Charge addressed to the graduates in medicine at the commencement of the Medical Department of the Columbian College, D.C : March 10, 1830 / by Thomas P. Jones.

  • Jones, Thomas P., 1774-1848.
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Charge addressed to the graduates in medicine at the commencement of the Medical Department of the Columbian College, D.C : March 10, 1830 / by Thomas P. Jones. 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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    1G of the lives of Physicians is replete with instances which, a thousand fold, redeem the profession from the opprobrium of selfishness, with whirl] it has been charged, and place its pro- fessors among the most worthy, the most exalted of our race. I could relate facts respecting living Physicians, which would compare with any upon record ; 1 could tell of the most self- denying acts, performed in the hovels of wretchedness and disease, when praise would have been unheard, and remunera- tion was impossible : but the agents in acts of benevolence like this, would blush to find it fame,'' and such histories must remain untold. Venerating, as I do most devoutly, the memory of that emi- nent Physician and Teacher, Dr. Rush, whose life was dedica- ted to the best interests of humanity, and whose name grows more illustrious as time rolls on, I will indulge myself in briefly narrating one of the evidences of that benevolence, which formed a distinguishing feature in his character. In presenting it to you, I do not offer it as any thing extraordina- ry, but merely to exemplify a genus, by the exhibition of a single species. In the year 1795, a worthy and pious man, in Philadelphia, the father of a large family, was attacked with inflammation of the brain, which, though at first apparently subdued, returned, and terminated fatally. Rush, to whom the family had oecn previously unknown, was called in, as a consulting Physician. He attended day after day, and, in the consolation which he administered to the afflicted family, ap- peared like one of more than earthly mould, whilst he was exhausting the resources of art upon the patient; the disease, however, was not to be arrested. When, after the lapse of some weeks, the affairs of the family were arranged, and it was found that there was enough to discharge the debts of the deceased, a messenger was sent to the Doctor, to thank him for his kindness, and to inform him, that the widow was ready to pay his bill. He made immediate and particular enquiry, res- pecting the number of children, and the circumstances of the family ; then wrote a few lines of kindness and condolence, and requested the acceptance of a sum, which was enclosed.