Celebration of the centennial anniversary of the institution of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia : commemorative address / by S. Weir Mitchell.

  • Silas Weir Mitchell
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Celebration of the centennial anniversary of the institution of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia : commemorative address / by S. Weir Mitchell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    To understand the men over whom he presided, to comprehend the inheritance of examples they left us, to realize, above all, how peculiar have been the relations of the physician to the social and political existence of Philadelphia, it is necessary to look back through the century which preceded the foundation of this College. The history of any profession in connection with the progress and growth of a new country is of the utmost interest, and of no profession is this more true than of ours. The bar, the army, the navy, and, in other lands, the church have distinct natural relations to the gov- ernment, but the physician has none, and in monarcliial countries this fact has served to create for him annoying social limitations which are but too slowly fading as communities grow into intelligent disregard of feudal traditions. His position in any community is a fau' test of its good sense. But in new lands, peopled by the self-selection of the fittest, by those who have the courage of enterprise, and the mental and moral outfit to win for it success, the physician is sm-e to take and keep the highest place, and to find open to him more easily than to others wealth, social place, and, if he de- su-e it, the higher service of the State. ]Sowhere was this more true than in this city. In ISTew England the clergy were for a long time dommant. In ^^ew York then, as now, commercial success was the sm-est road to social position. South of us it was the landholder who ruled with undisputed sway. But in this city—I may say in this State—from the first settlement until to-day the physician has held an almost unquestioned and somewhat curious preeminence. He is and always has been relatively a more broadly important personage here than elsewhere.