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tained; to amass knowledge from every available source; to draw wisdom from all open fountains.

It is familiar to you, how counterfeit physicians have always practiced by the side of the real, and have in all ages and nations stamped history with their impositions. In the early history of medicine and mankind, all science, morality and religion, were wrapped up in the dogmas of the schools, and traditions of the fathers, and men surrendered their minds to superstition, absurdity and vague unreasoning conjecture. Astronomy and chemistry. so exact now, wandered in the mazes of astrology and alchemy. Visionary theories agitated the profession of medicine, and as there was no law of truth and fact, by which to try them, there could be no limit to the wildness of unrestrained imagination. Now, all true science repudiates systems and theories, or only recognizes them as based upon established facts. That investigation which works within any exclusive system, is too limited and narrow to embrace the whole truth; a system can no more contain the whole science of medicine, than can the less contain the greater. Your profession rests upon certain well-determined facts, and there are various theories which have been drawn from them by different individuals, and investigation is carried on in various directions, with the view to confirm or confute these theories. Such, however, are very different from the wild schemes and visions which have been engendered, and the facts imagined or asserted to sustain them-theories and schemes which now lie scattered in ruin, monuments of warning to all who dare exclude the ground-work of truth, presuming to build permanent structures upon imaginary and vague foundations. The science of medicine, by its very nature, by the principles which govern the human mind, by every consideration of interest and ambition, can limit itself to nothing short of all attainable truth, and cannot be limited by, or bound by any system.

Such, then, is the profession you have chosen, and upon whose duties and responsibilities you now enter. As you are to meet with some embarrassments and disappointments growing out of the nature of your profession and the relations which you sustain to the public, it is but natural that I should briefly indicate their character and the causes from which they spring. You commence the practice of medicine with the sealed approval of the Faculty

and other officers of the Medical department of the University of Buffalo, and it will everywhere be accepted as proof of creditable attainment in your art, but it does not confer age, experience, or that entire confidence in the public, which is the only passport to the care of those whose lives are in peril. In other words, you are yet to gain your professional standing with the public, and often to wring it as an unwilling tribute to your faithfulness and zeal, from a reluctant and unappreciating people. "It is told of a wealthy, impudent and influential quack, who, being called upon by a wondering friend who had known his former low estate and great ignorance, asked, how with so few claims and merits have you risen to fame and fortune? He took his friend to the window overlooking a crowded London street, and asked, how many wise or sensible persons may be supposed to be in the passing crowd? Not more than one in a hundred, was the reply. He says, the remainder are mine." This, though perhaps a little overdrawn, is a sad but truthful commentary upon the mental acuteness of mankind. A love of the marvelous, a blind faith in the unknown and intangible, a confidence in traditions and superstitions, and an inexplicable readiness to adopt opinions without evidence, often in opposition to the clearest and most positive proof, constitutes the basis-the stock in trade the chief reliance in medical imposition. It would seem that after so many years of teaching by the profession, the public would understand more of disease than it does, and have more sensible and rational notions of its causes, modes of termination, and means of cure. The influence of the medical profession over the public mind, has always been controlling in everything of science or art, in all hygienic and sanitary law, in everything in which it has harmoniously and consistently exercised its power. Why is it, then, that so far in the progress of the world, we are yet so primitive and simple in this respect? Why is it that inconsistencies and absurdities which would have disgraced the earliest races of men, find believers and advocates at the present time?

I have indicated some of the causes, so far as the public is concerned, and in this I was intentionally very brief. There are reasons which belong to the other side-to those who have, or should have been, the educators of the public mind, and as you are hereafter to stand in this relation, it is more appropriate to

dwell upon these causes of failure. It is not to be concealed, that a great many physicians have, to some extent, practiced the modes of quacks, or rather, quacks have imitated the manners of physicians who made extravagant and nntruthful pretensions, which were well calculated to mislead, and have misled the people in a great degree, giving a blind faith instead of a correct understanding. But a few years since, for an intelligent patient to inquire of the nature of his disease, and especially of the proposed means of cure, was looked upon as an imposition, often construed as betraying want of confidence, and at least, as uncourteous and impolite, meriting some curt and unsatisfactory answer; such was the general manner of the medical teacher of the public. Who in the profession, faithfully and truthfully spoke of disease, telling of its origin, progress and natural termination in health? Who ever instructed the people of possible recovery without the aid of medicine, even in self-limited diseases? Who described the true nature of remedies, and the effects which might reasonably be expected to follow their use? And where, O! where, could a physician be found, who, when consulted in disease, gave advice instead of medicine, or colored water or bread pills? who plainly, truthfully and fearlessly explained the uselessness, in such case, of remedies, and the probable pro gress and termination of the disease? Bread pills and colored water in the profession, has found its counterpart and imitation out of it, in sugar pills and pure water; but who, O! who, has ever taught, or can teach the public, the immeasurable swindle of both? and when will that medical millenium appear, when those who advise the sick, will attempt no imposition upon their credulity and give a sufficient reason for their opinions? I have intimated that the prevalence of public error in medicine, is due in part, to the false reasoning and untruthful teaching of the profession, and as a natural consequence you will infer, that in so far as you would aid the prevalence of truth and banish from the public mind whatever is founded in error, you will adhere to it under all circumstances, never hesitating to risk your reputations upon its standard. For a physician to claim for himself or his art, anything not rightfully belonging thereto, is wholly inconsistent with the high obligations he is under to himself, his profession and the world.

I have thus briefly indicated what the profession is, which you have chosen, in its true dignity, strength and purity, and what its

unworthy members may become, by neglect, short-sighted selfishness and down-right imposition. Nominal membership in an honorable profession, will not raise you above the level—the low level of the charlatan and impostor, if you follow similar practices; but if you disdain to deceive, unhesitatingly adhere to the truth, both in your representations of disease, and your means of cure, reject all pretense not founded in fact, and discharge the duties of your profession intelligently, faithfully and truthfully, then I welcome you to all the honors we have this day conferred upon you, and all the rewards which gather as a halo of light around the brow of the earnest, truthful, intelligent physician. To become distinguished for extensive knowledge, or great wisdom-to be known widely as capable of wisely adapting means to the removal of disease, or skilfully determining its nature and cause, are objects of just and manly ambition. To obtain an enviable reputation, is the common and almost universal object of the members of your profession, much of it growing out of a natural desire to succeed in business and to gratify a personal pride and ambition. The means for accomplishing this end are carefully considered, and the surest and safest, as well as readiest and easiest, are fully estimated, often, however, forgetting the old and true maxim—“whoever would gain the rewards of diligence must suffer its fatigues." Far from intimating that the members of the medical profession are too ambitious for fame or business success, or any of the rewards of great merit, I am rather compelled, reluctantly to admit, that very many are ready to settle into a routine of thought and practice, neither benefiting themselves or growing more capable of doing good to others. I am pained to believe that some in our profession, are still using the same infallible and unvarying calomel and jalap, like the unchanging Democrat who still casts his vote for Andrew Jackson for President. Dead theories and dead practices, dead hundreds of years too late, yet long enough since to be covered in the grave of forgetfulness, thus find place and memory in the profession. To these men, recent discoveries in medicine and surgery, are new-fangled notions, unimportant and useless; improved instruments and methods of investigating disease and of making diagnosis positive, are in their estimation, only complicated machines which add nothing to the practical value of our art. Estimating the frequency of the pulse, and

VOL. 7, NO. 8-37.

observing the condition of the tongue, affords them satisfactory knowledge of nearly all forms of disease, and leaves little more to be desired. The newly published books are presumed to contain little new to them, and medical journals nothing of interest. These, and such as these, have been the medical educators of the public in too great degree, until in recent years they have been gradually superceded by more active, intelligent and worthy men, and it is believed that the influence which these are exerting, will manifest itself in truer appreciation of the real value of legitimate medicine, and the total worthlessness of all isms, and pretended systems, which do not come within its sphere, and cannot be regarded as commending themselves to the approval of an enlightened understanding.

There are many ways which are constantly being tried, to obtain professional reputation and fame, while in reality there is but one avenue to its possession. Some of these various roads do lead to temporary notoriety, but never, any of them end in true professional worth, and thus, obviously, not in high honor. It is scarcely necessary to enumerate these false passages in professional life, and still, as a word of warning it may be well to briefly sketch some of them. Every young man in commencing business, must compete with other members of the profession and be compared to, and estimated in connection with them. One of the most fearful and fatal passages, thus opened up for him, and others in his interest, is detraction from the worth of his rival, and undue and exaggerated representations of personal merit. Speak kindly of your opponents, and, above all, not boastingly of yourselves. He is also expected in commencing business, to meet the requirements of social and religious life; the club, secret or political society and church, are at once presented, as avenues to acquaintance, social position and oftentimes professional preferment, but they are all, also, false passages and the character of their rewards well known. I do not oppose membership in these for legitimate ends, but seeking them for purposes of professional advantage, is certain to end in disappointment. It is true that friends as they patronizingly call themselves, may be gained thus, and patrons sometimes, who will "damn you with faint praise," and urge your preferment, because you belong to their club, lodge, or church, they will temporarily favor you because you join their

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