medical essays-第75节
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ool where he bore so important a part。 There is no exemption from the common doom for him who holds the shield to protect others。 The student is called from his bench； the professor from his chair； the practitioner in his busiest period hears a knock more peremptory than any patient's midnight summons； and goes on that unreturning visit which admits of no excuse； and suffers no delay。 The call of such a man away from us is the bereavement of a great family。 Nor can we help regretting the loss for him of a bright and cheerful earthly future； for the old age of a physician is one of the happiest periods of his life。 He is loved and cherished for what he has been； and even in the decline of his faculties there are occasions when his experience is still appealed to； and his trembling hands are looked to with renewing hope and trust； as being yet able to stay the arm of the destroyer。
But if there is so much left for age； how beautiful； how inspiring is the hope of youth！ I see among those whom I count as listeners one by whose side I have sat as a fellow…teacher； and by whose instructions I have felt myself not too old to profit。 As we borrowed him from your city； I must take this opportunity of telling you that his zeal； intelligence； and admirable faculty as an instructor were heartily and universally recognized among us。 We return him； as we trust； uninjured； to the fellow…citizens who have the privilege of claiming him as their own。
And now； gentlemen of the graduating class； nothing remains but for me to bid you； in the name of those for whom I am commissioned and privileged to speak； farewell as students； and welcome as practitioners。 I pronounce the two benedictions in the same breath； as the late king's demise and the new king's accession are proclaimed by the same voice at the same moment。 You would hardly excuse me if I stooped to any meaner dialect than the classical and familiar language of your prescriptions； the same in which your title to the name of physician is； if； like our own institution； you follow the ancient usage； engraved upon your diplomas。
Valete； JUVENES； artis medicae studiosi； valete； discipuli； valete； filii！
Salvete； VIRI； artis medicae magister； Salvete amici； salvete fratres！
MEDICAL LIBRARIES。
＇Dedicatory Address at the opening of the Medical Library in Boston； December 3； 1878。＇
It is my appointed task； my honorable privilege； this evening； to speak of what has been done by others。 No one can bring his tribute of words into the presence of great deeds； or try with them to embellish the memory of any inspiring achievement； without feeling and leaving with others a sense of their insufficiency。 So felt Alexander when he compared even his adored Homer with the hero the poet had sung。 So felt Webster when he contrasted the phrases of rhetoric with the eloquence of patriotism and of self…devotion。 So felt Lincoln when on the field of Gettysburg he spoke those immortal words which Pericles could not nave bettered； which Aristotle could not have criticised。 So felt he who wrote the epitaph of the builder of the dome which looks down on the crosses and weathercocks that glitter over London。
We are not met upon a battle…field； except so far as every laborious achievement means a victory over opposition； indifference； selfishness； faintheartedness； and that great property of mind as well as matter；inertia。 We are not met in a cathedral； except so far as every building whose walls are lined with the products of useful and ennobling thought is a temple of the Almighty； whose inspiration has given us understanding。 But we have gathered within walls which bear testimony to the self…sacrificing； persevering efforts of a few young men； to whom we owe the origin and development of all that excites our admiration in this completed enterprise； and I might consider my task as finished if I contented myself with borrowing the last word of the architect's epitaph and only saying； Look around you！
The reports of the librarian have told or will tell you； in some detail； what has been accomplished since the 21st of December； 1874； when six gentlemen met at the house of Dr。 Henry Ingersoll Bowditch to discuss different projects for a medical library。 In less than four years from that time； by the liberality of associations and of individuals； this collection of nearly ten thousand volumes； of five thousand pamphlets； and of one hundred and twenty…five journals； regularly received；all worthily sheltered beneath this lofty roof； has come into being under our eyes。 It has sprung up； as it were； in the night like a mushroom； it stands before us in full daylight as lusty as an oak； and promising to grow and flourish in the perennial freshness of an evergreen。
To whom does our profession owe this already large collection of books； exceeded in numbers only by four or five of the most extensive medical libraries in the country； and lodged in a building so well adapted to its present needs？ We will not point out individually all those younger members of the profession who have accomplished what their fathers and elder brethren had attempted and partially achieved。 We need not write their names on these walls； after the fashion of those civic dignitaries who immortalize themselves on tablets of marble and gates of iron。 But their contemporaries know them well； and their descendants will not forget them；the men who first met together； the men who have given their time and their money； the faithful workers； worthy associates of the strenuous agitator who gave no sleep to his eyes； no slumber to his eyelids； until he had gained his ends； the untiring； imperturbable； tenacious； irrepressible； all…subduing agitator who neither rested nor let others rest until the success of the project was assured。 If； against his injunctions； I name Dr。 James Read Chadwick； it is only my revenge for his having kept me awake so often and so long while he was urging on the undertaking in which he has been preeminently active and triumphantly successful。
We must not forget the various medical libraries which preceded this： that of an earlier period； when Boston contained about seventy regular practitioners； the collection afterwards transferred to the Boston Athenaeum； the two collections belonging to the University； the Treadwell Library at the Massachusetts General Hospital； the collections of the two societies； that for Medical Improvement and that for Medical Observation； and more especially the ten thousand volumes relating to medicine belonging to our noble public city library；too many blossoms on the tree of knowledge； perhaps； for the best fruit to ripen。 But the Massachusetts Medical Society now numbers nearly four hundred members in the city of Boston。 The time had arrived for a new and larger movement。 There was needed a place to which every respectable member of the medical profession could obtain easy access； where； under one roof； all might find the special information they were seeking； where the latest medical intelligence should be spread out daily as the shipping news is posted on the bulletins of the exchange； where men engaged in a common pursuit could meet； surrounded by the mute oracles of science and art； where the whole atmosphere should be as full of professional knowledge as the apothecary's shop is of the odor of his medicaments。 This was what the old men longed for；the prophets and kings of the profession； who
〃Desired it long； But died without the sight。〃
This is what the young men and those who worked under their guidance undertook to give us。 And now such a library； such a reading…room； such an exchange； such an intellectual and social meeting place； we be hold a fact； plain before us。 The medical profession of our city； and； let us add； of all those neighboring places which it can reach with its iron arms； is united as never before by the commune vinculum； the common bond of a large； enduring； ennobling； unselfish interest。 It breathes a new air of awakened intelligence。 It marches abreast of the other learned professions； which have long had their extensive and valuable centralized libraries； abreast of them； but not promising to be content with that position。 What glorifies a town like a cathedral？ What dignifies a province like a university？ What illuminates a country like its scholarship； and what is the nest that hatches scholars but a library？
The physician； some may say； is a practical man and has little use for all this book…learning。 Every student has heard Sydenham's reply to Sir Richard Blackmore's question as to what books he should read； meaning medical books。 〃Read Don Quixote；〃 was his famous answer。 But Sydenham himself made medical books and may be presumed to have thought those at least worth reading。 Descartes was asked where was his library； and in reply held up the dissected body of an animal。 But Descartes made books； great books； and a great many of them。 A physician of common sense without erudition is better than a learned one without common sense； but the thorough master of his profession must have learning added to his natural gifts。
It is not necessary to maintain the direct practical utility of a
