Onevoicewillbeheardnomorewhichhasbeenfamiliartomanyamongyou。Itisnotforme，astrangertothesescenes，tospeakhiseulogy。Ihavenorighttosaddenthishourbydwellingonthedeepregretsoffriendship，ortobidthebittertearsofsorrowflowafresh。YetIcannothelprememberingwhatavoidthedeathofsuchapractitionerasyourlateinstructormustleaveinthewidecircleofthosewholeaneduponhiscounselandassistanceintheirhourofneed，inacommunitywherehewassowidelyknownandesteemed，inaschoolwhereheboresoimportantapart。Thereisnoexemptionfromthecommondoomforhimwhoholdstheshieldtoprotectothers。Thestudentiscalledfromhisbench，theprofessorfromhischair，thepractitionerinhisbusiestperiodhearsaknockmoreperemptorythananypatient’smidnightsummons，andgoesonthatunreturningvisitwhichadmitsofnoexcuse，andsuffersnodelay。Thecallofsuchamanawayfromusisthebereavementofagreatfamily。Norcanwehelpregrettingthelossforhimofabrightandcheerfulearthlyfuture；fortheoldageofaphysicianisoneofthehappiestperiodsofhislife。Heislovedandcherishedforwhathehasbeen，andeveninthedeclineofhisfacultiesthereareoccasionswhenhisexperienceisstillappealedto，andhistremblinghandsarelookedtowithrenewinghopeandtrust，asbeingyetabletostaythearmofthedestroyer。
Butifthereissomuchleftforage，howbeautiful，howinspiringisthehopeofyouth！IseeamongthosewhomIcountaslistenersonebywhosesideIhavesatasafellow-teacher，andbywhoseinstructionsIhavefeltmyselfnottoooldtoprofit。Asweborrowedhimfromyourcity，Imusttakethisopportunityoftellingyouthathiszeal，intelligence，andadmirablefacultyasaninstructorwereheartilyanduniversallyrecognizedamongus。Wereturnhim，aswetrust，uninjured，tothefellow-citizenswhohavetheprivilegeofclaiminghimastheirown。
Andnow，gentlemenofthegraduatingclass，nothingremainsbutformetobidyou，inthenameofthoseforwhomIamcommissionedandprivilegedtospeak，farewellasstudents，andwelcomeaspractitioners。Ipronouncethetwobenedictionsinthesamebreath，asthelateking’sdemiseandthenewking’saccessionareproclaimedbythesamevoiceatthesamemoment。YouwouldhardlyexcusemeifIstoopedtoanymeanerdialectthantheclassicalandfamiliarlanguageofyourprescriptions，thesameinwhichyourtitletothenameofphysicianis，if，likeourowninstitution，youfollowtheancientusage，engraveduponyourdiplomas。
Valete，JUVENES，artismedicaestudiosi；valete，discipuli，valete，filii！
Salvete，VIRI，artismedicaemagister；Salveteamici；salvetefratres！
MEDICALLIBRARIES。
[DedicatoryAddressattheopeningoftheMedicalLibraryinBoston，December3，1878。]
Itismyappointedtask，myhonorableprivilege，thisevening，tospeakofwhathasbeendonebyothers。Noonecanbringhistributeofwordsintothepresenceofgreatdeeds，ortrywiththemtoembellishthememoryofanyinspiringachievement，withoutfeelingandleavingwithothersasenseoftheirinsufficiency。SofeltAlexanderwhenhecomparedevenhisadoredHomerwiththeherothepoethadsung。SofeltWebsterwhenhecontrastedthephrasesofrhetoricwiththeeloquenceofpatriotismandofself-devotion。SofeltLincolnwhenonthefieldofGettysburghespokethoseimmortalwordswhichPericlescouldnotnavebettered，whichAristotlecouldnothavecriticised。SofelthewhowrotetheepitaphofthebuilderofthedomewhichlooksdownonthecrossesandweathercocksthatglitteroverLondon。
Wearenotmetuponabattle-field，exceptsofaraseverylaboriousachievementmeansavictoryoveropposition，indifference，selfishness，faintheartedness，andthatgreatpropertyofmindaswellasmatter，——inertia。Wearenotmetinacathedral，exceptsofaraseverybuildingwhosewallsarelinedwiththeproductsofusefulandennoblingthoughtisatempleoftheAlmighty，whoseinspirationhasgivenusunderstanding。Butwehavegatheredwithinwallswhichbeartestimonytotheself-sacrificing，perseveringeffortsofafewyoungmen，towhomweowetheoriginanddevelopmentofallthatexcitesouradmirationinthiscompletedenterprise；andImightconsidermytaskasfinishedifIcontentedmyselfwithborrowingthelastwordofthearchitect’sepitaphandonlysaying，Lookaroundyou！
Thereportsofthelibrarianhavetoldorwilltellyou，insomedetail，whathasbeenaccomplishedsincethe21stofDecember，1874，whensixgentlemenmetatthehouseofDr。HenryIngersollBowditchtodiscussdifferentprojectsforamedicallibrary。Inlessthanfouryearsfromthattime，bytheliberalityofassociationsandofindividuals，thiscollectionofnearlytenthousandvolumes，offivethousandpamphlets，andofonehundredandtwenty-fivejournals，regularlyreceived，——allworthilyshelteredbeneaththisloftyroof，——hascomeintobeingunderoureyes。Ithassprungup，asitwere；
inthenightlikeamushroom；itstandsbeforeusinfulldaylightaslustyasanoak，andpromisingtogrowandflourishintheperennialfreshnessofanevergreen。
Towhomdoesourprofessionowethisalreadylargecollectionofbooks，exceededinnumbersonlybyfourorfiveofthemostextensivemedicallibrariesinthecountry，andlodgedinabuildingsowelladaptedtoitspresentneeds？Wewillnotpointoutindividuallyallthoseyoungermembersoftheprofessionwhohaveaccomplishedwhattheirfathersandelderbrethrenhadattemptedandpartiallyachieved。Weneednotwritetheirnamesonthesewalls，afterthefashionofthosecivicdignitarieswhoimmortalizethemselvesontabletsofmarbleandgatesofiron。Buttheircontemporariesknowthemwell，andtheirdescendantswillnotforgetthem，——themenwhofirstmettogether，themenwhohavegiventheirtimeandtheirmoney，thefaithfulworkers，worthyassociatesofthestrenuousagitatorwhogavenosleeptohiseyes，noslumbertohiseyelids，untilhehadgainedhisends；theuntiring，imperturbable，tenacious，irrepressible，all-subduingagitatorwhoneitherrestednorletothersrestuntilthesuccessoftheprojectwasassured。If，againsthisinjunctions，InameDr。JamesReadChadwick，itisonlymyrevengeforhishavingkeptmeawakesooftenandsolongwhilehewasurgingontheundertakinginwhichhehasbeenpreeminentlyactiveandtriumphantlysuccessful。
Wemustnotforgetthevariousmedicallibrarieswhichprecededthis：
thatofanearlierperiod，whenBostoncontainedaboutseventyregularpractitioners，thecollectionafterwardstransferredtotheBostonAthenaeum；thetwocollectionsbelongingtotheUniversity；
theTreadwellLibraryattheMassachusettsGeneralHospital；thecollectionsofthetwosocieties，thatforMedicalImprovementandthatforMedicalObservation；andmoreespeciallythetenthousandvolumesrelatingtomedicinebelongingtoournoblepubliccitylibrary，——toomanyblossomsonthetreeofknowledge，perhaps，forthebestfruittoripen。ButtheMassachusettsMedicalSocietynownumbersnearlyfourhundredmembersinthecityofBoston。Thetimehadarrivedforanewandlargermovement。Therewasneededaplacetowhicheveryrespectablememberofthemedicalprofessioncouldobtaineasyaccess；where，underoneroof，allmightfindthespecialinformationtheywereseeking；wherethelatestmedicalintelligenceshouldbespreadoutdailyastheshippingnewsispostedonthebulletinsoftheexchange；wheremenengagedinacommonpursuitcouldmeet，surroundedbythemuteoraclesofscienceandart；wherethewholeatmosphereshouldbeasfullofprofessionalknowledgeastheapothecary’sshopisoftheodorofhismedicaments。Thiswaswhattheoldmenlongedfor，——theprophetsandkingsoftheprofession，who“Desireditlong，Butdiedwithoutthesight。“
Thisiswhattheyoungmenandthosewhoworkedundertheirguidanceundertooktogiveus。Andnowsuchalibrary，suchareading-room，suchanexchange，suchanintellectualandsocialmeetingplace，webeholdafact，plainbeforeus。Themedicalprofessionofourcity，and，letusadd，ofallthoseneighboringplaceswhichitcanreachwithitsironarms，isunitedasneverbeforebythecommunevinculum，thecommonbondofalarge，enduring，ennobling，unselfishinterest。Itbreathesanewairofawakenedintelligence。Itmarchesabreastoftheotherlearnedprofessions，whichhavelonghadtheirextensiveandvaluablecentralizedlibraries；abreastofthem，butnotpromisingtobecontentwiththatposition。Whatglorifiesatownlikeacathedral？Whatdignifiesaprovincelikeauniversity？
Whatilluminatesacountrylikeitsscholarship，andwhatisthenestthathatchesscholarsbutalibrary？
Thephysician，somemaysay，isapracticalmanandhaslittleuseforallthisbook-learning。EverystudenthasheardSydenham’sreplytoSirRichardBlackmore’squestionastowhatbooksheshouldread，——meaningmedicalbooks。“ReadDonQuixote，“washisfamousanswer。
ButSydenhamhimselfmademedicalbooksandmaybepresumedtohavethoughtthoseatleastworthreading。Descarteswasaskedwherewashislibrary，andinreplyheldupthedissectedbodyofananimal。
ButDescartesmadebooks，greatbooks，andagreatmanyofthem。A
physicianofcommonsensewithouteruditionisbetterthanalearnedonewithoutcommonsense，butthethoroughmasterofhisprofessionmusthavelearningaddedtohisnaturalgifts。
Itisnotnecessarytomaintainthedirectpracticalutilityofallkindsoflearning。Ourshelvescontainmanybookswhichonlyacertainclassofmedicalscholarswillbelikelytoconsult。Thereisadeadmedicalliterature，andthereisaliveone。Thedeadisnotallancient，theliveisnotallmodern。Thereisnone，modernorancient，which，ifithasnolivingvalueforthestudent，willnotteachhimsomethingbyitsautopsy。Butitiswiththeliveliteratureofhisprofessionthatthemedicalpractitionerisfirstofallconcerned。
Nowtherehascomeagreatchangeinourtimeovertheforminwhichlivingthoughtpresentsitself。Thefirstprintedbooks，——theincunabula，——wereinclosedinboardsofsolidoak，withbrazenclaspsandcorners；theboardsbyandbywerereplacedbypasteboardcoveredwithcalforsheepskin；thenclothcameinandtooktheplaceofleather；thenthepasteboardwascoveredwithpaperinsteadofcloth；
andatthisdaythequarterly，themonthly，theweeklyperiodicalinitsflimsyunsupporteddressofpaper，andthedailyjournal，nakedasitcamefromthewombofthepress，holdthelargerpartofthefreshreadingweliveupon。Wemusthavethelatestthoughtinitslatestexpression；thepagemustbenewlyturnedlikethemorningbannock；thepamphletmustbenewlyopenedliketheante-prandialoyster。
Thusalibrary，tomeettheneedofourtime，musttake，andmustspreadoutinaconvenientform，agreatarrayofperiodicals。Ouractivepractitionersreadthesebypreferenceoveralmosteverythingelse。Ourspecialists，moreparticularly，dependonthemonth’sproduct，ontheyearlycropofnewfacts，newsuggestions，newcontrivances，asmuchasthefarmerontheannualyieldofhisacres。
Oneofthefirstwants，then，oftheprofessionissuppliedbyourlibraryinitsgreatarrayofperiodicalsfrommanylands，inmanylanguages。Suchanumberofmedicalperiodicalsnoprivatelibrarywouldhaveroomfor，noprivatepersonwouldpayfor，orfloodhistableswithiftheyweresenthimfornothing。These，Ithink，withthereportsofmedicalsocietiesandthepaperscontributedtothem，willformthemostattractivepartofouraccumulatedmedicaltreasures。Theywillbealsooneofourchiefexpenses，forthesejournalsmustbeboundinvolumesandtheyrequireagreatamountofshelf-room；allthis，inadditiontothecostofsubscriptionforthosewhicharenotfurnishedusgratuitously。
Itistruethatthevalueofoldscientificperiodicalsis，otherthingsbeingequal，intheinverseratiooftheirage，fortheobviousreasonthatwhatismostvaluableintheearliervolumesofaseriesisdrainedoffintothestandardworkswithwhichtheintelligentpractitionerissupposedtobefamiliar。Butnoextendedrecordoffactsgrowstoooldtobeuseful，providedonlythatwehaveareadyandsurewayofgettingattheparticularfactorfactsweareinsearchof。
AndthisleadsmetospeakofwhatIconceivetobeoneoftheprincipaltaskstobeperformedbythepresentandthecominggenerationofscholars，notonlyinthemedical，butineverydepartmentofknowledge。Imeantheformationofindexes，andmoreespeciallyofindexestoperiodicalliterature。
Thisideahaslongbeenworkinginthemindsofscholars，andallwhohavehadoccasiontofollowoutanyspecialsubject。Ihavearighttospeakofit，forIlongagoattemptedtosupplythewantofindexesinsomesmallmeasureformyownneed。Ihadaverycompletesetofthe“AmericanJournaloftheMedicalSciences；“anentiresetofthe“NorthAmericanReview，“andmanyvolumesofthereprintsofthethreeleadingBritishquarterlies。Ofwhatuseweretheytomewithoutgeneralindexes？IlookedthemallthroughcarefullyandmadeclassifiedlistsofallthearticlesIthoughtIshouldmostcaretoread。Buttheysoonoutgrewmylists。The“NorthAmericanReview“keptfillingupshelfaftershelf，richinarticleswhichI
oftenwantedtoconsult，butwhatalabortofindthem，untiltheindexofMr。Gushing，publishedafewmonthssince，madethecontentsofthesehundredandtwentyvolumesaseasilyaccessibleasthewordsinadictionary！Ihada，copyofgoodDr。AbrahamRees’sCyclopaedia，atreasure-housetomyboyhoodwhichhasnotlostitsvalueformeinlateryears。ButwheretolookforwhatIwanted？I
wishedtoknow，forinstance，whatDr。Burneyhadtosayaboutsinging。WhowouldhavelookedforitundertheItalianwordcantare？IwascurioustolearnsomethingoftheetchingsofRembrandt，andwhereshouldIfinditbutunderthehead“LowCountries，Engraversofthe，“——anelaborateandmostvaluablearticleofahundreddouble-columnedclose-printedquartopages，towhichnoreference，even，ismadeunderthetitleRembrandt。
Therewasnothingtobedone，ifIwantedtoknowwherethatwhichI
speciallycaredforwastobefoundinmyRees’sCyclopaedia，buttolookovereverypageofitsforty-onequartovolumesandmakeoutabrieflistofmattersofinterestwhichIcouldnotfindbytheirtitles，andthisIdid，atnosmallexpenseoftimeandtrouble。
Nothing，therefore，couldbemorepleasingtomethantoseetheattentionwhichhasbeengivenoflateyearstothegreatworkofindexing。ItisaquarterofacenturysinceMr。Poolepublishedhis“IndextoPeriodicalLiterature，“whichitismuchtobehopedissoontoappearinanewedition，grownasitmustbetoformidabledimensionsbytheadditionsofsolongaperiod。The“BritishandForeignMedicalReview，“editedbythelateSirJohnForties，contributedtobyHuxley，Carpenter，Laycock，andothersofthemostdistinguishedscientificmenofGreatBritain，hasanindextoitstwenty-fourvolumes，andbyitsaidIfindthisvaluableseriesasmanageableasalexicon。Thelasteditionofthe“EncyclopaediaBritannica“hadacompleteindexinaseparatevolume，andthepublishersofAppletons’“AmericanCyclopaedia“haverecentlyissuedanindextotheirusefulwork，whichmustgreatlyaddtoitsvalue。
Ihavealreadyreferredtotheindextothe“NorthAmericanReview，“
whichtoanAmerican，andespeciallytoaNewEnglander，isthemostinterestingandmostvaluableadditionofitskindtoourliteraryapparatussincethepublicationofMr。Allibone’s“DictionaryofAuthors。“ImightalmostdaretoparodyMr。Webster’swordsinspeakingofHamilton，todescribewhatMr。GushingdidforthesolemnrowsofbackvolumesofourhonoredoldReviewwhichhadbeenlongfossilizingonourshelves：“Hetouchedthedeadcorpseofthe’NorthAmerican，’“anditsprangtoitsfeet。“AlibraryofthebestthoughtofthebestAmericanscholarsduringthegreaterportionofthecenturywasbroughttolightbytheworkoftheindexmakerastrulyasweretheAssyriantabletsbythelaborsofLayard。