practitioners of physic succeeded in advancing their private interest and professional emoluments.

"The state of humiliation in which the profession of medicine existed in the city of New York, so late as the middle of the last century, has not escaped notice in the periodical publications of that time. In the twelfth number of the Independent Reflector, published in the city of New York, on the 15th of February, 1753, 'on the importance of the practice of physic, and the dismal havoc made by quacks and pretenders,' it is observed, that there is no city in the world, not larger than New York, (containing then about ten thousand inhabitants,) that abounds with so many doctors; they could boast of more than forty gentlemen of the faculty, the greatest part of whom were mere pretenders to a profession of which they were entirely ignorant; and convincing proofs of their incapacity were exemplified in their iniquitous practices. The advertisements they published proved them ignorant of the very names of their drugs; ignorant as boys in the lowest class in a reading school of even the little art of spelling.' The writer states his proofs of their being low-lived empirics, and then says, 'How few of the profession can even support a conversation upon the most common subjects of physic, without betraying their natural stupidity and ignorance; yet so strangely absurd is our conduct, that the meanest quack among them insinuates himself into a subsistence. How many of the lives of the good people of this city must annually fall a sacrifice to those pests of society! While we are tenacious of our property, and justly glory in laws wisely calculated for the preservation of our possessions, how preposterous is our conduct in trusting our persons to quacks and licensed assassins. By the law of the land, a person is guilty of murder for killing a man by throwing a stone from a house into the street where people usually pass, though there be no evidence of malice prepense; and shall an illiterate mountebank, who deals out destruction, escape with impunity, and be permitted to fall on the bereaved widow and orphan with an exorbiant bill of fees, to deprive them of the only solace they have left them?" "

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Though the medical history of our State, for a long period after the first settlement, can only be viewed by professional men with painful reflections; yet soon after the middle of the last century, various causes began, and others have continued since, to operate in meliorating the condition of the practitioners of medicine.

"The war which effected the conquest of Canada was, perhaps, the first circumstance which materially improved the condition of medicine in this State. The English army employed for that purpose, left Europe accompanied by a highly respectable medical staff, most of whom landed in the city of New York, and continued some years in the neighboring territories, affording opportunities to many young Americans of attending the military hospitals, and receiving such professional instruction as gave them afterwards consideration with the public. The physicians and surgeons of the Anglo-American army, gained the confidence of the public by their superior deportment and professional information. The military establishments in this State, after the Canadian war, required medical and surgical attendants; so that the people had the benefit of their professional advice. In this manner a new order of medical men was introduced into the commu nity.

"About the middle of the last century, also, King's College was established in the city of New York, and some years after, able professors were invited from Europe to fill the literary de partment of that institution. This had a happy effect on the sentiments of the community respecting general literature, and favored the progress of scientific improvements.

"The regulating of the medical profession has always been an object of attention in all wise governments; if it were only to designate the distinctions arising from examination, and to con fer legal protection, without penalties or forfeitures.

"Before the American revolution, laws were enacted to regu. late the practice of physic in the city of New York.

"These improvements were followed by the establishment of a medical school in King's College, about the year 1766. In the year 1774, when I commenced the study of medicine, about 25 persons attended the anatomical lectures, some of whom were students from the West Indies. This school, however, did not flourish in a manner corresponding with the respectability and learning of some of the professors. The conduct of the governors of the college, it was said, was injurious to this medical establishment. Much opposition also existed among some inhabitants, and even many of the profession, to a medical seminary. I cannot but gratefully remember the early lessons in the healing art which I received from the professors of this establishment, and from other distinguished physicians in the city of New York.*

Drs. Samuel Clossy, Peter Middleton and John Jones, professors; William Farquhar and William Bruce, physicians

Perhaps a more rapid change has seldom taken place in favor of literature and the medical profession, in any community, than was experienced in the city and State of New York, from about the middle of the last century to the beginning of the American war, comprehending a period of about twenty years.

"The seat of the American revolutionary war being much confined to this State, affording opportunities for medical information in the military hospitals. In this manner professional improvement may be said to have become more generally diffused through the State, than at any former period.

"After the conclusion of the war which established the independence of the State, attempts were made to arrange a medical school in Columbia College;* but these failed of success, and were connected with circumstances of so much mismanagement as greatly to affect the feelings of the citizens, and produced what has been called the Doctors' Mob; which laid for three days all authority prostrate in the city, and subjected several medical gentlemen to insult. This unfortunate event tended to degrade the medical character in the public mind, and not only to retard the progress of the science, but to excite unpleasant sentiments in the people with respect to the profession. While medicine was about reverting to a humble state in the city of New York, it was in some measure upheld by some young physicians and surgeons, who were induced to form a private society for the improvement of medical science, and for favoring instructions in those branches of knowledge connected therewith; and the alms house and public goals were made subservient to the purposes of affording practical information to students.

"The medical department of the public establishment in the city of New York, had usually been farmed out to the lowest bidder, and had always been granted to persons of little professional information.

"Upon a representation to the magistrates of the city, about the year 1787, they established at the public expense, an apothecary's shop, and accepted the professional services for the sick poor, of Dr. William Moore, Dr. Nicholas Romayne, Dr. Benjamin Kissam, Dr. Wright Post, and Dr. Valentine Seaman. These gentlemen afforded their gratuitous attendance for some years, and formed the first practical establishment as a hospital and dispensary under the corporation of the city, which existed in the State. The students had not only an opportunity of visiting the sick and • Formerly King's College.

attending to the reports and prescriptions, but also of hearing lectures on most branches of medicine; and with such success, that in the year 1790 upwards of fifty students attended the instruction thus afforded.

"This private association induced the Legislature to pass an act in 1791, to establish a college of physicians and surgeons, for the sole purpose of promoting medical science. The Regents of the University, however, at that time declined executing the charter, and by an arrangement made with the trustees of Columbia College, a third opportunity was afforded that establishment to become a seat of medical learning. The private teachers introduced sixty medical students to that college, which being report ed to the Legislature, a grant of about $30,000 was made to its trustees for the purpose of enlarging the college buildings, and furthering the objects of education.

"The trustees of Columbia college, having obtained a number of students, paying fees, and a grant of money from the public, proceeded to make such appointments, as in the opinion of the students were highly unsatisfactory, and which caused the greatest part of them to abandon the college, and erase their names from its register. This circumstance contributed greatly to augment the number of students at the medical school in Philadelphia.

"The sick poor of the metropolis had for a century or more been attended by practitioners of physic in the manner already stated. The senior practitioners of the city had long viewed this subject with cold indifference; but as soon as the magistrates had employed men of fair pretensions to medical reputation to attend the sick under the public charge, their sensibility became wonderfully affected.

"The passions of envy and jealousy which sometimes excite men to actions worthy of a purer origin, induced these practitioners to exert themselves to establish a dispensary, and to carry into effect the establishment of the New York hospital. Both of which institutions now do honor to the city of New York, as well as to those gentlemen under whose superintendence they are placed.

แ

'Among the causes which had contributed to improve the condition of medicine in the State towards the last century, it becomes me to mention a periodical publication, the Medical Repository. This work was commenced in the year 1797; a quarterly pamphlet has regularly made its appearance from the time of its

first publication, so as to bring the 14th volume almost to a close. This publication is a compendium of domestic information respecting medical, physical and scientific researches, deserving a place in every private and public library.

"The most important event to improve the condition of medicine in this State, is connected with the establishment of this. society, by virtue of an act passed the 4th day of April, 1806. This law was enacted at the solicitation of our professional brethren in the counties of Washington, Saratoga and Montgomery, who will always merit the respect and attention of this society. May the establishment of this institution form an era in the history of the State, from which we may hereafter trace the successful progress of medical science.

"I cannot close this address without expressing to you my obligations for the unmerited attentions you have permitted me to experience; and while I respectfully offer the sentiments of esteem which I shall continue to entertain for my fellow members, I fondly cherish the pleasing expectation that the society will continue to exist as an institution creditable to the State, and highly honorable to the medical profession."

SIXTH MEETING. ALBANY, FEBRUARY, 1812.

1. Officers and members present.-Dr. Westell Willoughby, VicePresident. Dr. Benjamin R. Bevier, Secretary. Dr. Asa B. Sizer' Treasurer. Drs. John R. B. Rodgers, William Patrick, Eli Burrit, and Abraham Allen, Censors.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

The following new members exhibited their credentials and took their seats: Dr. Gain Robinson, Ontario; Dr. Amos Hamlin, Greene; Dr. William A. Reed, Montgomery; Dr. Daniel I. Toll, Schenectady; Dr. John Stearns, Albany; Dr. Jesse Shepherd, Schoharie.

2. Memory of Dr. M'Clelland, and Honorary Members.-Resolved, That the members wear crape on the left arm for thirty days, in testimony of respect for the memory of their deceased brother, Dr. William M'Clelland, late of Albany.

Dr. Willoughby proposed Lyman Spalding, M. D. Professor of Anatomy and Surgery, at the Medical Institution of Fairfield, in the county of Herkimer, and George Cheyne Shattuck, M. D. Professor of the Institutes of Medicine at the same institution, as Honorary members of this Society.

Nicholas Romayne, M. D., of the city of New York, and John