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MacCALLCM, M.D., xVI.R.C.S.,Eng. Emeritus Professor of Midwifery and Diseases of Women and Children, McGill University, &c., &c. MONTREAL DESBARATS & CO., PRINTERS I9OI i TO THE MEMORY OF TWO DEAR FRIENDS THE LATE GEORGE W. CAMPBELL, M.D., LL.D. AND THE LATE ROBERT PALMER HOWARD. M.D., LL.D. THIS VOLUME OF ADDRESSES IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR I (o^« ^ve-5 \^ !Wf^ jjfciat --i''*.;flrMD(Rr f»- VALEDICTORY ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATES IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY. McGILL UNIVERSITY, DELIVERED ON BEHALF OF THE MEDICAL FACULTY AT THE ANNUAL CONVOCATION, HELD ON THE THIRTY- FIRST MARCH, EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ARTHUR BEING PRESENT. Gentlemen Graduates in Medicine : "The winning of honour," says Bacon, " is but the revealing of a man's virtue and worth, without disadvantage." The honour which, for a period of four years, you have manfully striven for and at length creditably won, and which has, this day, been conferred upon you, is one that demands, on the part of those who would successfully aspire to it, the mani- festations of qualities both mental and moral, of no common order. Your success, therefore, reveals to your friends and to society at large that you do possess those intellectual qualities, that virtue and worth which, if you continue to exercise them in future as you have hitherto, will USdJbs? . certainly succeed in winning for you the esteem of honourable men, and make you useful members of the profession of your choice. Of all the modes in which men employ their time and energies, there are few more elevated in their aims or more bene- ficial to mankind than the practice of the healing art. We may say, in truth, that there is but one other profession which excels that of the human healer : and it does so, simply because it has for its object the present culture and well-being and the future safety and happiness of man's undying self. One of the greatest and most original thinkers of the present day, however, places Medicine above all other professions : thus, Carlyle, in his " Latter day Pamphlets," observes that "the profession of the human healer is radically a sacred one and connected with the highest priesthoods, or rather being itself the out-come and acme of all priest- hoods and divinest conquests of intellect here below." The great object of Medicine is to com- bat disease, and what does this signify ? Firstly : — That it is a profession which '.' I .-9- tmuKMe^g^^ieasaiEiiume- requires its members to be furnished with knowledge of the most extensive and rec- ondite character. They must know the physical man thoroughly, the wonderful intricacies of his intimate structure, and the marvellously complex processes that are being carried on in every part of his organism. They must have studied also man's mental constitution, and be able to recognize the presence and estimate the value of mental influences in life pro- cesses and their derangements. The infinite variety of the causes of disease, whether existing in man itself, in the air he breathes, the food he eats, the water he drinks, the textures with which he clothes himself, or the earth upon which he walks, must be familiar to them. They must have a perfect acquaintance with the physiognomy of disease and the traits and characters by which it reveals its presence. They must know, also, the means which a Beneficent Providence has placed within their reach for the removal of disease, and the restoration of the aberrant functions to their normal condition ; and which means have been discovered, elaborated and perfected, by i the research, perseverance and the inge^ nuity of man himself. Much of this knowledge you have already acquired, but the fund is practically inexhaustible, and were you to live beyond the time allotted to man, and devote every spare moraent to close research and study, you would only appreciate the more clearly how limited any one ^.udividual's acquirements and experience must be in a liberal pro- fession with the multiplied actualities and infinite possibilities of Medicine. Secondly :— That it is a profession which demands from its members the greatest devotion and self-denial. Duty is frequently a straight and rugged road. Pleasant indeed are the by-paths of leis- ure and amusement, and especially tempt- ing are the cool retreats oi listless indif- ference. The man struggling forward in his life journey, often fretted and wearied with the difficultie that beset him in the prosecution of his aims and aspirations, would fain turn acide and seek relief in the levity of the one, or In the stagnation of the other. Let him yield to the temp- tation, howe\ -r, and no matter how fair .^ay have been his prospects of success at ID the commencemsnt of his career, no iiir'.t- ter hc-y richlj'' he me have been endowed with natural gifts, failure, miserable and dishonouring failur-, is inevitable. Suc- cess in any of the ^reat objects of life is not to the idler, the trifler or dreamer. It comes not in obedience to a wish, and cannot be acquired by a waking dream. In this active and restless period of the world's history, a man, to succeed, must be up and doing. He mu«t a---ply himself with singleness of prrpose to do his duty in whatever h'=: undertakes, undeterred by the obstacles which may obstruct his way, and which often appear to be insurmount- able until they encounter and go down before a resolute ? unyielding will. The world is apt l^ measure a man's abilities by his successes, and although the rule by which it judges cannot be admitted as an infallible one, there are solid grounds on which this wordly deci- sion lests. To be fortunate, as the term gocL ^'s often the result simply of a knowl- edge of all the means necessary to attain to a certain object, and the prosecution of these with thorough devotedness. Cardi- nal Richelieu was wont to observe, that II •mR "unfortunate" and " im-niden. " were two words for the same thing; and we may reasonably infer, therefore, that this distinguished and keen observer of human nature considered good fortune to be the result of prudent management ; in other words, that success is the indication not only of the man's abilities but also or his command over and proper regulation and direction of these abilities. In the profession of medicine, gentle- men, to become a successful healer of the sick, which should be the great and dom- inant desire of each one of you, there can be no trifling with duty. You have not attained the position in which you stand to-day without having learned the impor- tant fact, that there is no easy road to learning. The knowledge, scientific and practical, which you evinced during your recent examinations, and which has been the warranty of this University in confer- ring upon you the degree of Doctor in Medicire and Master of Surgery, has not come to you intuitively. It has been acquired by much hard work, by unre- mitting devotion to your studies, and the frequent practice of self-denial. Now, 12 H the same hard work, the same unremit- ting devotion to study, and the same practise of self-deni.J, will be as impera- tively demanded when you go forth into the world and assume the responsibilities of practitioners of medicine. Without thera you can never be thorough; and thoroughness is certainly of the highest importance in a profession, the great mis- sion of which is to conser/e human life. Thirdly :~That it requires its mem- bers to manifest the purest and most unselfish heroism. Men have been long accustomed to associate all ideas of hero- ism with exhibitions of mere animal courage. To plunge recklessly into the mHk of deadly strife, and, amid the mad- dening excitements of roar of cannon, charge of cavalry, shouts of contention, and groans of the dying, to perform pro- digies of valour by freely destroying human life, is to manifest qualities which nations and individuals delight to honour in their possessor. Thanks from the associated wisdom of a grateful nation, the highest titles and positions in the land, public (vations and a name in history/, have been always freely awarded to the 13 successful military hero. Philosophers and philanthropists, the men of mind and men of heart, have in all ages, however, recoguLed a species of heroism of vastly higher character, but which the public generally have held in light esteem. This heroism is not demonstrative; it has no bold and glaring points to arrest the attention of the beholder; it does not lazzle his eye by its brilliancy ; it is not accompanied by pomp and parade, the sound of the trumpet, the martial roll of the drum, the neighing of the war horse ; it is not clamorous for distinction, is not heard afar off, nor does it boldly intrude on the notice. Quietly, unobtrusively and perseveringly it pursues its course. Of such nature is that heroism which the physician is so often called upon to ex- hibit. When death stalks abroad in the land; when the pestilential breath of a fatal epidemic breathes destruction in every household ; when the wail of bere- a 26. ones strikes fearfully on the ear; when the hearts of strong men, who would in time of excitement rush even to the cannon's mouth, fail them, and terror is depicted on every countenancCj who is it 14 that remains calm and unmoved amid all the dread and turmoil, that speaks words of encouragement and comfort to the fearful and downcast, that with a moral courage that shrinks not, and a high sense of duty, toils day and night to relieve suffering humanity ? Who is it, in a word, that takes his life in his hand, and when friends and relatives even forsake the couch of the plague-stricken one, fear- lessly attends to his every want ? Who ? The devoted, heroic physician. The phy- sician engaged in the duties of his pro- fession during the prevalence of a fatal epidemic, is a noble sight, and one that might engage the attention and command the admiration of beings superior to man. How the people, leaning on his every word, eagerly scan his countenance and bless him for his unwearied care. Danger past, however, his arduous and benevolent efforts are all forgotten, and if, perchance, he should have fallen a victim to over- exertion, a martyr to a conscientious dis- charge of his 'uties, his very memory fades in a few brief days from the recol- lection of those whose lives he has saved. No monumental marble is reared to stand 15 ..*^4^<*.*W^-V-^^.">.'!t- the record of a people's sorrow for his death ; no " storied urn " tells of his acts of bravery and untimely end ; the histo- rian's pen hands not his name down to posterity. Such is the ingratitude of man and such is his estimate of true heroism. When occasion demands, gentlemen, that you should expose your lives for the purpose of gfiving relief to diseased and suffering humanity, I am confident that you will not be found wantmg, and that the fearlessness with which at all times the members of your profession have con- fronted death ir some o* its most revolting forms will be emulated by each one of you. " He who gives himself to the study and work of medicine," says the great and good Sydenham, " ought seriously to ponder on this thing : that as he is him- self not exempted from the common lot, and is liable and exposed to the same laws of mortality, the same miseries and pains as are all the rest; so he may endeavour the more diligently and with a more tender affection, as being himself a fellow sufferer, to help them who are sick." In all your relations of life be true and loyal. Truthfulness and loyalty are two i6 mtmm mem great characteristics of the gentleman, by which temi I do not mean the conven- tional gentleman, who may be defined simply a unit of the male sex, well dressed and with nothing particular to do ; but that n.an of sterling worth, who may be met with in every rank of life, whose heart vibrates towards truth as constantly and as naturally as the needle does towards the north pole, to whom a mean and unworthy action is simply im- possible because of his innate nobleness of character, and of whom it may be said in the truest sense of the terms : noblesse oblige. Be loyal to your Queen, to that wise and gracious Sovereign whom Provi- dence has appointed to reign over us and under whose benignant and constitutional sway the people of this mighty empire have enjoyed the blessings of a true and enlightened freedom. Who has endeared herself to her subjects by the eminent virtues which have adorned her character, and who has commanded the loving ad- miration and esteem of every good man and woman throughout the civilized world, and made the throne of Great Britain, glorious as in itself it is, still I 17 If I more glorious by her wifely and motherly devotion. May the Supreme Ruler of events spare Her Majesty's life, in the words of the National Anthem — " Happy and glorioua Long to reign over us, God save the Queen." Be loyal to your country. You should acquaint yourselves with so much of the politics of your country as to be able at all times to take an intelligent part in public affairs. With questions relating to her material interests you need not concern yourselves more than members of the community generally, as there appear to be not a few with more leisure time, who are willing to attempt their solution, and to sacrifice themselves, as they are pleased to say, for the benefit of the country. What is more within your province, however, is to throw the whole weight of whatever influence you may possess in favour of every measure which has for its object the moral elevation of the community, and to aid in establishing laws, both local and general, for the pre- servation of health and the prevention of disease. i8 Umim^'^., ". y T'^iar; Whatever position these confec' -♦:ed provinces are destined to assuir- .^ag the community of nations, I u . certain that we, and those who follow us, shall be always found to stand firmly by and support the old flag so long as it remains what it is at present — the emblem of free thought and free speech wherever it is ur furled, the banner of a constitution whirh protects its people alike from the tyi-uny of one, the tyranny of a few, or from what De Tocqueville correctly affirms to be the most intolerant of all tyrannies — the tyranny of the majority. We have the deepest affection and respect for the grand old historic Mother Country, the laud of our fore-fathers, the cradle of liberty, the nursery of nations, the hope of civilisation, and the star of promise to the wise and silent watchers, who hold their souls in patience, and yearningly look for the advent of freedom to the down-trodden peoples of the earth. She has watchc^ over and protected our in- fancy and youth, and now that she is about to throw aside the leading strings and, in our budding manhood, to let us try what there is of mettle in us, our 19 r-ri i 5 i L I f. |i. hearts turn lovingly towards the "old home." The relations between us may be altered, but we can neither forget our origin nor our obligations, and it is the dearest and most cherished wish of every loyal Canadian that this Dominion may always form one of the great British family circle. While, therefore, we work head and hand, as becomes sons of the soil, to advance the interest, of this our native country, let our motto ever be "Canadian progress and British connec- tion."* Be loyal to your profession. The respect which will be accorded to the profession of medicine, and the position which it will assume in this Dominion, will depend greatly upon the conduct of its members. The wrong doing or unpro- * Note — In 1870, three years after the Confederation of the provinces, when this address was delivered, men's minds were deeply exercised regarding the political future of the country. Many fiercely denounced the Act of Confederation, and demanded the separation of the country from Great Britain, and tlie establishment of an independent state; whilst others strongly and noisely advocated immediate annexation to the neighboring Republic of the United States. The spirit of disloyalty to the Mother Country was so fierce and rampant, that an active politician of the day at a public meeting where the Union Jack was flying, pointed to the flag and shouted : " Haul down that flag." 20 jLk fessional conduct of many individuals within its pale, cannot alter in the least its high and honourable character ; but it certainly may have the effect of lowering the dignity of the profession before the public. One of the great causes of pro- fessional disloyalty and abounding quac- kery is to be found in the error which is committed by many young physicians in supposing that Medicine is a money- making profession. They are not long in practice before they become undeceived, and then, if they be not true and honour- able men, they are liable to have recourse to various questionable methods with a view of gaining popularity and increasing their income. If the acquisition of great wealth be a leading desire with any one of you this profession does not offer you a fair field. The most that the diligent and hard-working practitioner can reasonably expect as the result of years of toil is a sufi&cient though moderate competency. And this is more certain to be acquired by those who quietly attend to their duties, and remain firmly attached to the principles of their profession, than by those who court notoriety and endeavour to Mi 21 obtain practice by irregular and unpro- fessional means. It must be considered, however, as Mr. Paget has observed, " no small happiness to have a calling in which success can be reckoned by some- thing else than money. Mere money- making is no evidence that a man has done anything respectable, or has gained anything at all worth his labour, and thence, probably, it is that the most hon- ourable professions are those in which, for the most part, services are scarcely re- warded with money, or certainly not according to the scale which mere money- makers would think adequate." Be loyal to yourselves. At all times be guided by the promptings of your better self. Frequent and fierce will be the con- tests for the mastery over your thoughts and actions between the two great anta- gonistic principles of your nature — the good and the evil. Victory will certainly not always be in favour of the former. An infinitely greater and a better man, I may safely say, than either you or I will ever be, exclaimed ' ' torturing perplexity of mind : " Th'. good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not that I do. 22 ill When I would do good evil is present with me." If, however, you apply for aid to the source from which the great apostle of the Gentiles obtained the strength which enabled him to overcome the difficulties that beset him, and even to conquer self, you also may overcome. Human nature is fearfully weak. The Divine is omnipotent. Earnestly cultiv- ate the love of right and truth. The moral part of man's nature is as capable of bving strengthened and developed by exercise in the right direction as is his mental or physical part. Let a man per- sistantly tLink the right thought, and persistently do the right action, and he gradually acquires a moral strength, a power to resist evil that will stand him in good stead when the hour of temptation comes. At all times, and in every thing, endeavour to square your conduct towards your fellows by that golden rule which eighteen centuries ago fell from the lips of the Divine Teacher, which has come down to us through the ages, but which the ages have practically ignored : "What- soever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." m i* . 23 In conclusion, gentlemen : With a full sense of the great responsibilities that your profession imposes on you, and with brave hearts, resolved to do your duty faithfullv and manfully, go forth from this hall and enter upon your career; and, that your career may be successful in every respect— that it may be one of which your best friends may be proud, and especially one on which you may hereafter look back with those feelings of pleasure and satisfaction which the con- templation of a well-spent life always affords, is the sincere and heart-felt wish of every member of this faculty. Fare ye well. INAUGURAL ADDRESS, DELIVERED AT THE OPENING OF THE TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NURSES IN CONNEC- TION WITH THE MONTREAL GENERAL HOSPITAL, DECEMBER ELEVEN, EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND NINETY-SIX^ THEIR EXCELLENCIES THE GOVERNOR- GENERAL AND LADY STANLEY BEING PRESENT. Mr. President, Your Excellencies, Lady Nurses in Training: The question of woman's capability to perform much of the world's work, which has been heretofore performed exclusively by man, has of late years given rise to much controversy, and widely separated opinions are held on the subject. There are many who contend that her proper sphere of action lies within the limits of the family circle. That the great aim and ambition of her life should be to shine as the light and life of a well-regulated home— to be the sympathising friend and companion— the gentle counseller and efficient help-ueet of man. 25 rr A noble and desirable position truly, and one which, when worthily filled as wife, mother, daughter or sister, is pro- ductive of a greater amount of individual human happiness, and of more far-reach- ing and important influences, than any other position a won; an can possibly occupy. The nearest approach to perfect felicity on this earth is to be found in a family circle, the members of which live together in peace and harmony, bound by ties of mutual affection, and over which an intelligent, sympathetic, devoted wo- man presides. A nation consists of an aggregation of families. Home life is reflected in national life, and as the home is, so shall the nation be. Manliness, honour, virtue and integrity, in a word, all the qualities that elevate, as well as those that debase, the nation have their origin in, and are derived from, the homes of the people. The properly-directed and exercised home influence of a woman, therefore, is one of the most important factors in the happiness, prosperity and greatness of a nation. But, admitting so far the correctness of this contention, admitting that in home 26 relations, and in the performance of home duties, jue occupies the position and discharges the functions which in the economy of nature are peculiarly her own, and for which she is specially adapted, the question still presents itself : Is it well that the work of a woman should be hedged in by, and strictly limited to, the contracted boundaries of the family circle ? Endowed with the same faculties £S man, capable by training and educp'.ion of attaining the highest degree of culture, his equal in quickness of perception and in an intuitive knowledge of the motives which prompt human action ; not want- ing, moreover, in many cases, in per- severance and steadiness of purpose, it is only right that she should cultivate and make use of the talent she possesses for the ^furtherance of her own well-being, for the well-fare of those associated with and often dependent upon her, and for the benefit of society in general. Her sex, the power and influence of her emotional nature, and the delicacj'^ of her physical organization, completely unfit her for a very large number of pursuits 27 ■•■»im»»"««^"«» which are congenial to and can only be followed by man. But omitting these there still remain numerous occupations which are open to her, the duties of which she can discharge thoroughly, and which are not in any way repugnant to her sense of womanly dignity and propriety. And the intelligence of modem society recognizes her perfect fitness for various manual and mental work, and willingly accords to her, when she does honest work with hand or brain, the respect and esteem to which every true, faithful worker is entitled. For the old time opinion that prevailed in the robber days of the world's history, when might was right, that work was a humiliation, and that the worker was to be despised and treated with utter contempt, has in this era of unexampled activity and progress, almost entirely disappeared. To-day it is labour, directed and guided by intelligence, that commands success. No position of any consequence can be attained, no notable outcome can be expected by a folding of the arms and a patient waiting on Providence. There has never been a 28 time when the injunction — " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might," has been so faithfully and earn- estly attended to and carried out. Your .presence, ladies, as members of the class in this Training School for Nurses, proclaims the fact that you are desirous to enter the ranks of those who labour for their own well-being and for the good of society generally. Whatever opinion may be held regarding the suit- ability of many positions that are filled, and many occupations that are followed, by those of your own sex, there cannot be the shadow of a doubt as to the perfect fitness of woman for the occupation of nurs- ing the sick. Next to the performance of home duties, it is the work which seems to be peculiarly her own. In the per- formance of the duties appertaining to the care of the sick, all the best qualities of her nature, those for which she is parti- cularly distinguished, are appealed to. Her quick sympathy for all kinds of sor- row and affliction, her tenderness to all who are in pain and suffering, and the devotion which she bestows on those who are helpless and dependent and require jwJI ..i:fi 29 her care, mark her as especially fitted to have charge of the sick. You are to be congratulated on the step which you have taken. For although the position of a nurse is one that is beset by many cares and anxieties, and the work is often fatiguing and even exhausting, still the position is an honorable one, and its annoyances are not without its com- pensations. These are to be found in the satisfaction which one feels in duty well performed, in the consciousness of having been of use in easing the burden of a suffering fellow-being, in the grateful feelings of the sick, and in the expressed thanks of those who, by the recovery of one whom she has fpHhfuUy nursed, have been relieved from a crushing load of anxiety and care. It is to be hoped that '-ou have not decided to enter on this career under the impression that it is an easy matter to acquire the knowledge necessary to perform the duties of a nurse, that very lit Je effc - ♦■ or application is required to make you a trustworthy and ejBScient aid to the physician in the care of the sick. There is an expression which we often hear repeated that some 30 :J ^■f il women are " bom nurses." Every woman, in my opinion, is a " born nurse," if the possession of a natural aptitude for nur- sing the sick be considered as entitling her to that appellation. As in all other occupations, however, so we find in this, that there are some individuals who take a foremost position, and are more thorough than others. In a few instances this may undoubtedly be due to the circumstance of these persons possessing exceptionally good natural abilities, which enable them to take a deeper and clearer view of all the requirements and possibilities of any position they may aspire to, and to adapt themselves more readily, and as it were more naturally, to the duties of the posi- tion. But, even with such advantages, these people cannot excel unless they have received a thorough training in the •outine and education in the nature of the duties of the position which they seek to fill. It is only poets and beings akin to them that require no training. They are supposed to come into the world prepared for their work. As the familiar quotation has it : Poets are born poets, and not made so {poeta nascitur non Jit.) Bduca- 31 ift tion and training, however, are necessary to make a nurse. There is nothing in the art of nursing that any woman of ordinary intelligence may not overcome. But, to attain to a high degree of excel- lence, she must call into service patience, perseverance, and devotion to duty, and submit cheerfully to a thorough system of training. It is most singular, nevertheless per- fectly true, that in Great Britain, to so late a period as forty years ago, and in this country to a later date, nursing was regarded as an occupation to be avoided by women of refinement. Hospital nur- sing in particular was relegated to un- educated women, many of whom were considered unfit for any other kind of work. When, in the memorable autumn of the year 1854, the cry went forth through the length and breadth of the land that our brave soldiers, who were wounded in battle and prostrated by sickness whilst fighting for their country's cause and upholding her honour in a foreign land, were lying in misery and suffering and dying by hundreds without adequate help, 32 and frequently in want of the necessaries of life, the heart of the nation was stirred to its very depths, and the voice of the nation demanded that immediate and abundant relief be sent to the sufferers. All that was required in the matter of stores and medicines were promptly des- patched, and there were many volunteers eager to enrol themselves on the staff of nurses who were to reinforce the over- worked attendants on the sick. But here the momentous question arose : " Who in Great Britain was best fitted by special training, personal qualities and adminis- trative abilities to take full control of the movement inaugurated, and to utilize the means furnished by the Government for a complete reform in hospital arrangements and management at the seat of war ? The answer was not long in coming. In the pleasant English home of Lea Hurst, situated near the river Derwent, and amid the picturesque scenery of the Matlock district, Derbyshire, a well born, refined, and highly educated lady was, at this time, recruiting her strength, somewhat exhausted by a long-continued and too close application to philanthropic pursuits. 3.3 For many years she had made hospital work, and especially hospital nursing, the great study of her life, and when the sad news reached Lea Hurst, as it reached every homestead in England, that brave men were dying solely from the want of proper care and nursing, she knew that the supreme moment of her life had come. At once she placed her services at the disposal of her country, and the offer was promptly and gratefully accepted by the Minister of War, Mr. Sydney Herbert, who was well acquainted with her work and worth. This lad}' was Florence Nightingale, the great apostle of modern scientific nursing, and who is now recognized as one of the world's grand heroic women, whose name and fame shall live wherever and so long as the English language exists. With her little band of thirty- four devoted nurses, she proceeded at once to Scutari and took under her charge the nursing department of the extensive military hospitals at that place. The thoroughness of the reforms which she instituted and that were carried out under her unwearied personal care and 34 supervisiL.a, can readily be estimated by the results. When she entered on her charge the patients were lying in rows upon the ground, the place was reeking with filth, the stench was simply unbear- able, and the mortality had risen to the appalling rate of sixty per cent. Before the end of the war the hospitals might have been selected as model institutions of their kind, and the death rate had diminished to a little over one per cent. What an extraordinary expenditure of mental and physical labour do these results represent. It is marvellous how a deli- cately nurtured lady, naturally not very robust, could have borne up under such a weight of work and responsibility. Such endurance can only be attributed to that wonderful staying power — imparted to the human worker by an all-absorbing pur- suit, or by a high and holy purpose. After her return from the Crimea, a grateful nation established a Training School for Nurses in connection with the new St. Thomas Hospital, London, and named it the Nightingale Home. In this home nurses receive a thorough training for their profession on the lines laid down 35 "■nw" ^^ by Miss Nightingale, and it has become the model for training schools the world over. One of the most important lessons that Florence Nightingale's work has taught Europe and America is, — that to be a success nursing must be taken out of the hands of the ignorant and uneducated and given over to intelligent and educated women, who will accept it as their voca- tion and prepare themselves *-' faithfully discharge its auties. And v 1 at the present day that many ladies 1 rvngland, taking that noble woman as their ex- emplar, have manifested a deep interest, not only in the training of nurses, but in every movement having for its object the well-being of humanity. And much of the philanthropic work of the present day receives important and material aid from woman's sympathy and woman's work. Not a few, moreover, have entered the ranks of the profession and made the care of the sick the work of their lives. Among the former, and not the least devoted, may be mentioned Lady Stanley, who has graciously accompanied His Excellency the Governor-General to take part in and honor by their presence the 36 inauguration of this school. It may not be known to many present, and it is with much pleasure I announce the fact, that in the city of Ottawa a handsome and com- modious building is now in course of, erection and near completion, specially designed and intended for the accommo- dation of trained nurses. This building is to be named " The Lady Stanley Insti- tution for Trained Nurses "; and fittingly so, for the credit of originating the move- ment is due to Lady Stanley, and it has been brought to a successful issue mainly through her energy and well-directed efforts. All honor to Lady Stanley, and success to the institution which will bear her name. The great facilities which this old and popular institution, the Montreal General Hospital, has offered for the instruction of nurses has long been recognized by the ruling authorities and by the Mediv.al Board, and on two separate occasions attempts have been made to utilize the advantages which it presents, and to form in connection with its wards a Training School for nurses. From causes, into which it would be unprofitable to closely P- i 37 enquire, these attempts miscarried, to the deep regret of all who have been conver- sant with the necessity which has existed for such a school in this city. For many years there has been a lamentable dearth of good nurses in Montreal. True there has always been a certain number of intelligent women of sound judgment, who, under the direction and instruction of individual physicians, have acquired marked proficiency in the art of nursing, and these women are worthy of honourable mention for the great assistance which they have afforded to the members of the medical profession in a careful nursing of their patients, and for the good which the}- have done to the general public by honest, faithful nursing of the sick. Very many of those, however, who have taken up the role and offered their services as nurses, have been so profoundly ignorant of the simplest and most elementary prin- ciples of nursing, that it was fortunate if the patient escaped without injury from their clumsy ill-directed attentions. Re- cently, we have had desirable additions to the ranks of the nurses in this city by the advent of several graduates from the Training Sc^iools of other cities. They are entitled to and have received a cordial recognition, and, I believe, have had no reason to complain of the paucity of the demands on their services. But what a humiliation it has been to Montreal that with facilities v/hich cannot be surpassed for imparting a thorough knowledge of the art of nursing, no organization has as vet been successfully carried out to ren- der these available, and ladies of this community desirous of becoming nurses have actually been obliged to resort to other cities and other countries to obtain the necessary instruction. The recent step taken by the present Committee of Alanagement of the Mont- real General Hospital to establish on a pennanent basis a training school for nurses in connection with the wards of this institution, is one, taking the inte- rests of the public into consideration, deserving of the highest commendation. By their action in this matter, moreover, they will undoubtedly remove the stigma which has been attached to the city — that she has had to depend for her supply of trained nurses on foreign and outside 39 .(I fi sources. The movement, I need scarcely say, has received the warm support and co-operation of the Medical Board, and to-day we have as a result an organization for the training of nurses, which for com- pleteness and efficiency will compare favorably with any other similar organiza- tion on this continent. An organization pre-supposes an organizer, and the one we are dealing with is no exception to the rule. The authorities of the Hospital have had the good fortune to secure the services of Miss Livingston for the position of Lady Superintendent of the Hospital and Directress of the Training School for nurses. Endowed with many estimable qualities, this lady is eminently fitted, by education and training, to dis- charge the duties of the responsible posi- tion to which she has been preferred, ana it speaks volumes in favor of her energy and administrative abilities that in so short a time after her appoint- ment, a training school for nurses, fully equipped and ready for active work has been successfully established. Her ef- forts, I may add, have been earnestly seconded and ably assisted by Dr. Kirk- 40 patrick, the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital. This school, the classes of which you have entered as students, is destined to be a credit to the city and a blessing to the community. For it is the determina- tion of all connected with it to carry out thoroughly the objects for which it has been established and to provide the public with nurses carefully trained in their profession. ". \is training is to extend over a period ot two years. It will include residence in the Hospital — strict discip- linary arrangements — practical instruc- tions in the wards in all that appertains to the nursing and care of the sick — and of didactic lectures delivered by the mem- bers of the attending staff of the Hospital and by the directress of the school. Two lectures will be given on Anatomy^ prominence being given to the bones, arteries, nerves and surface markings. Two on Materia Medica, including poisons and their antidotes. Two on Physiology. One on Dressings^ Instruments and Ap- pliances. One on Hygiene Ventilation, Dietetics, Disinfectants. One on Band- aging. One on Slight Ailments and their 41 treatment. Two on Medical Emergencies, such as Fits and Unconsciousness, Dysp- noea, Internal Hemorrhage, use of Hypo- dermic Syringe, &c. Two on Surgical Emergencies, embracing Hemorrhage, Bams and Scalds, Accidents and their treatment. One on the Eye and Ear. One on the Throat and Nose. One on GyncBCological Nursing. One on Children. Emergencies and Special Nursing. One on Contagious Diseases. One on Fever Nursing and Temperature Taking, and /zf^on Obstetrical Nursing. In iC\ twenty- two lectures. In addition, so soon as proper arrange- ments can be made, practical instruction by competent teachers will be given on the mode of preparing articles of diet for the sick. This curriculum, as you will perceive, covers a wide field of study and embraces a variety of subjects. It is not two exact- ing however, as it simply provides for your instruction in matters which are either of the greatest importance to you, or which it is expected you should know. A general knowledge, for instance, of the construction of the human frame, of the 42 s i organs it contains, and of the wonderful processes by which vitality is maintained, is necessary to enable you to carry out your work and discharge your duties to sick and disabled humanity in an intelli- gent and proper manner. It will also give you a clearer insight into the objects which the medical attendant has in view in the directions he may give you, and enlighten you as to the importance of scmpulously carrying out his directions. As accidents and injuries are liable to occur to both the healthy and the sick, it is desirable that you should be familiar with the means best adapted to their relief, so that you may be able to apply them promptly, pending the arrival of the attending Physician or Surgeon. Ample instruction on these points will be given in the lectures on Surgical and Medical Emergencies. Poisons and their anti- dotes, Hemorrhages, Scalds and Burns, Fits und Unconsciousness. The lecture on Hygiene will bring before you the principles which lie at the foundation of all rational movements for the conserva- tion of health, the prevention of disease, and the prolongation of life. The general 43 ''■^m ...W-:T^HRr^--,-j .^mti^ public, especially the lower orders of society, are sadly deficient in a knowledge of *-liese principles, and hence the unsan- itary state of their persons, dwellings and surroundings, and the unwisdom with which they oppose any great movement of sanitary reform. Brought into contact, as you will be by the nature of your pro- fession, with persons differing widely as to education, culture and refinement, it will be your duty in all cases to carry out and insist on the observance of strict hygienic measures. In this way you may be useful in spreading amongst the com- munity a knowledge of hygienic prin- ciples, and thus assist in removing much of the crass ignorance which exists re- garding the importance of personal hy- giene. The remaining subjects included in the curriculum consist of those of which it is desirable that you shouid obtain a fuller knowledge than can be gained from simple instruction in the wards and at the bed-side of the patient, such as Slight Ailments, the Eye, Ear, Throat and Nose, Special Nursing of Children, Gynaecological and Obstetrical Nursing, Contagious Diseases, &c. 44 ^K9< In passing tlirough this course of study and training, the successful completion of which is necessary to your obtaining the Diploma of this School, there are several duties incumbent on you which it would be well for you to consider at this time and endeavour at all times loyally to observe. pjrst.—to THE Physicians of the Hospital. Always bear in mind that the members of the Medical Staff of the Hospital, who have so promptly and generously res- ponded to the request of the Committee of Management to deliver the course of lectures included in the curriculum, have, in this matter, been actuated solely by the dtsire to ensure the success of the School, and to impart such knowledge as shall, with the teachings of the Directress of the School, make those graduating from it thoroughly conversant with every- thing an accomplished nurse should know. Their efforts for your instruction and improvement should receive a warm recognition on your part and you should do all in your power to profit by these efforts. A careful, attentive and diligent 45 SK«sr^ji^^i^9.* -y^-^Stcm' student is always a comfort and satisfac- tion to the teacher. See to it, then, that you apply yourselves to your studies with care, attention and diligence Listen intelligently to all the directions given to you in the wards of the Hospital by the attending physician, and faithfully carry them out. Never allow yourselves for a moment to question the necessity or utility of any direction given. The res- ponsibility for the treatment of the pa- tient rests with the physician; the res- ponsibility of applying and carrying out the treatment in part rests with the nurse. Not the slightest deviation from or alteration of a given order should be made unless by the consent of the phy- sician, who has issued it. Promptly check any disposition you may feel to speak disparagingly of the practice of any phy- sician, or to give expression to uncalled for, and, it may often be, unjustly biassed opinions on the comparative abilities of different practitioners. Your duty as nurse in relation to the medical attendant of the patient is — to quietly and thoroughly carry out the directions you may receive from him — to 46 be an efficient and trustworthy aid to him in the care of the sick, and not to consti- tute yourself in any way his censor or critic. Second. — To the Directress of the School. An organization such as we have in this Training School for nurses, involving so man}' varied relations, so many grades of position, continued residence in the Hospital, and uninterrupted study for two years, cannot be brought to a success- ful issue if proper disciplinary arran- gements be not established, and firmly but wisely and temperately carried out. The power to make and enforce such arrangements has, with the concurrence of the Medical Board, been conferred by the Committee of Management on the Directress, '* whose authority extends over all that pertains to the duties and dis- cipline of the nurses in the wards, as well as to the details of their instruction in the School." The position of Directress is, therefore, an honourable but at the same time a most onerous one. It is in your power to do much to lighten her labors, and to establish with her relations of the I I. 47 kindliest and pleasantest nature, by a willing and cheerful acquiescence in all the rules laid down for your guidance and direction — by a loyal recognition of her authority — and by a close and earnest attention to her instructions ; and cer- tainly, if you desire to excel in the act of nursing you should possess qualities that would prompt you to act in this manner. For a spirit of unrest, of dissatisfaction, of carping and fault-finding, is certain to produce much that may be unpleasant and regrettable, and is a sure indication that its possessor is totally unfit for the position of a nurse. Few things are more pleasant to contemplate, or more agree- able to those interested, than a number of persons occupying different positions but associated together for a definite object working in perfect harmony and with mutual respect and esteem. Under such conditions the best results may be always predicated. Your success and the success of the School largely depends upon your cultivating for and manifesting towards each other feelings of kindly interest, and for the head nurses and the Directress feelings of confidence and esteem. For if 48 these exist, and are mutually recipro- cated, all parties will work cheerfully and energetically to secure the object they have in view — the Directress to so train and impart instruction to the nurses that they may successfully graduate at the end of the two years allotted to study, and be a credit to the school over which she presides ; the nurse to utilize in every way the opportunities she has of perfect- ing herself in a knowledge of the art of nursing so as to be a credit to her profes- sion and an honour to the school from which she has graduated. Third. — To THE PATIENT. Human suffering has never appealed in vain to the sympathy of a woman possess- ing a true womanly nature, and, in no one be she highly or lowly bom, has this been more strikingly exemplified than in the person of our beloved Sovereign, the Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India. Her great womanly heart which sheds additional lustre on the throne she occupies, has been chastened by a deep abiding sorrow for the loss of one on whom was centered her deepest affections 49 — who was the sun and glory of her home — a lamp to her feet in treading the rugged path of official life, and a light to her mind in discharging the weighty and multifarious duties of her exalted station. Few men have been so deeply and faith- fully mourned, and few have so merited it, as the late Prince Consort, whose rare judgment, high principles and noble character endeared him to the British people and who shall ever live in British history as Albert the Wise and the Good. Her sympathy for human suffering has not been confined to the members of any one rank or sta^* ' in life, nor to those of any national .ce or creed. It has been as freel} • ^nded to the humblest as to the most exalted of her subjects — to the dweller in other lands as well as to the peoples of her own empire. It has included in its Catholicity sorrow and suffering wherever found. GOD BLESS AND SAVE THE QUEEN. Certain am I that this great and charac- teristic feature of womanly character is possessed in a marked degree by each one 50 of you, and that to its unnoted but power- ful influence is mainly to be referred your decision to adopt the profession of a nurse. There is no necessity to admonish you to be kind to your patients, for kind : -yn will be. Kindness, however, mnst be governed by judgment and tempered by firmness. To allow a feeling of pity to influence you in humoring the whims and caprices of the sick would be a serious error on your part. Oftentimes these may be indulged without injury to the patient, but on the other hand, giving way to them may seriously interfere with his treatment and the ultimate chances of his recovery. In this matter, follow strictly the advice of the medical attend- ant, to whose judgment it should always be referred. It is quite possible even in the Hospital wards that you may become acquainted with matter pertaining to the patient, on which it is advisable that you should maintain a discreet silence. This is more likely to occur after you have obtained your diploma, and when, in the practice of your profession, you are ad- mitted into private families. From the first then cultivate the practice of seeing I 51 • J everything, but as if you had no eyes — of hearing everything, but as if you had no ears, and above all, keeping your own counsel as if you had no tongue. By adopting and carrying out this line of conduct you will best consult your own interests. For reticence and discretion are qualities highly prized in a nurse, whilst inquisitiveness and garrulousness are dreaded and held in contempt. Given a nurse with superior abilities, of good education and thoroughly trained, who has the reputation of being a gossip, and the probable result is failure. On the other hand, given a nurse with moderate abilities and fairly trained, who has the reputation of being discreet, and the pro- bable result is success. Your principle duty to patients may be stated in a few words, and is happily one of vital importance to yourselves, namely, — to so master the principles, and to become so conversant with the details of the art of nursing, that under your care they will receive all the good that perfect nursing can accomplish to carry them through a period of illness and restore them again to a state of health. 52 iA ( !<{ In conclusion, ladies, — Ponder well and seriously the importance of the step which you have taken, and the great responsi- bilities that attach to the position to which you aspire. To your care will be con- fided lives around which are clustered the warmest and deepest affections of parents, relatives and friends — the life of the bread-winner of the family, that of the devoted loving mother — of the bright, intelligent, promising son— of the gentle and affectionate daughter. Precious in- deed are such lives, and when disease invades them and threatens their dissolu- tion, the work of a sympathetic well trained nurse, who faithfully carries out the directions of the physician, is a most important element in the treatment of the patient. Medical science, skill and expe- rience may fail in saving life through the baleful influence of careless hap-hazard nursing. In view then oi the great responsibili- ties which vail devolve upon you, enter on your studies with the firm determina- tion to perfect yourselves in all knowledge pertaining to the art of rursing. Do not minify anything, not even that which ■*'i f ^ 53 seems to be the most insignificant parti- cular in what you are taught, or directed to observe and practise at the bed-side. Rather magnify the importance of every- thing your instructors decide it is neces- sary you should know. Aim high and rest not satisfied short of being thorough. That you may be successful in ,<)ur studies, that you may prove to be earnest devoted nurses and efl&cient aids to the treatment of the sick; and further, that the blessing of heaven may follow you and rest on your ministrations to the sick and afflicted, is the earnest and sincere wish not only of the one who addresses you, but of all who have the cause of suffering humanity seriously at heart. £^ ii( ADDRESS, INTRODUCTORY TO THE COURSE OF LECTURES ON MEDICINE, DELIVERED TO THE MEDICAL CLASS OF McGILL UNIVER- SITY, AT THE OPENING OF THE COT J) STREET BUILDING, NOVEMBER FIFTH, EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY Gentlemen :— Our first duty in meet- ing together for the first time in this new and beautiful lecture room, is to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of one who, during his life time, held the most prominent position amongst the Medical Faculty, who was one of the original founders of the Medical School of McGill College, who was always the conscientious and indefatigable supporter of its best interests, and the warm and faithful friend of its alumni. I refer to Dr. Andrew F. Holmes, late Dean and Pro- fessor in this University. To the majority of those I address, he was personally known, and I am certain that the hearts of many of 5'ou, even as I speak, will bear silent witness to the truth of what I now say, that loved and respected as he was 55 ''i-l •mi yma by all, he was most loved and respected by those who knew him best. He was one of those quiet and undemonstrative natures that attract not the giddy and thoughtless many, but that are appre- ciated thoroughly by the descriminating few. Around men such as he was, cluster home affections, the loves of kindred and the truest friendships. The deep warm current of feeling underlying the cool and placid surface of mere manner, is only known to those who have taken the trouble to sound carefully the depths of such hearts. Dr. Holmes, as you well know, was universally and deservedly esteemed in this city, for that high sense of duty towards his God and towards his fellow- men, the possession of which invariably characterizes the true Christian. No person, I firmly believe, ever felt more sincere anxiety to know what were his duties in all the relations of life, or per- formed these duties with more unswerving conscientiousness, when he once fully understood in what they consisted. Du- ring his connection with this medical school, from the time he associated him- 56 . I. _ UU. J , i . ei..ni> .Lu mrmmai self, about the year 1824, with the late Drs. Robertson, Stephenson, and Cald- well, in its establishment, down to the period of his sudden demise, he laboured unceasingly for its advancement. Many able men have, at various times, been connected with it as lecturers or profes- sors, but not one ever had its welfare more at heart or strove more earnestly and assiduously for its success. To Dr. Holmes, then, the last of the founders of this School, to his talented co-founders and their able successors, now no more, and to the older members of the present Faculty, belongs the honour of placing i^IcGill College in the proud position she now occupies in the estimation of the public, both at home and abroad, as a flourishing and successful School of Medicine. In the practice of his profession he was everything that a true physician ought to be : courteous, kind, attentive, considerate, cautious. His sympathies were ever with suffering humanity. The querulous com- plainings of the sick, the stories of thei^ manifold trials and sorrows, fell not upon an impatient or inattentive ear. The I'* i ■ 11 ■'■r 1 >1 57 sympathizing countenance, the word of comfort, and the encouraging tone of voice were ever ready with him to soothe the pain-racked victims of disease, to cheer the mourning and desolate ones, and to raise the fearful and downcast. In the life of Dr. Holmes, moral, social and professional, you and I, gentlemen, have an example which we would do well to closely follow. Strive, then, to live as he lived, and whether or not the summons .o quit this weary world comes to you in as sudden and unexpected a manner as it came to him, happy and peaceful will be your end ; for what saith the inspired Psalmist : " Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." " Knowledge," says Addison, '' is that which, next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another. It finishes one-half of the human soul." Would you test the truth of this assertion, gentle- men ? Then, look abroad into the world, and single out from the community of nations those that occupy the most com- 58 manding positions — whose might is feared — whose friendship is courted, and whose counsels are respected : examine into the causes of their superiority to other na- tions, and you will find the most promi- nent one to be that they excel in knowl- edge. Look around you and, whether you reside in a city, a town, jt a village hamlet, what do you observe? Who are the men most honoured and respected in the community — who are the men of power and influence — who fill the places of trust and usefulness? Are they not emphati- cally, as compared with their neighbours, the men of knowledge ? Knowledge, then, must be desirable. " A certain degree of ease and independence," says Dugald Stewart, "is essentially requisite to inspire men with the desire of knowledge." I must confess to differ with this astute philosopher, as I believe that all men are actuated, to a greater or less degree, by a desire to acquire knowledge. Various existing circumstances, such as mental capacity of race, state of civilization, &c., in so much as they increase or diminish the motives which originate the desire, undoubtedly determine, not only what 59 1*! '■ 1 rl I:' i -i t:..- i- in >\-i^ b shall be the extent of the desire, but als^ what shall be he kind f f knowledg- desirable. If, however, we e ;pect Cretins of the first degree, in whom ivery ray oi intelligence is absorbed by t' e glot n of obsolute fatuity, an . who art capable of experiencing mereh sensorial pleasure, it is questionable if there exist a -lass of human beings, who do not evince by their actions, a strong des re to become ac- quainted with mair- tninofs t xternal to themselves In a barbarous state, Lhe desire is n: ^st limited, and the det -ri n- ing itives iu its p;odiiction are of e lowes: orde: Man, i.i this conditi< u, promoted b\ lensation.s >f hunger, and his experien :e -^f the ne-ressit^' of pro- viding suitable _overinp o defen,. his body from vicissitudes ot t^mperattire, seeks u knmv what of v table, and what c f anl i\ life are best adaptec to hi^ V nts. To learn the haunts lit he various animals that the forest wilds — to become ith the more palatable and ible fish that frequent the ivers — and to ascertain which ilent among the fruits of the 60 SUpp V ar ' TOi m acq"'n heaii lukes -ir the f^^! •V>rt , iM, earth, appear to constitute almost the whole of his desire. Ill a SI lU of semi-barbarism, advance in civiliza oil brings with it added wants, increased motives, and, as a const iuence, a more extended (''"hire. He wc d now know by what on esses the varied pro- ducts of nature nay be so altered f.on: their origjma^ couJ' ons as to atii. d m- creaset' ratification io his senses and adrtioii ;^ieasure to his mind. n- pn sec wi* a sense of the magnitude of nature's operations, he raewhat of the how and . her mysterious workings. !s powers, and unenlightened y & 'evelation of truth, he deities much iiat inspires him with awe or terror. He )ples the air, the earth and the water with innumerable gods, and : -^nders grov- elling homage to the most disgusting ects of creation. Some idea may be formed of the might ji this desire, and of the all-powerfu grasp with which it seizes while it directs the minds of men in a state of complete civilization by reflecting on tlic untiring energy, displayed by the great intellects 6i anc won t' her o I ited 111 ^1 'tU 1 1. of the civilized countries of Europe and America in their pursuit of knowledge ; and the marked avidity with which the masses endeavour to acquaint themselves with all the discoveries of the master minds. Thus it is, that one man pa. ses night after night contemplating the movements of the heavenly bodies, or gazing, by means of the telescope, into the far-away regions of space, if haply he may be able to add something to his own knowledge and that of his fellows; whilst another, actuated by the same desire, wanders through different climes, observing, ar- ranging and naming the various natural productions of and animals peculiar to each; or accumulating information re- garding the characteristics of the inhabit- ants, the climate, the qualities of the soil, the mineral wealth and the general aspect of each. Thus it is, that one man will make the trackless ocean the field of his wanderings, and, leaving all the sweet allurements and endearing associations of home, take himself away to where the cold seems intense enough to paralyse anything but the iudomitable bravery and 62 . perseverance of the Arctic voyager, in the hope of discovering a passage through the glacial barrier of the Polar Seas ; whilst another will court retirement and spend days and nights in the study of the pro- perties and probable nature of that part of himself which he can more particularly call I. Thus it is, that earnest enquirers have been found willing, in all ages, to forego every pleasure and to labour under the obloquy poured upon them by an unthink- ing and superstitious world, so that they might attain the great object of their desire to know the construction of the beautiful, intricate and truly wonderful machinery of the human body; whilst others, again, with a courage and self- devotion that cannot be too highly lauded, have quietly faced the grim king of ter- rors in his most favorite haunts, for the sole purpose of becoming acquainted with those dread diseases, which in their visita- tions, so scourge, vex and decimate the human race. In the confined and fifthy chamber, where a few straggling rays of heaven's sun may occasionally penetrate the abode and hiding-place of want and 63 Pi I . wretchedness; in the densely crowded boarding-house, of the homeless and poverty-stricken wanderer, the Ishmaelite of modem and civilized times; in the dank and noisome alley or court, full of garbage and excrement, the receptacle of the accumulated filth of years; in the Lazar house or hospital ward, with their atmosphere laden with the emanations arising from the prostrate victims of dis- ease, and charged with a miasm of the most subtle and deadly nature ; in such places have these heroic souls worked a short but glorious space of time, in singleness of heart and nobleness of purpose, for the benefit of humanity, and then died martyrs in the purest sense of the term, leaving behind them a bright example to their followers in their deeds of love and mercy, and a valuable legacy to all generations in the knowledge patiently accumulated by them at every moment, even while the shadow of death with gradually deepening gloom stole o'er their senses, obscuring and rendering more and more indistinct the subjects of their observation and study. What for, gentlemen, are you in this lecture room? Why have you left your 64 ^f^K homes for a period of six months, and congregated in the halls of this college? When you left those homes how full of soul yearnings and aspirations were you ! Yearnings incomprehensible mayhap to many of you, but which are innate to us all ; which constitute a feature of th^ mind of man, stampeu indelibly there, and to be transmitted to his offspring through all time, at the period when thoughtless mother Eve turned a too willing ear to the voice of the tempter, and, at his sug- gestion, put forth her hand, plucked and ate of that forbidden fruit, which in its in- gestion, was to make her like unto the gods and give her a knowledge of good and evil. It is not because your parents or freinds have selected medicine as a pro- fession for you, nor, I firmly believe, from any purely sordid or interested motives that you have experienced those stirrings within you. Were you to remain without any well defined course of life open before you, still would you feel a gnawing un- satisfied desire to know the other, and still the other. The mind is active and will not rest. It will seek knowledge although perdition be the result. Well nas it been 65 ;:*r 't A*t| %i 1SV1 observed by Montesquieu in his " Essai sur le gofit." — ''''Notre dme est fatte pour penser,, dest-a-dire pour apercevoir : or un tel Hre doit avoir de la mriosite ; car^ comme toutes les choses sont dans unc chatnc oil chaque id^e en precede une et en suit une autre^ on ne pent aimer d voir une chose sans di'sirer d^en voir une autre. Oest done le plaisir que nous donne un objet qui nous porte vers un autre ; c'est pour cela que Vame cherche ton jours les choses nou- velles^ et ne se repose Jamais^ Oh, this insatiable thirst, these measureless long- ings for what to us are the regions of the unknown. How they whip and goad and spur the panting soul from childhood to old age; and yet, after the most super- human efforts have been made, and the man stands at the brink of the grave, how exceedingly paltry and small does his stock of knowledge appear. He feels as if he had gathered a few of the pebbles only from . the shores of the knowable, while the vast ocean itself stretches out before him unexplored. " I live joyless in my eighty-ninth year," writes the great Humboldt to his freind Varnhagen, *' be- cause of the much for which I have striven 66 ;.. ^\ ' m from my youth, so little has been accom- plished." So it is, and so it always will be ! Despite his loftiest attainments, man always feels an intellectual want that must be satisfied, an intellectual void that must be filled. And, what is most singular, the more varied and profound his know- ledge, the deeper he may have penetrated the arcana of nature, the richer and more glorious the truths he may have brought from thence, the more weak and ignorant does he appear to his own scrutinizing in- trospection. What distinguished talent ! What indefatigable perseverance ! What rare industry ! What accumulated stores of learning has such a one, exclaim a won- dering public, who are conscious that an incalculable distance intervenes between their own acquirements and his. Whilst he, the scholar and wise man, according to the testimony of all, in view of the higher and still higher heights of truths remaining to be scaled, and whose out- lines are appreciable to his exalted sense alone, in view of the ever -widening and ever-lengthening vista that opens up before him as he pursues his travels into regions of thought and territories of in- 67 m^ m tV vestigation which were never before pene- trated, bewails his own littleness, his want of energy and mental vigour, for know- ledge, as a rule, certainly has the effect of making its most favoured votaries, the humblest and least self-conceited of men. He regards the three score years and ten allotted to man in this state of existence a mere fleeting point of time, all too short a period in which to grasp even a tithe of what presents itself for investigation, and he, therefore, looks hopefully forward to an infinite future, where his soul may bathe without check or limit in the pure, unchangeable waters of truth. The desire for knowledge, then, has doubtless brought you here. And the knowledge you seek is of that special kind included in what is termed a medical edu- cation. It is not necessary for me to enter upon a particular description of the different branches into which Medicine is divided, as you will soon become practi- cally acquainted with them. Suffice it that I make a few very general remarks on the causes that have originated and perpe- tuated medical knowledge, and on several of the obstructions that encumber its path. 68 Man must die ! Such is the fiat that has gone forth from the counsels of the Almighty. He comes into the woild, he is here, and he is not. From the moment he emerges from the womb, and even be- fore, he is exposed to influences which have a tendency to bring his existence to a termination. There is, I believe, in all the human race, an instinctive dread of death, of that dissolution of man's com- ponent parts which all know thev must submit to, of that resolution of the mere material portion into its original chemical constituents ; the extinction of vitality, and the unknown flight of the psyche or soul to enter on an untried state of exist- ence in " that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller returns." A brave and courageous soul a man may have, but still he shrinks from laying himself down to sleep that sleep from which there is in this world no awaking. There is, however, a slavish fear of death, which renders those who are its ^ sub- jects, the most miserable and unhappy of beings. It is not confined solely to persons who are living in habitual viola- tion of moral law, but is found as well 69 '1 f to embitter the existence of upright and God-fearing men. " Men," says Lord Bacon, " fear death as childern fear to go into the dark ; and as that natural fear in children is in- creased with tales, so is the other." Were men educated to look upon their dissolu- tion, not only as an event certain to take place, but as one which as " a tribute due to nature" ought to be met calmly and manfully ; were they to make it more fre- quently the subject of their conversations and private contemplations it would be greatly shorn of its terrors and divested of much of that repulsiveness which now render its approach so terrifying to the majority of mankind. "It is worthy the obse-'ing," says the greater thinker I have Jready quoted from, " that there is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and masters the fear of death; and, therefore, death is no such terrible an enemy when a man hath so many at- tendants about him that can win the com- bat of him. Revenge triumphs over death ; love slights it; honour aspireth to it; grief fleeth to it; fear ;,iiticipateth it; nay, we read, after Otbo the emperor had slain 70 himself, pity (which is the tenderest of affections) provoked many to die of mere compassion to their sovereign, and as the truf t sort of followers. Nay, Seneca adds, niceness and satiety ; " a man would die," says he, " though he were neither valiant nor miserable, only upon a weari- ness to do the same thing so oft over and over." What Lord Bacon says is doubt- less true, as numerous instances attest, but the rule certainly is, that men dread to die, and hence arises that sense of in- security and desire for self preservation which have given origin to Medicine. In t' c early periods of the world's history, diseases and bodily injuries must have carried consternation to the minds of men, for observation and experience would tell them that these conditions placed life in jeopardy, as they were exceedingly apt to prove fatal. What more natural, then, than that they should apply themselves to the discovery of means w^hereby they might ward off the threatened danger. Of necessity, the knowledge accumulated must for centuries have been limited. We may form an approximative idea of the condition of Medicine in these early 1 H