of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one, if asked, nor suggest any such counsel. With holiness and purity I will pass my life and practice my art. I will not cut persons laboring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever homes I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption. Whatever in connection with my professional practice or not I see or hear in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret. While I continue to keep this oath inviolate, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men in all times. But should I trespass and violate this oath, may the reverse be my lot." These extracts from the oath of Hippocrates illustrated how deeply he felt the responsibilities of his profession, and express with but slight modification the spirit of the code of ethics of the medical profession of to-day. I would that time permitted us to tarry longer in the study of this great man and his works, but we must hurry on apace through the centuries of time. A simple enumeration of the additions to medical knoweledge with the names of the contributors from the time of Hippocrates to the present would consume many, many hours, so we may only take a sweeping retrospective glance, occasionally focusing our attention for a moment on some giant among the army of conscientious workers. The advent of Christianity and its acceptance had the effect of eternally divorcing medicine from the ever varying system and schools of Grecian and Greco-Roman philosophy, and under its influence the first hospitals were established; but for 1300 years both Christians and Pagans still regarded any dissection of the human body for purposes of gaining knowledge as a sacriliege. As a result of this we see that, while there were thousands of faithful workers, no contributions of value, except some advances in chemistry, were made until the 14th century, when the Senate of Venice in defiance of the decrees of Pope Boniface VIII enacted a law allowing one dead body to be annually used for the study and teaching of human anatomy. This was probably the first legislative act authorizing the use of human bodies for the purpose of better qualifying physicians and surgeons to alleviate human suffering. From this point on the pages of medical history are illumined and adorned by brilliant achievements. Prior to the enactment of this law the most noted school of medicine in the world was that of Salernum, but immediately after this other schools sprang into existence and those already existing took on new life. The schools of Bologna, Padua and Pisa in Italy, Montpielier and the University of Paris in France, Straussburg and Basil in Germany, Valencia and Tortosa in Spain, and Cambridge and Oxford in England, all imbibed the spirit of advancement and began independent and original research, throwing off the fetters and shackles of ancient dogma and authority. Mundino de Luzzi, Vessalius, Columbus, Eustachius and Fallopius, carried the torch of science into the darkest recesses of the human body and by its flickering rays developed simple descriptive anatomy into a distinct department of medical science. Coincidental with this development came a progressive advancement in chemistry, which has continued until to-day, when it also occupies a position among the fixed sciences. Simultaneously with and consequent upon the anatomical development came advancement in surgery and physiology. In 1628 the problem of the human circulation, both pulmonary and systemic, and the true function of the heart were solved by William Harvey, of London. It is an interesting fact, that his work on the circulation was rejected by all of the London publishers and was published at Frankfort on the Main. This discovery furnished the foundation for and gave a new impetus to physiological research which has never abated up to the present time. During the 15th Century Bienvisni began the study of morbid anatomy, by searching for the nature of disease and cause of death by making postmortem examination, whenever practicable. This branch of medicine with the aid of the microscope has developed into an exact science, called Pathology. The first great advance in preventive medicine was accomplished by Sir Edward Jenner, who after years of investigation and study gave to the world, in 1798, his theory of the prevention of small pox by vaccination with the virus of cow pox. Some conception of the boon to humanity of this discovery may be gathered from the statement that before its introduction the average annual mortality from small pox, in Europe alone, was 200,000 souls. This mortality was immediately reduced by the introduction of vaccination, but on account of an ungrounded prejudice it was many years before it was universally adopted, and even today there are isolated individvals who violently oppose it. This prejudice was originally caused by the mortality attending inocculation with the virus of small pox. which practice had existed from the days of antiquity to the time of Jenner's discovery. Today there should be absolutely no excuse for doubt in the mind of any one as to the efficacy and benignity of this procedure if they will take the trouble to investigate the subject. While the aforesaid advances were being affected the other departments of medicine were keeping pace. The knowledge of obstetrics, materia medica, physical diagnosis and the practice of medicine were all receiving valuable additions. Any attempt to discuss this evening the multitudinous developments of the 19th century would be impossible, so with your kind permission we will now shift the scene and review the development of medicine in our own country, trusting that you have formed some conception of the conscientious efforts and noble traditions which have lead to the developments up to this time. "Westward the star of Empire takes its way, The first four acts already past; The fifth shall close the drama with the day, Nothing was done to increase the fund of medical knowledge by the physicians in America until the 18th century, although there is ample evidence to show that our early medical men, even as far back as the beginning of the 17th century, were as well equipped as physicians in other countries of the same time. A number of men of eminence and intelligence came to the New World from the Old, and a number of our young men went abroad to study in the British, German and French Universities, so that their attainments compared favorably with the men of the older countries. The first medical college to be established in America was the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1765; two years later, in 1767, the medical department of the Kings College, now the College of P. & S., New York, was organized; and the medical department at Harvard in 1783. Dr. Nathan Smith organized the medical department of Dartmouth College in 1793, so that at the beginning of the 19th Century there were four medical colleges in the United States. Previous to the institution of medical colleges, practically nothing was written by the American physicians, but American medical literature began coincidentally with the colleges, and the names of Shippen, Rush, Bard, Warren, Tennant and a score of others add much lustre to the early history of medicine in America. The first medical journal ever published in America, called "The Medical Repository," was commenced in New York in 1797, and in 1804 "The Philadelphia Medical and Physical Journal," edited by Dr. Benj. Smith Barton, made its appearauce. These journals were most potent factors in the development of early American medicine, by eliciting essays and papers from the more intelligent members of the profession, and by affording a free channel for dignified scientific discussion, thereby becoming efficient auxiliaries to the medical colleges and medical societies in their great work of medical education and advancement. The medical society of the State of New Jersey was organized in 1776, and was the first medical society ever formed in America. The Massachusettes State Society was formed in 1781 Connecticut in 1792 and New Hamphire in 1791. The avowed objects of these societies were the advancement of medical science, the support of the usefulness and honor of the medical profession, and the promotion of friendly intercourse. At the time these societies were formed our country consisted of 13 sparsely settled states scattered from Maine to Florida. Intercourse among the members of the profession was of necessity most limited, the medical periodicals, which have since become such a powerful instrument in the propagation and promotion of medical knowledge, were just beginning to open up their fields of usefulness. Through the medium of the societies and the publishing of their transactions specific information acquired by the few was disseminated among the many. Those who were unable to avail themselves of the advantages of foreign schools profited by the knowledge of those who have been so fortunate, and in turn they gave for the benefit of the whole the result of their careful observation and experience in the treatment of diseases in their respective localities. Along with the organization of the medical colleges and societies and the inauguration of a medical periodical press came a more general discussion of the necessity for appropriate and just laws regarding the qualification of physicians and for the preservation of the public health. In 1790 the Medical Society of the State of New Jersey, which had been in existence for 14 years, was incorporated by an act of the legislature and authorized to appoint censors to examine and license candidates for the practice of medicine. The example thus established by the New Jersey Legislature was followed with slight variation by most of the other states, until in 1850 nearly all of the states in the union had city, county, district and state societies, one of whose duties it was to protect the people from the effects of imposition and ignorance on the part of those attempting to practice medicine. Coincidental with the acts of incorporation of the societies. the legislatures of the several states also granted charters for new medical colleges as often as requested by ambitious members of the profession, and usually placed no restriction whatever on the |