A plea of humanity in behalf of medical education : the annual address delivered before the New-York State Medical Society and members of the legislature at the capitol, February 6, 1849 / by Alexander H. Stevens.

  • Stevens, Alexander H. (Alexander Hodgdon), 1789-1869.
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A plea of humanity in behalf of medical education : the annual address delivered before the New-York State Medical Society and members of the legislature at the capitol, February 6, 1849 / by Alexander H. Stevens. 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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    his own hands, are his monument. But he left an- other in the hearts of all who knew him. These great statesmen fostered medical education. The design of the present discourse is to vindicate their policy. The medical profession is less known, its anxi- eties, its labours, and the inconsiderable amount of its pecuniary rewards, are less understood than those of the other professions. Our avocations are chiefly amid scenes of sickness and misery, and from these we rarely emerge to mingle with the masses of our fellow citizens, unless to unite with them for objects of general education and philanthropy. An occasion like the present, in which, as a body, we are permitted to commune with our fellow citizens, and especially with the members of the other learned professions, and of the legislature, is therefore pecu- liarly grateful. The vocation of the physician is the spirit of true Christianity in action. It consists not alone in healing the sick, in soothing the afflicted, and re- calling the wandering intellect, but also in .cherishing a love of peace and moderation amongst all men, and in promoting moral and intellectual improvement. The practice of the healing art is an occupation in- trinsically dignified. It cannot be divested of this quality by the humble condition of the practitioner, or by the repulsive nature of many of his duties ; still less by the lowly condition of his patient. In the most abject human being, the true physician recog-