AllthishasnotdeprivedCottonMatherofthecreditofsuggesting，andaboldandintelligentphysicianofthehonorofcarryingout，thenewpractice。Onthetwenty-seventhdayofJune，1721，ZabdielBoylstonofBostoninoculatedhisonlysonforsmallpox，——thefirstpersoneversubmittedtotheoperationintheNewWorld。Thestoryofthefierceresistancetotheintroductionofthepractice；ofhowBoylstonwasmobbed，andMatherhadahand-grenadethrowninathiswindow；ofhowWilliamDouglass，theScotchman，“alwayspositive，andsometimesaccurate，“aswasneatlysaidofhim，atoncedepreciatedthepracticeandtriedtogetthecreditofsuggestingit，andhowLawrenceDalhonde，theFrenchman，testifiedtoitsdestructiveconsequences；ofhowEdmundMassey，lectureratSt。Albans，preachedagainstsinfullyendeavoringtoalterthecourseofnaturebypresumptuousinterposition，whichhewouldleavetotheatheistandthescoffer，theheathenandunbeliever，whileinthefaceofhissermon，afterwardsreprintedinBoston，manyofourNewEnglandclergystoodupboldlyindefenceofthepractice，——allthishasbeentoldsowellandsooftenthatIspareyouitsdetails。SetthisgoodhintofCottonMatheragainstthatletterofhistoJohnRichards，recommendingthesearchafterwitch-marks，andtheapplicationofthewater-ordeal，whichmeansthrowyourgrandmotherintothewater，ifshehasamoleonherarm；——ifsheswims，sheisawitchandmustbehanged；ifshesinks，theLordhavemercyonhersoul！
ThusdidAmericareceivethisgreatdiscovery，destinedtosavethousandsoflives，viaBoston，fromthehandsofoneofourownMassachusettsphysicians。
Theyear1735wasrenderedsadlymemorablebytheepidemicoftheterriblediseaseknownas“throatdistemper，“andregardedbymanyasthesameasour“diphtheria。“Dr。Holyokethinksthemoregeneraluseofmercurialsininflammatorycomplaintsdatesfromthetimeoftheiremploymentinthisdisease，inwhichtheywerethoughttohaveprovedspeciallyuseful。
Atsometimeinthecourseofthiscenturymedicalpracticehadsettleddownonfourremediesasitschiefreliance。ImustrepeatanincidentwhichIhaverelatedinanotheroftheseEssays。WhenDr。Holyoke，nearlyseventyyearsago，receivedyoungMr。JamesJacksonashisstudent，heshowedhimtheformidablearrayofbottles，jars，anddrawersaroundhisoffice，andthennamedthefourremediesreferredtoasbeingofmoreimportancethanalltherestputtogether。ThesewereMercury，Antimony，Opium，andPeruvianBark。“Idoubtifeitherofthemrememberedthat，nearlyseventyyearsbefore，in1730，Dr。WilliamDouglass，thedisputatiousScotchman，mentionedthosesamefourremedies，inthededicationofhisquarrelsomeessayoninoculation，asthemostimportantonesinthehandsofthephysiciansofhistime。
Inthe“Proceedings“ofthisSocietyfortheyear1863isaverypleasantpaperbythelateDr。EphraimEliot，givinganaccountoftheleadingphysiciansofBostonduringthelastquarterofthelastcentury。ThenamesofLloyd，Gardiner，Welsh，Rand，Bulfinch，Danforth，JohnWarren，Jeffries，areallfamousinlocalhistory，andarecommemoratedinourmedicalbiographies。Oneofthem，atleast，appearstohavebeenmorewidelyknown，notonlyasoneofthefirstaerialvoyagers，butasanexplorerinthealmostequallyhazardousrealmofmedicaltheory。Dr。JohnJeffries，thefirstofthatname，isconsideredbyBroussaisasaleaderofmedicalopinioninAmerica，andsoreferredtoinhisfamous“ExamendesDoctrinesMedicales。“
Twogreatmovementstookplaceinthiseighteenthcentury，theeffectofwhichhasbeenchieflyfeltinourowntime；namely，theestablishmentoftheMassachusettsMedicalSociety，andthefoundingoftheMedicalSchoolofHarvardUniversity。
Thethirdcenturyofourmedicalhistorybeganwiththeintroductionofthesecondgreatmedicaldiscoveryofmoderntimes，——ofalltimeuptothatdate，Imaysay，——oncemoreviaBoston，ifwecounttheUniversityvillageasitssuburb，andoncemorebyoneofourMassachusettsphysicians。InthemonthofJuly，1800，Dr。BenjaminWaterhouseofCambridgesubmittedfourofhisownchildrentothenewprocessofvaccination，——thefirstpersonsvaccinated，asDr。ZabdielBoylston’ssonhadbeenthefirstpersoninoculatedintheNewWorld。
Alittlebeforethefirsthalfofthiscenturywascompleted，intheautumnof1846，thegreatdiscoverywentforthfromtheMassachusettsGeneralHospital，whichrepaidthedebtofAmericatothescienceoftheOldWorld，andgaveimmortalitytotheplaceofitsorigininthememoryandtheheartofmankind。Theproductionoftemporaryinsensibilityatwill——tuto，cito，jucunde，safely，quickly，pleasantly——isoneofthosetriumphsovertheinfirmitiesofourmortalconditionwhichchangetheaspectoflifeeverafterwards。
Rhetoriccanaddnothingtoitsglory；gratitude，andthepridepermittedtohumanweakness，thatourBethlehemshouldhavebeenchosenasthebirthplaceofthisnewembodimentofthedivinemercy，areallwecanyetfindroomfor。
Thepresentcenturyhasseentheestablishmentofallthosegreatcharitableinstitutionsforthecureofdiseasesofthebodyandofthemind，whichourStateandourcityhavearighttoconsiderasamongthechiefornamentsoftheircivilization。
Thelastcenturyhadverylittletoshow，inourState，inthewayofmedicalliterature。Theworthieswhotookcareofourgrandfathersandgreat-grandfathers，liketheRevolutionaryheroes，foughtwithdiseaseandbledtheirpatientsanddiedinspiteoftheirownremedies；buttheirnames，oncefamiliar，areheardonlyatrareintervals。Honoredintheirday，notunrememberedbyafewsolitarystudentsofthepast，theirmemoriesaregoingsweetlytosleepinthearmsofthepatientolddry-nurse，whose“blackdrop“isthenever-failinganodyneoftherestlessgenerationsofmen。Exceptthelivelycontroversyoninoculation，andfloatingpapersinjournals，wehavenotmuchofvalueforthatlongperiod，intheshapeofmedicalrecords。
Butwhilethetroublewiththelastcenturyistofindauthorstomention，thetroubleofthiswouldbetonameallthatwefind。Ofthese，averyfewclaimunquestionedpreeminence。
NathanSmith，borninRehoboth，Mass。，agraduateoftheMedicalSchoolofourUniversity，didagreatworkfortheadvancementofmedicineandsurgeryinNewEngland，byhislaborsasteacherandauthor，greater，itisclaimedbysome，thanwaseverdonebyanyotherman。ThetwoWarrens，ofourtime，eachleftalargeandpermanentrecordofamostextendedsurgicalpractice。JamesJacksonnotonlyeducatedawholegenerationbyhislessonsofwisdom，butbequeathedsomeofthemostvaluableresultsofhisexperiencetothosewhocameafterhim，inaseriesofletterssingularlypleasantandkindlyaswellasinstructive。JohnWare，keenandcautious，earnestanddeliberate，wrotethetworemarkableessayswhichhaveidentifiedhisname，foralltime，withtwoimportantdiseases，onwhichhehasshednewlightbyhisoriginalobservations。
ImustdoviolencetothemodestyofthelivingbyreferringtothemanyimportantcontributionstomedicalsciencebyDr。JacobBigelow，andespeciallytohisdiscourseon“Self-limitedDiseases，“anaddresswhichcanbereadinasinglehour，buttheinfluenceofwhichwillbefeltforacentury。
NorwouldtheprofessionforgivemeifIforgottomentiontheadmirablemuseumofpathologicalanatomy，createdalmostentirelybythehandsofDr。JohnBarnardSwettJackson，andillustratedbyhisownprinteddescriptivecatalogue，justlyspokenofbyadistinguishedprofessorintheUniversityofPennsylvaniaasthemostimportantcontributionwhichhadeverbeenmadeinthiscountrytothebranchtowhichitrelates。
Whenwelookattheliteratureofmentaldisease，asseeninhospitalreportsandspecialtreatises，wecanmentionthenamesofWyman，Woodward，Brigham，Bell，andRay，alleithernativesofMassachusettsorplacedattheheadofherinstitutionsforthetreatmentoftheinsane。
Wehavearighttoclaimalsoonewhoisknownalloverthecivilizedworldasaphilanthropist，tousasatownsmanandagraduateofourownMedicalSchool，Dr。SamuelGridleyHowe，theguideandbenefactorofagreatmultitudewhowereborntoaworldofinwardorofoutwarddarkness。
Icannotpassoverinsilencetheparttakenbyourownphysiciansinthosesanitarymovementswhichareassumingeveryyeargreaterimportance。Twodiseasesespeciallyhaveattractedattention，aboveallothers，withreferencetotheircausesandprevention；cholera，the“blackdeath“ofthenineteenthcentury，andconsumption，thewhiteplagueoftheNorth，bothofwhichhavebeenfaithfullystudiedandreportedonbyphysiciansofourownStateandcity。Thecultivationofmedicalandsurgicalspecialties，whichisfastbecomingprevalent，isbeginningtoshowitseffectsintheliteratureoftheprofession，whichiseveryyeargrowingricherinoriginalobservationsandinvestigations。
Tothesebenefactorswhohavelaboredforusintheirpeacefulvocation，wemustaddthenoblearmyofsurgeons，whowentwiththesoldierswhofoughtthebattlesoftheircountry，sharingmanyoftheirdangers，notrarelyfallingvictimstofatigue，disease，orthedeadlyvolleystowhichtheyoftenexposedthemselvesinthedischargeoftheirduties。
ThepleasantbiographiesofthevenerableDr。Thacher，andtheworthyandkind-heartedgleaner，Dr。StephenW。Williams，whocameafterhim，arefilledwiththenamesofmenwhoservedtheirgenerationwell，andrestfromtheirlabors，followedbytheblessingofthoseforwhomtheyenduredthetoilsandfatiguesinseparablefromtheircalling。Thehardworking，intelligentcountryphysicianmoreespeciallydeservesthegratitudeofhisowngeneration，forherarelyleavesanypermanentrecordintheliteratureofhisprofession。Booksarehardtoobtain；hospitals，whicharealwayscentresofintelligence，areremote；thoroughlyeducatedandsuperiormenareseparatedbywideintervals；andlongrides，thoughfavorabletoreflection，takeupmuchofthetimewhichmightotherwisebegiventothelaborsofthestudy。Soitisthatmenofabilityandvastexperience，likethelateDr。Twitchell，forinstance，makeagreatanddeservedreputation，becometheoraclesoflargedistricts，andyetleavenothing，ornexttonothing，bywhichtheirnamesshallbepreservedfromblankoblivion。
Oneortwootherfactsdeservemention，asshowingthereadinessofourmedicalcommunitytoreceiveandadoptanyimportantideaordiscovery。ThenewscienceofHistology，asitisnowcalled，wasfirstbroughtfullybeforetheprofessionofthiscountrybythetranslationofBichat’sgreatwork，“AnatomieGenerale，“bythelateDr。GeorgeHayward。
ThefirstworkprintedinthiscountryonAuscultation，——thatwonderfulartofdiscoveringdisease，which，asitwere，putsawindowinthebreast，throughwhichthevitalorganscanbeseen，toallintentsandpurposes，wasthemanualpublishedanonymouslyby“AMemberoftheMassachusettsMedicalSociety。“
WearenowinsomeslightmeasurepreparedtoweightherecordofthemedicalprofessioninMassachusetts，andpassourjudgmentuponit。
Butin-ordertodojusticetothefirstgenerationofpractitioners，wemustcomparewhatweknowoftheirtreatmentofdiseasewiththestateoftheartinEngland，andthesuperstitionswhichtheysawallaroundtheminotherdepartmentsofknowledgeorbelief。
EnglishmedicalliteraturemusthavebeenataprettylowebbwhenSydenhamrecommendedDonQuixotetoSirRichardBlackmoreforprofessionalreading。TheCollegePharmacopoeiawasloadedwiththemostabsurdcompoundmixtures，oneofthemostcomplexofwhichthesamewhichtheReverendMr。Harward，“LecturerattheRoyalChappelinBoston，“triedtosimplify，wasnotdroppeduntiltheyear1801。
SirKenelmDigbywasplayinghisfantastictrickswiththeSympatheticpowder，andteachingGovernorWinthrop，thesecond，howtocurefeverandague，whichsomemayliketoknow。“Parethepatient’snails；puttheparingsinalittlebag，andhangthebagroundtheneckofaliveeel，andputhiminatubofwater。Theeelwilldie，andthepatientwillrecover。“
Wiseman，thegreatsurgeon，wasdiscoursingeloquentlyontheefficacyoftheroyaltouchinscrofula。ThefounderoftheAshmoleanMuseumatOxford，consortingwithalchemistsandastrologers，wastreasuringthemanuscriptsofthelatepiousDr。
RichardNapier，inwhichcertainlettersRxRiswereunderstoodtomeanResponsumRaphaelis，——theansweroftheangelRaphaeltothegoodman’smedicalquestions。TheillustriousRobertBoylewasmakinghiscollectionofchoiceandsaferemedies，includingthesoleofanoldshoe，thethighboneofahangedman，andthingsfarworsethanthese，asarticlesofhismateriamedica。Dr。Stafford，whosepaperofdirectionstohis“friend，Mr。Wintrop，“Icited，wasprobablyamanofstandinginLondon；yettoad-powderwashissovereignremedy。
Seewhatwasthestateofbeliefinothermattersamongthemostintelligentpersonsofthecolonies，magistratesandclergymen。
JonathanBrewster，sonofthechurch-elder，writesthewildestletterstoJohnWinthropaboutalchemy，——madformakinggoldastheLynnrock-borersareforfindingit。“
Rememberthetheologyandthediabologyofthetime。Mr。Cotton’sTheocracywasaroyalgovernment，withtheKingofkingsasitsnominalhead，butwithanupperchamberofsaints，andatremendousoppositioninthelowerhouse；theleaderofwhichmayhavebeenequalled，butcannothavebeensurpassedbyanyofourearth-bornpoliticians。Thedemonswereprowlingroundthehouseseverynight，asthefoxesweresneakingaboutthehen-roosts。ThemenofGloucesterfiredwholeflasksofgunpowderatdevilsdisguisedasIndiansandFrenchmen。
Howdeeplythenotionofmiraculousinterferencewiththecourseofnaturewasrooted，isshownbythetenacityofthesuperstitionaboutearthquakes。WecanhardlybelievethatourProfessorWinthrop，fatheroftheoldjudgeandthe“squire，“whommanyofusCambridgepeopleremembersowell，hadtodefendhimselfagainstthelearnedandexcellentDr。Prince，oftheOldSouthChurch，fordiscussingtheirphenomenaasiftheybelongedtotheprovinceofnaturalscience：
NotforthesakeofdegradingtheaspectofthenoblemenwhofoundedourState，doIrefertotheiridlebeliefsandpainfuldelusions，buttoshowagainstwhatinfluencesthecommonsenseofthemedicalprofessionhadtoassertitself。
Think，then，oftheblazingstars，thatshooktheirhorridhairinthesky；thephantomship，thatbroughtitsmessagedirectfromtheotherworld；thestoryofthemouseandthesnakeatWatertown；ofthemiceandtheprayer-book；ofthesnakeinchurch；ofthecalfwithtwoheads；andofthecabbageintheperfectformofacutlash，——allwhichinnocentoccurrenceswereacceptedorfearedasalarmingportents。
Wecansmileatthese：butwecannotsmileattheaccountofunhappyMaryDyer’smalformedoffspring；orofMrs。Hutchinson’sdomesticmisfortuneofsimilarcharacter，inthestoryofwhichthephysician，Dr。JohnClarkofRhodeIsland，aloneappearstoadvantage；oraswereadtheRev。SamuelWillard’sfifteenalarmingpagesaboutanunfortunateyoungwomansufferingwithhysteria。Orgoalittledeeperintotragedy，andseepoorDorothyTalby，madasOphelia，firstadmonished，thenwhipped；atlast，takingherownlittledaughter’slife；putontrial，andstandingmute，threatenedtobepressedtodeath，confessing，sentenced，prayingtobebeheaded；andnonethelesspitilesslyswungfromthefatalladder。