ara 
1883.] 27 é [Pepper. 
time to assume more and more the role of consultants, 
and to abandon, in large measure, the more intimate 
and personal relations with their patients which is occu- 
pied by the family physician. But in this city, despite 
its rapidly enlarging proportions and population, the 
case has always been different. There have. ever 
been physicians in Philadelphia, whose important hos- 
pital positions, popular and authoritative writings, and 
eloquent teachings, have combined to render deserved- 
ly illustrious, but who have continued willing to devote 
themselves to the daily routine of family practice. It 
need not be indicated that such a course has displayed 
singular unselfishness; since such combined labors 
have involved almost superhuman exertions and ap- 
plication, while their personal services have been ren- 
dered for remuneration scarcely greater than that re- 
ceived by their less experienced and less eminent col- 
leagues. But this self-sacrifice and devotion to the 
interests of their patients, has been repaid by a degree 
of affectionate gratitude and loyal attachment on the part 
of the community, which has rendered almost unique 
the position of the leading medical men of Philadel- 
phia. Of this long line of distinguished practitioners 
Dr. John Forsyth Meigs was an excellent example, 
and it is scarcely too much to say that, owing to a 
variety of causes which cannot be here discussed ap- 
propriately, he was the last of that line. Whether 
the people of Philadelphia will gain or lose more by 
the changes which, during the past decade, have rapid- 
