University of Cincinnati College of Medicine - Annual Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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RETROSPECT A hundred years in human affairs holds within its compass an overwhelming number of events. It is only by calling a hall for a mmnent and looking back. that the magnitude of what has been tlnne becomes really apparent. Since 1820. when Daniel Drake founded the. First medical college west of the Alle- ghenies and the third in the. United States. Harvard and Pennsylvania alone taking precedence, the whole aspect of the world has altered. The country has prospered beyond all expectation of its early settlers 'l'ravel. production and commerce have been expedited by invention. New ideas dominate thought. Empirea have risen and fallen. A war has. shaken the very foundation of Western Civilization. In all things there has been change; in a few. progress. For it is doubtful that people are happier or more contented now than a century ago. In medical affairs, however, one has but to glance over the hundred years gone by to assure himselft that. judged by the criterion of having benefited humanity. true progress has been made. It is interesting in this regard to contrast during this epoch the impressive structures reared by selhsh rulers and ambitious politicians at the cost of human life and agony, with the less im- pressive but more enduring achievements of medical workers whose only aim was the alleviation of human suffering. The intrigues of nations and the ambitions of rulers are written in the blood of their people. They make up history as it is written and cover the pages of that glorious book with a record of man's inhumanity to man. It is refreshing to turn from all the sordid strife and perhdy of state-craft to quiet laboratories and silent bed-sidcs where men, just as keen-minded as a Bismarck or a Cavnur, won by patient observation the knowledge which has helped to make the world a better place in which to live. After a period of such change. it is fitting that a day should be set aside to commemorate the founding of a medical school which took a worthy part in the general growth of the healing art. With this in mind. Dr. Christian R. Holmes. nf sacred memory. planned the celebration which would mark the hundreth year of the. founding of the Ohin Medical College. But it was not given to the beloved dean to take part in the ceremony which he had planned. THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION The date set for the commemoration of the founding of the Medical College was November 6th, 1921. Universities and medical schools in all parts of the country sent representatives. and old alumni came hundreds of miles to do honor to the occasion. The fund regard in which the college is held by its former graduates was borne out in the replies to many of the invitations. One of the most interesting of these was a letter from 10121, Kansas. from Dr. W. S. Hendricks, who said in part: llI presume I am the oldest living member of that class USGOl being now nearly 93 years of age. 1 have retired from active practice but still take a deep interest in medicine and its advancement. 1 ex- tend greetings to the college, and best wishes for continued prosperity. The letter was addressed to Dr. Martin H. Fischer and has been carefully filed away by the librarian of the college. Miss Frances Currie. Page One Hundred Swenty-om