by the patriotism of a loving people shall
bestow with equal hand upon US and all
onr countrymen the blessings of national
pence contonhnent and happiness"
Following the exercises at Carnegie
Hall, the president held brief reception
At the Academy Of Medicine After few
minutes of handshaking the president,
accompanied by Colonel Lamont, left for
Washington.
Tennessee Desperate Shot.