An address at the dedication of the new building of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, July 3, 1850 / by Edward Reynolds.

  • Reynolds, Edward, 1793-1881.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An address at the dedication of the new building of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, July 3, 1850 / by Edward Reynolds. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    that led to its formation ; the principles upon which it has been governed; and the results it has produced ; and thus to make known the faithfulness with which your designs have been fulfilled ; and to enable you best to appreciate the great amount of good already secured by your benevolence ; and the unspeakable benefit, which this simple charity is capable in its pres- ent matured condition, of conferring upon the cause of science and humanity. Public Eye Infirmaries, are the Institutions of modern times. There are persons still living, whose eyes beheld the corner stone of the first that was erected. It was laid in the almost universal ignorance of Ophthalmic Science. One of the most remarkable facts developed in the history of Medicine, is the utter neglect of the study of Diseases of the Eyes, during the long period of two thousand years — from the days of Celsus who flour- ished in the reign of Augustus Ceesar, almost to our time. While every other branch of medicine, enlarged its boundaries by the accurate observation of each suc- ceeding age, this alone remained stationary. The medi- cal profession, always true to itself, has kept an equal progress with the other sciences ; and successively given in its own character a faithful representation of the wis- dom with which it was associated. As we travel down the successive periods of the world's existence, we confi- dently look to the medical fathers for a progressively increasing light ; and except in this single branch of