Medical Association. This body had practically ignored it. What then was to be done? Why, each College was left to do as it thought best.

The Medical College of Alabama thought best, after mature deliberation, to open her halls free of charge. She must either do this, or close her doors. Could she close them in justice to the State of Alabama, or to the citizens of Mobile. How stood the case? The State had appropriated fifty thousand dollars to erect the building; the citizens had subscribed sixty thousand more to purchase a Museum and Chemical Apparatus. There stood the building fully appointed. And let me ask you, Mr. Chairman, said the Doctor, if it was proper, if it was professional, if it was manly, to deny to the young men of Alabama the advantages of such an institution, because the paltry sum of fifty or a hundred dollars was to be considered in the way? Is it for such a cause that the Montgomery Medical and Surgical Society constitutes it: elf an inquisitorial body, and calls up the Faculty of our College to appear before its tribunal, and suffer its protest to go on the journals of this Association? Is it for such a cause that a very small majority of that Society has tried to use the Society's name and standing, in order to prejudice every medical man in the State against our institution?

Suppose, Mr. Chairman, that just after our long and disastrous war, an elegant College, with all the appointments for teaching, happened to be at Tuscaloosa, or any other portion of the State, and that, seeing its halls deserted, a half-dozen educated gentlemen were patriotically led to organize themselves into a faculty, and to offer to devote an hour or two each day to the instruction of the young men in the neighborhood, would there be anything criminal in such a step? Now, supppose a debating society in Mobile were to get incensed at such a proceeding, and to publish to the world that these philanthropic gentlemen were trifling with literature and science, and that they must be stopped. Would not that seem very strange? Yet, is it not equally strange that the Medical and Surgical Society of Montgomery should assume jurisdiction in the matter, appropriate to itself the dogma of infallibility, and hurl its anathemas at our College, which it had no share in building, in equipping, and to which it had never sent a single student.

But they say it is unprofessional to teach for nothing. When did they ever hear of any of the Faculty of the College doing anything unprofessional? Let me recall to their mind a circumstance of the past. When one of their own Society, Dr. Baldwin, desired to arouse the profession of the South, and to coax them once more into the National Convention-when he doubted and faltered as to whether his appeal should be sent forth to his professional brothers, who had been so long estranged from the Northern physicians-to whom did he apply for advice? To that noble old Roman, that proud chevalier of our Alabama profession-that Bayard of the

South, to whom with one accord, we all attach the motto of sans peur et sans reproche, Dr. J. C. Nott, and when that distinguished scholar and philanthropist told him that he was right, and that he should "go ahead," he went on fearlessly, and felt that he had behind him a tower of strength which would bear down all opposition, so far as etiquette and a conscientious discharge of duty were concerned. Now, sir, we sought advice from the same medical patriarch. We did so because his influence built up this college, and we had rather see it close its doors forever than have it do anything that would dishonor the name of its illustrious founder. Dr. Anderson here read a letter from Dr. Nott, fully endorsing the action of the faculty.

Dr. Anderson then alluded to Dr. Weatherly's remarks bearing on the free system, as a means of lowering the standard of graduation. He stated that in his opinion the standard would be necessarily raised. He called attention to the recent graduating class of the Medical College of Alabama, and said that only two-thirds of the second course students had received diplomas. He challenged any college in the United States to show a better record. He alluded to the high standard of graduation at the University of Virginia, an institution preeminently occupying the first rank among American Universities, and as a proof that the money paid for fees had nothing to do with the standard of graduation, he drew a comparison between the two colleges, stating that at the University of Virginia it cost one hundred dollars to get a diploma, whereas, at the Medical College of Alabama all the lectures were free, it still cost with the matriculation fee for two courses, and other little incidental expenses, including the diploma fee, the sum of ninety dollars. But he thought the money argument so much dwelt upon by Dr. Weatherly, was too insignificant for an intelligent assemblage of physicians to waste time in considering.

After a few more remarks in keeping with the foregoing, the Doctor apologized to the Association for consuming their valuable time, and regretted that his friends from Montgomery had brought the subject before the meeting, stating that it presented the strange and sad spectacle of a party of gentlemen otherwise intelligent, honorable, and of good report, who, instead of doing all in their power to foster an institution in their own State, even using their energy and talents to destroy its influence, and to prejudice the whole faculty of Alabama against it.

ADDRESS OF DR. G. A. KETCHUM.

Mr. President:

I feel, that in rising to participate in this discussion, that I cannot extend to the gentlemen who have chosen to introduce this question, the same courteous indulgence granted by my more amiable colleague.

For the standpoint from which I view these proceedings, I see a systematic, well arranged and persistent attack made upon an institution that have learned to look upon as the "apple of my (professional) eye." An institution that in part was the offspring of my conception. An institution at whose birth I officiated. An institution through whose public infancy and days of its gradually increasing strength, I have watched with all a parent's solicitude and care, and given my energy, my industry, and my experience to place it on a firm and enduring basis.

It is charged against this institution that its recent action abolishing fees for professor's tickets, has a tendency to degrade the profession of medicine; to lower the standard of professional acquirements, and to injure the cause of medical education in the State. This is, indeed, a grave charge to bring against the faculty of the Medical College of Alabama. This charge is hurled against the great and good Dr. J. C. Nott, to whose ability, energy, and personal and professional worth the college is mainly indebted for its magnificent building, its perfect appliances for teaching, and the proud stand it took among the colleges of the South. He stood sponsor at its birth. He indicated the true line of policy for its successful career, and he, in his wisdom, cognizant of all the facts, approves and endorses its present course. Who dares hope in this State for sympathy when he charges a desire to degrade the profession of medicine and lower the standard of professional acquirements upon such men as Professors Ross, Anderson, Gaines, Cochran, Gilmore, Heustis, and the lamented Miller? These men by every word and act of their professional lives give the flat contradiction to the charge. They were the friends and the pupils of the fathers of medicine in this section. They were taught in a school too orthodox in its faith; were reared in too proud a companionship; in their pupilage and early professional life were honored with too much confidence and esteem, by such men as Fearn, Crawford, Mordecai, Woodcock, Nott, and others, ever to permit their feet to stray from the path of honor, or by an act of their lives to bring reproach on our glorious science. Such men I am willing to follow blind-fold, not fearing to be led from the true path of professional dignity'; to such men, judged by all their professional lives, I am willing to commit the honor, the dignity, and the high standard of medical attainments in this State. Who have done more than they to give to this Association its high tone, or have contributed more to give interest to its meetings, or wisdom to its councils; and who, but one of those named, (Dr. Cochran) at the last annual meeting at Montgomery, introduced a plan of medical education, approved and endorsed by the faculty in this college, which was far in advance of any ideas previously broached, and which had for its especial object the elevation of the standard of medical acquirements far above any idea which the authors of this attack

had previously contemplated, and which committed the Medical College of Alabama to a system of education far in advance of any similar school in the United States. Which even proposed that the faculty of the college should delegate to a board of censors the privilege of examining its own students, and granting diplomas. Does this look like a desire to degrade the profession of the State or to lower the standard of medical education?

To understand properly the position of the faculty, it is probably necessary to refer to the early history of the college, and this reference will explain the high ground that the faculty have occupied on this question. The founders of this institution fully understood the magnitude of the work they had before them, and before taking one step towards accomplishing it they determined that it should be a "first class" college in every respect, and that its varied appliances for thorough instruction should compare favorably with any similar institution in the country. Committed fully to this determination, they gave generously of their own means; they sought aid of their own friends and townsmen, who responded with a munificent generosity, which left but little more to ask from the State. An appeal was made to the General Assembly on the ground that an institution should be erected and set in active operation that the State should be proud of, and that should be first class in all respects. Fifty thousand dollars was the response of the State, and we were enabled to buy the capacious square of ground, to erect the commodious and splendid building, and to equip it in all respects in a manner as our first intentions indicated. The success of the college before the war more than realized our most sanguine expectations, and we felt that our citizens and our State had no just cause to regret the trust reposed in us.

After the war we were two years making fruitless efforts to recover from the "Freedman's Bureau" our building, our museum, our labratory, and all the expensive machinery of our college. At length we succeeded in regaining what was left by the vandals who had taken possession of it and converted it into a negro school and boarding house.

And now the anxious question arose, what shall we do to redeem our former pledges, and discharge our obligations to the State. our citizens, and ourselves? The prospect was by no means a flattering one, repairs to the building were sadly needed, much had to be added to the chemical department to replace that which had been removed. Heavy outlays were needed, and the prospects for a remunerative class were by no means flattering. Yet, recalling the fact that we were the custodians of a sacred trust-that we were in honor bound to offer all the advantages of the institution to the students of the State-and forgetful of the self-imposed labor, we did not hesitate long to adopt the course that our sense of duty and our professional pride dictated. We opened our lecture rooms without

any hope or expectation of fee or reward. We toiled as faithfully, and exerted our energies as assiduously for the small class of fifteen students that presented themselves as though hundreds were in attendence. Not one cent of fees were appropriated by the faculty, but all went towards the necessities of the college. Nothing discouraged, the announcement for another course was published, and again a small class of twetnty-four or five attended; of these, as before, several were too poor to pay any fee, others gave their obligations to pay in the future, and the small income as before was devoted to the necessary expenses of the college.

At the close of this session we saw that one drawback to the success of the institution was the poverty of our southern country. Other colleges that charged but half rates were sought in preference. We knew that we were actuated by no mercenary motive, and that our duties were as arduous and occupied as much of our time and attention as if we were lecturing to a room crowded with attentive students. We felt that our means for imparting a thorough course of medical instruction were too valuable to be wasted, the advantages too great to be niggardly held out of reach of the great body of students, who were anxious to avail themselves of them, but that poverty forbade. Reasoning thus upon the situation in which we found ourselves, we determined to give our time, our energies, what of talent and ability we possessed to the one single purpose, the existence of our college and the advancement of medical education in our State. We discussed the point in all its bearings, and concluded to abolish all professorial fees, and invite all who were desirous of so doing to avail themselves of the advantages of our college. By this act we assumed a new relation towards our students. We no longer appeared as paid instructors, but entirely independent of fees, we were in a position to exact a higher grade of acquirements. No longer tempted by pecuniary reward, we could draw the line up to which each applicant for the honors of the institution should approach, upon a far more elevated grade, for we felt conscious that the advantages that the college afforded would draw many here who could badly afford to go elsewhere. And, gentlemen, the result of this session has fully demonstrated the wisdom of our course. With a diligent, attentive class of sixty students and sixteen graduates, fully up to the high standard that we warned them we should exact, we feel that through our personal sacrifices and efforts we have reached again a fair starting point to make this college the means of adding, year by year, to the glory of our profession and the good of the communities from which we draw our students. We never entertained the proposition to reduce our fees one-half, or underbid, that we might draw students for our personal benefit. We took higher ground and determined to throw open the advantages of this college free to all, that the greatest number might be benefitted by the means that had been