medical essays-第67部分

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Let　him　be　a　man　who　stands　well　with　his　professional　brethren；　whom　they　approve　as　honest；　able；　courteous。

Let　him　be　one　whose　patients　are　willing　to　die　in　his　hands；　not　one　whom　they　go　to　for　trifles；　and　leave　as　soon　as　they　are　in　danger；　and　who　can　say；　therefore；　that　he　never　loses　a　patient。

Do　not　leave　the　ranks　of　what　is　called　the　regular　profession；　unless　you　wish　to　go　farther　and　fare　worse；　for　you　may　be　assured　that　its　members　recognize　no　principle　which　hinders　their　accepting　any　remedial　agent　proved　to　be　useful；　no　matter　from　what　quarter　it　comes。　　The　difficulty　is　that　the　stragglers；　organized　under　fantastic　names　in　pretentious　associations；　or　lurking　in　solitary　dens　behind　doors　left　ajar；　make　no　real　contributions　to　the　art　of　healing。　　When　they　bring　forward　a　remedial　agent　like　chloral；　like　the　bromide　of　potassium；　like　ether；　used　as　an　anesthetic；　they　will　find　no　difficulty　in　procuring　its　recognition。

Some　of　you　will　probably　be　more　or　less　troubled　by　the　pretensions　of　that　parody　of　mediaeval　theology　which　finds　its　dogma　of　hereditary　depravity　in　the　doctrine　of　psora；　its　miracle　of　transubstantiation　in　the　mystery　of　its　triturations　and　dilutions；　its　church　in　the　people　who　have　mistaken　their　century；　and　its　priests　in　those　who　have　mistaken　their　calling。　　You　can　do　little　with　persons　who　are　disposed　to　accept　these　curious　medical　superstitions。　　The　saturation…point　of　individual　minds　with　reference　to　evidence；　and　especially　medical　evidence；　differs；　and　must　always　continue　to　differ；　very　widely。　　There　are　those　whose　minds　are　satisfied　with　the　decillionth　dilution　of　a　scientific　proof。　　No　wonder　they　believe　in　the　efficacy　of　a　similar　attenuation　of　bryony　or　pulsatilla。　　You　have　no　fulcrum　you　can　rest　upon　to　lift　an　error　out　of　such　minds　as　these；　often　highly　endowed　with　knowledge　and　talent；　sometimes　with　genius；　but　commonly　richer　in　the　imaginative　than　the　observing　and　reasoning　faculties。

Let　me　return　once　more　to　the　young　graduate。　　Your　relations　to　your　professional　brethren　may　be　a　source　of　lifelong　happiness　and　growth　in　knowledge　and　character；　or　they　may　make　you　wretched　and　end　by　leaving　you　isolated　from　those　who　should　be　your　friends　and　counsellors。　　The　life　of　a　physician　becomes　ignoble　when　he　suffers　himself　to　feed　on　petty　jealousies　and　sours　his　temper　in　perpetual　quarrels。　　You　will　be　liable　to　meet　an　uncomfortable　man　here　and　there　in　the　profession；one　who　is　so　fond　of　being　in　hot　water　that　it　is　a　wonder　all　the　albumen　in　his　body　is　not　coagulated。　There　are　common　barrators　among　doctors　as　there　are　among　lawyers；　stirrers　up　of　strife　under　one　pretext　and　another；　but　in　reality　because　they　like　it。　　They　are　their　own　worst　enemies；　and　do　themselves　a　mischief　each　time　they　assail　their　neighbors。　　In　my　student　days　I　remember　a　good　deal　of　this　Donnybrook…Fair　style　of　quarrelling；　more　especially　in　Paris；　where　some　of　the　noted　surgeons　were　always　at　loggerheads；　and　in　one　of　our　lively　Western　cities。　　Soon　after　I　had　set　up　an　office；　I　had　a　trifling　experience　which　may　serve　to　point　a　moral　in　this　direction。　　I　had　placed　a　lamp　behind　the　glass　in　the　entry　to　indicate　to　the　passer…by　where　relief　from　all　curable　infirmities　was　to　be　sought　and　found。　　Its　brilliancy　attracted　the　attention　of　a　devious　youth；　who　dashed　his　fist　through　the　glass　and　upset　my　modest　luminary。　　All　he　got　by　his　vivacious　assault　was　that　he　left　portions　of　integument　from　his　knuckles　upon　the　glass；　had　a　lame　hand；　was　very　easily　identified；　and　had　to　pay　the　glazier's　bill。　The　moral　is　that；　if　the　brilliancy　of　another's　reputation　excites　your　belligerent　instincts；　it　is　not　worth　your　while　to　strike　at　it；　without　calculating　which　of　you　is　likely　to　suffer　most；　if　you　do。

You　may　be　assured　that　when　an　ill…conditioned　neighbor　is　always　complaining　of　a　bad　taste　in　his　mouth　and　an　evil　atmosphere　about　him；　there　is　something　wrong　about　his　own　secretions。　　In　such　cases　there　is　an　alterative　regimen　of　remarkable　efficacy：　it　is　a　starvation…diet　of　letting　alone。　　The　great　majority　of　the　profession　are　peacefully　inclined。　　Their　pursuits　are　eminently　humanizing；　and　they　look　with　disgust　on　the　personalities　which　intrude　themselves　into　the　placid　domain　of　an　art　whose　province　it　is　to　heal　and　not　to　wound。

The　intercourse　of　teacher　and　student　in　a　large　school　is　necessarily　limited；　but　it　should　be；　and；　so　far　as　my　experience　goes；　it　is；　eminently　cordial　and　kindly。　　You　will　leave　with　regret；　and　hold　in　tender　remembrance；　those　who　have　taken　you　by　the　hand　at　your　entrance　on　your　chosen　path；　and　led　you　patiently　and　faithfully；　until　the　great　gates　at　its　end　have　swung　upon　their　hinges；　and　the　world　lies　open　before　you。　　That　venerable　oath　to　which　I　have　before　referred　bound　the　student　to　regard　his　instructor　in　the　light　of　a　parent；　to　treat　his　children　like　brothers；　to　succor　him　in　his　day　of　need。　　I　trust　the　spirit　of　the　oath　of　Hippocrates　is　not　dead　in　the　hearts　of　the　students　of　to…day。　　They　will　remember　with　gratitude　every　earnest　effort；　every　encouraging　word；　which　has　helped　them　in　their　difficult　and　laborious　career　of　study。　　The　names　they　read　on　their　diplomas　will　recall　faces　that　are　like　family…portraits　in　their　memory；　and　the　echo　of　voices　they　have　listened　to　so　long　will　linger　in　their　memories　far　into　the　still　evening　of　their　lives。

One　voice　will　be　heard　no　more　which　has　been　familiar　to　many　among　you。　　It　is　not　for　me；　a　stranger　to　these　scenes；　to　speak　his　eulogy。　　I　have　no　right　to　sadden　this　hour　by　dwelling　on　the　deep　regrets　of　friendship；　or　to　bid　the　bitter　tears　of　sorrow　flow　afresh。　　Yet　I　cannot　help　remembering　what　a　void　the　death　of　such　a　practitioner　as　your　late　instructor　must　leave　in　the　wide　circle　of　those　who　leaned　upon　his　counsel　and　assistance　in　their　hour　of　need；　in　a　community　where　he　was　so　widely　known　and　esteemed；　in　a　school　where　he　bore　so　important　a　part。　　There　is　no　exemption　from　the　common　doom　for　him　who　holds　the　shield　to　protect　others。　　The　student　is　called　from　his　bench；　the　professor　from　his　chair；　the　practitioner　in　his　busiest　period　hears　a　knock　more　peremptory　than　any　patient's　midnight　summons；　and　goes　on　that　unreturning　visit　which　admits　of　no　excuse；　and　suffers　no　delay。　　The　call　of　such　a　man　away　from　us　is　the　bereavement　of　a　great　family。　　Nor　can　we　help　regretting　the　loss　for　him　of　a　bright　and　cheerful　earthly　future；　for　the　old　age　of　a　physician　is　one　of　the　happiest　periods　of　his　life。　　He　is　loved　and　cherished　for　what　he　has　been；　and　even　in　the　decline　of　his　faculties　there　are　occasions　when　his　experience　is　still　appealed　to；　and　his　trembling　hands　are　looked　to　with　renewing　hope　and　trust；　as　being　yet　able　to　stay　the　arm　of　the　destroyer。

But　if　there　is　so　much　left　for　age；　how　beautiful；　how　inspiring　is　the　hope　of　youth！　　I　see　among　those　whom　I　count　as　listeners　one　by　whose　side　I　have　sat　as　a　fellow…teacher；　and　by　whose　instructions　I　have　felt　myself　not　too　old　to　profit。　　As　we　borrowed　him　from　your　city；　I　must　take　this　opportunity　of　telling　you　that　his　zeal；　intelligence；　and　admirable　faculty　as　an　instructor　were　heartily　and　universally　recognized　among　us。　　We　return　him；　as　we　trust；　uninjured；　to　the　fellow…citizens　who　have　the　privilege　of　claiming　him　as　their　own。

And　now；　gentlemen　of　the　graduating　class；　nothing　remains　but　for　me　to　bid　you；　in　the　name　of　those　for　whom　I　am　commissioned　and　privileged　to　speak；　farewell　as　students；　and　welcome　as　practitioners。　　I　pronounce　the　two　benedictions　in　the　same　breath；　as　the　late　king's　demise　and　the　new　king's　accession　are　proclaimed　by　the　same　voice　at　the　same　moment。　　You　would　hardly　excuse　me　if　I　stooped　to　any　meaner　dialect　than　the　classical　and　familiar　language　of　your　prescriptions；　the　same　in　which　your　title　to　the　name　of　physician　is；　if；　like　our　own　institution；　you　follow　the　ancient　usage；　engraved　upon　your　diplomas。

Valete；　JUVENES；　artis　medicae　studiosi；　valete；　discipuli；　valete；　filii！

Salvete；　VIRI；　artis　medicae　magister；　Salvete　amici；　salvete　fratres！






MEDICAL　LIBRARIES。

＇Dedicatory　Address　at　the　opening　of　the　Medical　Library　in　Boston；　December　3；　1878。＇

It　is　my　appointed　task；　my　honorable　privilege；　this　evening；　to　speak　of　what　has　been　done　by　others。　　No　one　can　bring　his　tribute　of　words　into　the　presence　of　great　deeds；　or　try　with　them　to　embellish　the　memory　of　any　inspiring　achievement；　without　feeling　and　leaving　with　others　a　sense　of　their　insufficiency。　　So　felt　Alexander　when　he　compared　even　his　adored　Homer　with　the　hero　the　poet　had　sung。　　So　felt　Webster　when　he　contrasted　the　phrases　of　rhetoric　with　the　eloquence　of　patriotism　and　of　self…devotion。　　So　felt　Lincoln　when　on　the　field　of　Gettysburg　he　spoke　those　immortal　words　which　Pericles　could　not　nave　bettered；　which　Aristotle　could　not　have　criticised。　　So　felt　he　who　wrote　the　epitaph　of　the　builder　of　the　dome　which　looks　down　on　the　crosses　and　weathercocks　that　glitter　over　London。

We　are　not　met　upon　a　battle…field；　except　so　far　as　every　laborious　achievement　means　a　victory　over　opposition；　indifference；　selfishness；　faintheartedness；　and　that　great　property　of　mind　as　well　as　matter；inertia。　　We　are　not　met　in　a　cathedral；　except　so　far　as　every　building　whose　walls　are　lined　with　the　products　of　useful　and　ennobling　thought　is　a　temple　of　the　Almighty；　whose　inspiration　has　given　us　understanding。　　But　we　have　gathered　within　walls　which　bear　testimony　to　the　self…sacrificing；　persevering　efforts　of　a　few　young　men；　to　whom　we　owe　the　origin　and　development　of　all　that　excites　our　admiration　in　this　completed　enterprise；　and　I　might　consider　my　task　as　finished　if　I　contented　myself　with　borrowing　the　last　word　of　the　architect's　epitaph　and　only　saying；　Look　around　you！

The　reports　of　the　librarian　have　told　or　will　tell　you；　in　some　detail；　what　has　been　accomplished　since　the　21st　of　December