Address delivered before the Governour and Council, members of the legislature, and other patrons of the Massachusetts General Hospital. At King's Chapel, Boston, June 3, 1819 / ... Published by order of the Trustees of the hospital.

  • Sullivan, Richard, 1779-1861
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Address delivered before the Governour and Council, members of the legislature, and other patrons of the Massachusetts General Hospital. At King's Chapel, Boston, June 3, 1819 / ... Published by order of the Trustees of the hospital. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/40 (page 16)
    sufficiently skilled to interpose between them and the grave, ata juncture so critical? But be the learning, the sagacity and intelligence of gentle- men of the profession what they may, it must not be overlooked, that the cabinet of the surgeon, who holds himself prepared for every sort of case which may present, comprises a variety of instru- ments of great expense, his library, the volumi- nous accounts of all recent improvements in the art; an art second to none in the importance of its discoveries within the last thirty years. Is it to be expected, then, that gentlemen, who from their local situation can be called in to but one, or, at most, a few cases, requiring instruments of a par- ticular construction and of great cost, in the whole course of their lives, can be prepared to operate, either with safety to the patient, or with honour to themselves? While this course of reasoning would seem to show conclusively, that the country must rely on the sur- geon of the city in a great variety of critical cases which might be enumerated, it brings us as conclu- sively to the result, that the skill of the surgeon may be called for in vain, in many instances, unless the auxiliary aid of a Hospital can likewise be obtain- ed. Let it not be intimated that the town and country have a distinct interest in the location of the Hospital. The constant efflux of the inhabi- tants of the town to the country, and influx of those of the country to the town, completely iden- tify them and their interests as they are concerned in this question.