General introductory lecture : delivered in the Cincinnati College of Medicine & Surgery on Tuesday evening, November 1st, 1859 / by Thaddeus A. Reamy.
- Reamy, T. A. (Thaddeus Asbury), 1829-1909.
- Date:
- 1859
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: General introductory lecture : delivered in the Cincinnati College of Medicine & Surgery on Tuesday evening, November 1st, 1859 / by Thaddeus A. Reamy. 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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![[11] about fifty }Tears. Thus we discover that out of the eighty-one thousand who annually pass through their Hospital wards—there is a saving of five hundred souls. Throughout the Kingdom of France, as will be seen, by refer- ence to the statistics of M. Charles Pupin, from 1776 to 1843, the leDgth of life wa3 increased fifty-two days annually—so that during that time, nine-and-a-half years were actually added to the life of man. In England, during the last century, the mortality has been so much diminished, that man's days upon earth have been in- creased more than six per cent. In our own country, according to the Eeports of New York Hospitals. Thirty-one are now saved out of every hundred that were formerly lost—an increase in life, of thirty-one per cent. Now whether we found our estimate upon statistics obtained in America or Europe, we are justified in the broad assertion that, through the influence of medical science, there has been an addition of more than one-fourth to the average of human life. The greatest earthly boon that has ever been bestowed upon our race. Its benefits cannot be computed. It will be remembered, during the early part of our remarks, we promised to show some of the rewards that had accrued to the labors of medical men. This we have now very briefly done. Skeptics are ready to assert, and have already declared, that these results are attributable to other causes, unwilling as the world has ever been, to allow, and award to legitimate medicine, and to medical men, that honor and glory, which they have so fairly purchased, and to which they are so justly entitled. But our claims cannot be gainsayed. The Hospital reports to which we have referred, are wholly irrefutable. They are col- lected from the seat of conflict, on the spot where medical men have desperately joined in battle with the most terrible and formidable diseases, and achieved brilliant, glorious victories. Bidding the monster death stand aside, depriving him of his wonted prey. We do not point you to these encouraging facts, that you may conclude the battles have all been fought, the victories all won. That all has been done that can be done, in lengthening human](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21149513_0013.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
