IN'TROiniCTORY ADDRESSES. 113 



freezing of the sea is connected with the appearance of the Auroras, and 

 also that a great quantity of electricity may be produced by the sud- 

 denly rising vapors or by the friction of large masses of ice against each 

 other. 



Introductory Addresses delivered at the Co'tnmencement of the 

 Course of Lectures iji the Medical Department of Penitsyl- 

 vania College^ located in the City of Philadelphia. Winter 

 1845 and '46. 



These addresses, four in number, have been pronounced worthy of 

 publication, by the gentlemen for whose special benefit they were de- 

 signed, and we presume that those, into whose hands they fall, will ap- 

 prove their decision. We design to notice two of them in the present 

 number of the Journal ; tlie others will be reserved for another time. 

 The two, to which attention will now be directed, are Dr. Darrach's and 

 Dr. Grant's. The one discusses the vocation of the physician under 

 the guidance of the words of divine inspiration, "Go heal the sick." — 

 The other has more direct reference to the study of Anatomy as a fun- 

 damental and indispensable part of medical education. Dr. Darrach, in 

 the first named, sets forth, in a very clear, beautiful, and instructive man- 

 ner, the noble ends to be gained by science and skill employing the rem- 

 edial means of medicine in combating morbid action in the animal econ- 

 omy. 



With a classification of his ideas sufficiently logical and at the same 

 time comprehensive, he fills up the outline with clear exposition of prin- 

 ciples, and an array of illustration, drawn from his own observation in 

 Europe and America, which imparts a high value to his lecture, and car- 

 ries along the mind in the perusal of it without producing a sense of 

 fatigue. In looking at the medical profession as here presented to our 

 view the high responsibilities which devolve upon it, the important trust 

 commited to it, we are forcibly struck with the conviction that sufficiency 

 for these things must demand a high degree of mental training, and pro- 

 fessional study both protracted and profound. We have asked ourselves 

 the question, whether of the many who go forth from our medical schools 

 endorsed by them as qualified for practice, or without the regular en- 

 dorsement, there are not some who will not heal the sick, but look on 

 the ravage of disease with ignorant gaze, or so meet it with remedies as 

 to hasten, rather than retard the fatal result. Whatever may be the emi- 

 nence in science of our medical professors, whatever ability and assi- 

 IT) 



