44 



Memoir of Sir Andrew Smith, by Alex. Michie. 



accompanied with, addresses, couched in terms expressive of the 

 greatest admiration of his character and confidence in his ad- 

 ministrative capacity. Dr Andrew Wood, P.E.C.S,, Edinburgh, 

 wrote as follows : — 



Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, 

 5th August, 1856. 



Sir, — It is with much pleasure that I discharge the duty which has de- 

 volved upon me as President of the Eoyal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 

 viz. — that of intimating to you your unanimous election as an Honorary 

 Fellow of the College, which took place on the 3rd inst. 



This is an honour which is very rarely bestowed, and only for high pro- 

 fessional acquirements or distinguished services. During the late war you 

 have been placed in a position of great responsibility, great anxiety, and 

 great labour. Called upon at short notice at the termination of a long peace 

 to provide for the supply of men and materiel for the medical service of a large 

 army acting at a distance ; surrounded by difficulties, almost, if not alto- 

 gether unparalleled, with insufficient resources at your command, exposed to 

 much unmerited obloquy, maligned by a portion of the public press, you were 

 not discouraged, much less dismayed, but continued firmly, perseveringly, 

 and efficiently to discharge the duties of your high office, in such a manner 

 as to promote the health of our brave troops, and to alleviate their unavoidable 

 sufferings on the field of battle, in the hospital, and in the camp. Such an 

 administration of the medical department entitles you to the gratitude of your 

 country. The College, anxious to testify their approbation of your conduct in 

 trying circumstances, and feeling that it is right that public men who have 

 conscientiously and successfully discharged their duties as they consider that 

 you have done, should receive honour at the hands of those best qualified to 

 judge in the matter, viz. — those professional brethren have resolved to elect 

 you one of their Honorary Fellows ; and they think that you will not value 

 the honour the less if they express their wish that it should be considered not 

 only as a testimonial to your own merits, but also to those of the medical 

 officers of the army, who during the late war have approved themselves not 

 only skilful and humane, but brave and enterprising, and in all respects 

 worthy of the confidence of the army as well as of the country. — I have the 

 honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, 



Andrew Wood, M.D., 

 President E.C.S., Edinburgh. 



Dr Andrew Smith, Director-General of the 

 Army Medical Department. 



The strain of the direction of the department during the war 

 had been too severe for the somewhat impaired constitution of 

 the Director-General, but he remained at his post till there had 

 been issued from the press the "Medical History of the British 

 Army," and documents arranged for the information and guidance 

 of his successors in any future war, and then, having served his 



