Medical College Reception.  An Eloquent Appeal for a Hospital Made by Dr. Ristine

Some two hundred and fifty people assembled in the lecture room of the Tennessee Medical college yesterday afternoon and listened to a very entertaining lecture delivered by Dr. C. E. Ristine.  Of the number present, some thirty were medical students.  A large number of ladies were also present.

The services were opened with prayer by Dr. Sutherland.

Dr. C. M. Drake then introduced the lecturer in a neat little speech.  Dr. Ristine commenced his lecture by cordially welcoming those who were to commence and those who came to renew their studies.

He selected for his subject, “Some Reform in Medical Education.”

“The modern student,” he said, “may well stand aghast at the amount of knowledge which he is expected to learn compared with that which had to be mastered by his predecessor of a generation ago, and you find that ‘In much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.'”

In considering the question of medical education, the lecturer made a special point of thoroughly systematizing work.  “Lay out certain work and perseveringly adhere to its accomplishment.”

He gave importance to the study of anatomy from the dissecting room over lectures — though both were important.  He took advanced grounds on medical education, although his lecture and his handling of the subject is highly commended by the medical fraternity whose pleasure it was to listen to him.

His remarks to his co-laborers were full of good sound, practical advice and made a professional impression.

He concluded with an “earnest and eloquent appeal for aid in establishing a hospital for the unhappy poor of the city.  There was nothing that more clearly worked the upward advance in the evolution of civilization than the growing kindness of man.

“My appeal is to all, to the young men and maidens in possession of vigor and beauty, who regard the future with unclouded hope, to the middle aged who are enabled to rejoice in their own and their children’s health, and to the old who can look back with thankfulness on the events of life.

“What wealth could purchase a sweeter thought, a more sublime reflection, than that throughout time, the prayers of hundreds of weary, sad faced women, of hundreds of grimy sons of toil, will constantly ascend to you, their benefactors, in gentle murmurs to the judgment seat of God.  ‘The prayers of the righteous man availeth much.’  But give me the supplications in my behalf, of the suffering, the friendless and the poor, to whom it has been my privilege to have offered aid and comfort.”