The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1907-04-05
Is ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS
OF THE PROFESSION
SAYS DR.. G. A. TERRELL.
HIS TRIBUTE TO THE MEHARRY
BROTHERS AND DR.. HUBBARD,
DEAN OF MEHARRY, WAS FIT
TINGLY APPROPRIATE.

Can address delivered by DR.. G. A.
Terrell, of Memphis, Tenn, before the
Alumni Association of Meharry Med |
ical College, Nashville, Tenn, Friday, |
March 29,, 19O7)
MIR. President, Ladies and Gentlemen
of the Meharry Alumni Association:
Words are inadequate in expressing
my appreciation to you for the honor
of appearing before you upon this oc-
casion. The tribute of words that J
gladly bring, and that you may take as
expressing the sentiments OF your
brethren at large, necessarily begins
with congratulations that your associ-
alton is composed of men and women
who were ushered into this world just
a few days prior to, or shortly after
the abolition of slavery, which was
brought about by Christian men and
women who had the spirit of the Great
Physician within their hearts, and this
taught them, that it was a great curse
to allow human beings, though they
be Negroes, to remain in servitude
But congratulations must be mingled
with praise of the band Of noble men,
the Meharry Brothers, who materially
assisted in making this gathering pos
sible. The Meharry Boys furnished
the money, but who had the manhood
and broad heart enough to take 1t and
convert it into Medical, Surgical,
Pharmaceutical and Dental brains?
The answer is now an easy one, our
beloved dean, DR.. G. W. Hubbard, who
has spent the greater part Of his life
in educating Negro men and women
as physicians, surgeons, dentists. phar-
macists and, last but not least, trained
nurses to minister to the urgent needs
of our race.
How well we have done this can
easily be shown by the records OF our
large cities wherein are found great
number of our people. In the city OF
Memphis, having population of two
hundred thousands, fifty per cent be-
ing Negroes, the death rate ten years
ago was three times as great as that
of the white race, during this period
the increase of Negro physicians has
been from four to twenty-four, and the
death rate has decreased in proportion
to the increase of the presence OF the
Negro physicians; so that now, the
weekly per cent of death rate is about
equally divided among both races. II
we can achieve so much without being
well organized, and having no hospital
advantages, what may be expected OF
us when we will have succeeded in or
ganizing Negro medical societies and
building hospitals throughout the
southland, where the doors OF such
needful help are closed against us?
The medical society is designed,
Cd to lay foundation for that unan-
iminity and friendship, which is essen
tial to the dignity and usefulness OF
the professional. (2) That in all cases
where counsel is requisite they Will
assist each other without reserve. (3)
That they will communicate their oD-
servations on the air, seasons, ana
climate with such discoveries as they
may make in physics, surgery, botany
or chemistry; and deliver faithful his
tories of the various diseases incident
to the inhabitants Of this country,
with the mode of treatment and re-
uts.
With such objects in view we can
dily see the educational value OF
medical society There are many
ems and difficulties in the educa-
0t more difficult than the cues
the general practitioner. Over
J, we have some control, over
7r none. The university and
Arrd make it certain that the
a minimum at least of pro
knowledge, but who can be
,f the state of that knowledge
her in five or ten years from
of his graduation? The spe-
ay be trusted to take care OF
the conditions of his eXis-
nand that he shall be abreast
lines, but the family doctor,
ate in the great army, the es-
factor in the battle should be
nurtured by the schools and
o,,ordad hv tha Dublic.