Address delivered to the graduating class of the Indiana Medical College : at the public commencement, Feb. 18, 1847 / by M. L. Knapp.

  • Knapp, M. L. (Moses L.), 1799-1879.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Address delivered to the graduating class of the Indiana Medical College : at the public commencement, Feb. 18, 1847 / by M. L. Knapp. 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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    Gentlemen : This is an important epoch in the history of your lives. You may look upon the occurrences of this day, as the closing page of your pu- pilage, and the opening of a new volume. You have reached the goal so eagerly sought ; the agitating ordeal is past; the chief honors of our school are conferred upon you; and you now take your places, legitimately and quietly, within the precincts of the Medical Profes- sion. You are now Doctors of Medicine. Your assiduity, profi- ciency and virtue, have secured for you a titled profession, more en- viable than an hereditary Baronetcy; and one that will serve you, if rightly pursued, for honor and for profit, for business and for pleasure, during life. I congratulate you, young Gentlemen. The position you have now attained, is as creditable to yourselves as it is gratifying to your friends, and prospectively salutary to the interests of humanity. I con- sider you, this day, better off than he who can say, my fortune is made —I have money enough—the future may take care of itself.'—And I would fain say something to you before we part befitting the occasion. It has been my happiness to stand in the relation of teacher to some of you, for three successive sessions of this college. I have watched with peculiar pleasure and pride your expanding intellects, and the ra- pidity with which you have grasped the great outlines and dogmas of the profession. Your gentlemanly bearing at all times has won my high esteem. I feel the deepest solicitude for your future welfare : And casting a look back upon twenty years of professional experience; and knowing the rough ways of the world, and the up-hill struggles of life; I trust, neither you, nor this large and respectable audience, will con- sider ill-timed or out of place, some general precepts of advice.