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
Catalogue details

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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    [ 13] power to save your patient—ever remembering, the great value of human lite. Let your only enemy be disease. Truly it may be said of medical men, that they are engaged in a warfare. You are now preparing, young gentlemen, to enter the ranks of medical soldiery. Not to engage in the extermina- tion of your race, by the missiles of war, on the field of battle, where ambition meets ambition in national conflict. Not in a warfare of such character, as that in proportion to the victories you achieve, will be the number of widows and orphans made ; writing the titles of your fame with the sword of conquest dipped in the blood of your fellows. On the contrary, the prolongation of life, visiting the abodes of affliction and anguish, soothing the widow's sorrows, drying the orphan's tears, by preventing further lesions of the domestic compact, And in proportion as you accomplish these ends, in such proportion will you achieve victories. In addition to the qualifications already named, you will need courage, fortitude and philanthropy. You will, therefore, during your studentship, strive earnestly to cultivate those elements of character. When you have gone forth into professional service, you will sometimes meet your foe, in the form of malignant dis- ease ; and when your friends and fellows are falling fast on every side, your duty will call you where the battle waxes hottest, and danger is most imminent. Worn out by constant toil, and men- tal anxiety, you may yourselves fall easy victims, Yellow Fever Cholera and kindred foes, have claimed many noble ones of our profession. They have fallen while bearing the means of relief to the unfortunate sufferer,—whilst bearing the standard of our noble science through the lanes of pestilence, and chambers of death; you may be called upon to do like service; you need cou- rage of the noblest type. You are doubtless ready to enquire, shall we be rewarded for all this labor—remunerated for our sacrifice. I answer, industry and attention to business, with economy, will always insure full competency ; but do not expect sudden wealth. Nor will monu- mental piles be erected to your memories, or the orator trumpet your fame to the world. But you can, in the language of ano- ther, write monuments on the altars of your own hearts.