Anniversary oration delivered before the Medical Society of the District of Columbia, September 26, 1866 / by J.M. Toner.
- Joseph Meredith Toner
- Date:
- 1869
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Anniversary oration delivered before the Medical Society of the District of Columbia, September 26, 1866 / by J.M. Toner. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![1826, but without effecting the purpose of the originators of the move- ment. The effect, however, was to confirm parties in their diverse opinions, and was to that extent injurious to the Society, which is always benefited by harmonizing sentiment and encouraging associate action. The profession must have continued to grow indifferent to, if not decidedly adverse to the success or even the existence of the So- ciety ; for we find the following in the National Intelligencer of Jan- uary 23, 1828: Medical Society—A meeting of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia will be held on Wednesday, the 23d instant, [January, 1828,] at the City Hall, the object of the meeting being to decide whether the Society shall in future hold its sittings. THOMAS HENDERSON, Recording Secretary.'''' A sincere love for the welfare of the Society controlled the action of a majorhy of its members, and the attempt to have the Society decree its own dissolution was defeated, which, however, occurred at a later period in an unexpected manner, as has been noticed. The next medical association organized within the District of Co- lumbia was the '; Washington edical Society. This association was formed in 1826, and although its membership was confined originally to the professors and students of the Medical Department of Columbian College, for the encouragement of systematic study, it eventually ad- mitted local practitioners, and assumed many of the duties and char- acteristics of ordinary medical associations. The Society annually elected an Orator from among the students, who delivered a discourse, to which the profession and the public were invited. It was custom- ary to elect the President from among the professors, and all other officers from the ranks of the students. As soon as the students graduated they were made honorary members of the Society. A Board of seven Examiners was elected, corresponding to the divisions in which the science of medicine was then taught in the college, whose duty it was to recapitulate lectures and quiz the Society upon all sub- jects within their respective branches. The Society held its meetings in the Medical College. Many of the discussions and demonstrations](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2115983x_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
