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The. Commencement of Pennsylvania Medical College^ and Pro- 

 fessor Gilberfs Valedictory Address to the graduates^ — March^ 

 1846. 



The Introductory Addresses of tlie Medical Faculty of Pennsylvania 

 College delivered at the commencement of the course of lectures just 

 completed, having been subjected by us to a brief notice, it appears to 

 be proper, that our critical ken should be directed to the last public per- 

 formance of these gentlemen, the Valedictory, delivered by Dr. Gilbert 

 to the class of graduates at the Commencement, held in the Hall of the 

 Chinese Museum, March 4t!i, 1846. 



It may be noticed, in limine^ that the exercises of the occasion are 

 represented, in the public prints and verbal accounts of those present, as 

 having been conducted in a manner calculated to furnish the highest 

 gratification to the numerous auditors, and to reflect great credit on the 

 faculty. 



The number of regular graduates was thirty-six; and t'.vo gentlemen 

 were admitted to the honorary degree of M. D. 



It is certainly encouraging to the friends of the institution to learn 

 that a class so numerous has been sent forth, qualified, from this infant 

 institution, to "heal the sick." We are gratified to learn that several of 

 the theses, presented by the class, were written in the German language. 

 We notice one on Blasenenlzmdimg, another on Das JVerv en- System, 

 and a third on Allgemeinc Pathologic. This pleasure arises from the 

 hope, that the Pennsylvania Medical College is viewed with favor by the 

 German portion of our community, as it ought to be. The parent In- 

 stitution is the offspring of German parentage, it is devoted to German 

 interests, and is bound by its charter to give instruction in the German 

 language. This close identification of Pennsylvania Medical College 

 with the German population of our state and country, peculiar, so far as 

 -we know, to it, and in which the Parent Institution has a pecuniary in- 

 terest, so that it is actually aided in its operations in the education of 

 Germans and their descendants, renders it proper, that this class of the 

 community should look with especial favor on its Medical Department. 

 For another reason we are pleased ; it indicates a capacity to study Ger-. 

 man medical works, and to translate them into our own language, which 

 may be regarded as promising the elevation and advancement of the 

 medical learning of the United States. We hope that Pennsylvania 

 Medical College will be considered A'«r' t^»x^'' the German institution, 

 and that we shall learn, every year, of Germans having been crowned 

 with its laurels. 



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