Year: 1874

ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS BEFORE THE ACADEMY OF


MEDICINE BY PROF. d. b. ST. JOHN RoosA, NJ. ID.


THE FUTURE ENLARGED POSITION OF MEDICAL


SCIENCE DEFINED.


The twenty-seventh anniversary meeting or
the New-York Academy of Med cine was held In the
lecture-room Of the Collegiate Reformed Church, at
Fifth.ave. and Tweuty-ninth-st. last evening The
anniversary discourse delivered by Prof. d. b. 81
John Roosa, NJ. ID. He said among other things: Al
though we may all have just pride in the present
position OF science and art, we are stl consciously
or unconsciousy, looking forward to the coming medical
man as to o being with more knowledge andwsdom
than ourselves. who shall have higher position than
that OF physician o. to-day We are mono OF us quite
satisfied with the present state of medical knowledge
or the present scope OF the functions OF medical men,
This want Of satisfaction is evidence that we are
race OF grumbers Far from It. Such feeling is per-
fectly consistent with the most patient and cheerful
work, and with decided sense OF contentment In
that work. / am happy TO believe, however, that
the annual address to be delivered before this Academy
100 wears from tonight will be full Of hope for the
future; or IL you will allow your imagination to 20 so
far that 1000 years from now we shall have race OF
medical men still not content with the position OF their
present nor even satisfied with the memory of mighty
past Indeed, IL ever settle down INTO state OF
satisfaction with ourselves consider our prospect
Of further enlargement Of position and duties as hopeless
There are several relations which may perhaps cas-
sfy under three heads in which the coming medical
man will occupy an advanced and enlarged position
from the one OF to-day a. In relation to matters per-
tanning to education (2J In sanitary scence t3) In
the State BY matters pertaining to education mean
not only the education of the child but also that of the
man. or education its broadest In his relation
TO the present system OF educating children ana youth
the physician is IN position that becomes embarrass
ing and which is sometimes wrong. He stands power
less in the midst OF abuses that he cannot correct and
he seems 10 aid and abet them.


H{oa1 will ipl G.
himself upon the wise and generous people about him.
or perhaps make himself so important "A character In
the State that he will have the means now dcbarred the
men OF time for making Investigations which shall
engthen life and mitigate disease. Although learned
profession we allowed ju rsts, theologians and
students of other sciences to assume the entire control
OF our higher educational systems unni 1t is actually be-


eved in many and high places that medical colleges are
by no means q part OF University systems ana
that all they expect is kind OF quasi relation to
them Il is quite enough. they think if the mantle Of
the name Of a great college covers them This very
CITY is every year giving hundreds Of thousands Of dor
lars 10 educate boys at Schenectady, NewHayen, Cam
bridge and Princeton while 1t Is paying very little for
the instruction of men in NewYork, that is 70 say I'M
dergraduate instruction is receiving all favor and en-
courag cement while postgrdduate training the hard est
n get the most important for the nation, Ior
the other will be got in some way
other by private meaus, is without assist
university system than New-York We could in
crease number of say 1900 students of medicine
law divinity, art, and pure science five times that
number TO the manifest benefit OF county in all
latODs, had we the money TO pay eminent men for
teaching and to found feOwshps as prizes for the few
VINO proved worthy of special aud enlarged facilities
As it s those of our young men who can aord H. cross
the ocean for what they ought TO find at home.
New-York commands some OF the abest divines OF
time. It's law courts perhaps only second TO those
London in importance. Our press scaers its issues
over the whole world. with Influence only limited by
KNOWLEDGE of the English tongue G Oar Hospital ais.
pensaries and intrmares afUTd the opportunities for
the tudy OF almost every form Of disease. Where there
hundreds at the doors OF these departments OF hu
man learning the coming man Will see thousands, IL our
people are wise IN time.


1t to the medical profession that the general public
must look for the main part OF the work OF what is
technically called sanitary science, and that profession
must regarded the na aTblter in all strictly sani
tary questions Yet the medical man OF to-day has only


limited control these matters and in some places
he mas no control at all We must not hastily ascribe
this anomalous state OF things In which those whose


mission 1t Is prevent and cure disease are restricted
TO Junction. entirely to the influence OF those
not in profession. Physicians themselves have been
often forgetfu OF their high calling and have neglected
their plain duties The loyalty Of the great mass Of the
people, high ana low and especially the low, TO the
medical profession, is something TO make us all pro-
foundy grateful and at the same time ever alert for
-the best Interests OF those whom we serve.


Medical Just awaking 10 the great Importance
OF sanitary science aud we cannot expect those not di
recty engaged the study of the laws OF health TO be


In discussing the relations OF the medical man TO the
State likely to think first of the regulation
by the Government Of the qualifications for tue practice
OF his profession. AS matters now stand, person
who chooses may practice medicine. II Is true that
law was passed by the last Legislature of our State
which PROHIBITS any one from practicing who has
neither a license from county medical society
diploma from medical college. This law bears on the
face OF II an attempt at the protection OF the public
from quackery. But when we find that there are three
county medical societies and five medical colleges, and
THAI only Of these societies and three Of these col
leges would be recognized by such bodies the Royal
College OF Physicians OF England, notions the
value OF such protection from the State must materi
ally change.