Introductory address, delivered at the opening of the session of the Medical College of Georgia : on the second Monday of November, 1838 / by Joseph A. Eve.

  • Eve, Joseph A. (Joseph Adams), 1805-1886.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Introductory address, delivered at the opening of the session of the Medical College of Georgia : on the second Monday of November, 1838 / by Joseph A. Eve. 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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    [•] of medicine, will the number of incurable maladies, the oppro- bria medicorum, be lessened, pain and suffering diminished, happiness promoted, and the average duration of life extended ! In a retrospective glance at the history of medicine, we be- hold doctrine following doctrine in endless succession, as wavo succeeds wave upon the ocean, or as the foliage of Autumn falls to be succeeded by the leaves of Spring: one theory appears upon the stage, culminates for awhile in meridian splendour and then finks down into obscurity and night, with all that have passed before: but happily for the cause of humanity—for the advance- ment of science, exploded doctrines falling fertilize the field of science and render the future harvest more luxuriant. A medi- cal theory may be refuted, the name of its author may be en- tombed in oblivion, whilst some principle, established or illus- trated by him, may outlive the ruin, and prove to be of lasting value and benefit to suffering humanity. Who now does hom- age to the name of Brown, the unfortunate child of genius, the victim of error? where are his disciples? where his once daz- zling doctrine? Behold it, a shattered wreck, floating down the stream of time, no longer extant above the waves; yet it must be acknowledged by all, that to Brown the glory is due of having advanced a proposition that has ever since stood, as the corner-stone of truth in medicine—that to Brown the honor be- longs of having announced to the profession a principle that lays at the foundation of all correct theory in medicine, that constitutes the basis of all sound reasoning in physiology, pa- thology and therapeutics, that vital phenomena are excited and maintained by stimuli or excitants. From true principles not having been applied to the study and cultivation of medicine, the greatest confusion and uncer- tainty long prevailed: There was little or no improvement for many centuries, until the light which the Baconian philosophy