every one that not only is a well-selected library of modern books and journals a feature essential to the prosperity of the Faculty, but that its attainment is easily within reach, provided the co-operation of members can be secured. It surely requires no argument to prove how necessary to the intellectual vigor of a community is ready access to a well-selected and richly provided literature. How especially true is this in medicine, and yet how almost impossible it is to attain the desired ends through the un-united labor of individuals! The status of any body of men in a community depends not upon the merits of any few, pre-eminent ones among them, but upon the average condition of the whole number. To improve this general average should be the cherished object of all. The relations of the medical profession to the public are such that the continual vigilance of its members is necessary to preserve it from the vitiating influences that are constantly brought to bear upon it. Evidentlyt he acquisition of knowledge is the safeguard against these influences, and to provide the means whereby this may be attained is the first duty of those who have at heart the interests of their profession. Nor can we recognize any degrees of individual responsibility; all owe to the work the very best efforts they can exert. He who is just beginning his career, by lending his assistance, helps to bring within his own reach opportunities that would be otherwise unattainable; he who, having gained competence and honor in a well-spent life, is preparing to rest from the active labors of his calling, owes to the profession that has given him its favors the tribute of grateful recognition. Since the last annual meeting there has been an important increase in the intrinsic value of the Library, estimated approximately at $1000. The operations of the committee have been greatly hampered by the paucity of the funds at its disposal, and many opportunities to afford additional facilities have been, of necessity, allowed to escape. It was expected that the extra assessment of three dollars, made upon each member of the Faculty, with the regular appropriation to the Library Committee, would have placed the library upon an assured foundation, and have secured the purchase of a number of valuable new books and journals, of which we stand so much in need. The unusual expense attending the publication of the Transactions, however, has deprived the committee of a large portion of that source of revenue that it has heretofore enjoyed in the usual appropriation to the library, and has absorbed a considerable amount of the special assessment that was legitimately under the control of the Library Committee.

Your committee duly organized by the election of Dr. George H. Rohé as its secretary, and by the re-appointment of Dr. Eugene F. Cordell as librarian, a position that he has continued to fill with the same enthusiasm and energy that characterized his earlier performance of its duties.

The total amount received from the Treasurer has been $440; to this must be added $32.76, the balance of the fund derived from the voluntary contributions of members to the late Library Committee and turned over to the present committee, and the sum of $21.04 received from the librarian from the sale of books, collection of fines, etc., forming a total of $493.80. The expenses, including the salary of the librarian, subscriptions to journals, binding, etc., have been $187.87, leaving a balance of $5.93, with no outstanding liabilities.

The collection of books has been increased by 325 volumes, the total number now being 3069 volumes. The donations to the Library during the year have been as follows:

Dr. G. W. Archer (of Harford Co.), 46 volumes; Dr. Julian J. Chisolm, 45 volumes; Dr. John Morris, 34 volumes; Dr. Frank Donaldson, 20 volumes; Dr. Alfred H. Powell, 19 volumes; Dr. John R. Quinan, 16 volumes; Dr. Archibald Atkinson, 11 volumes; Mr. H. C. M. Miller, 11 volumes; Dr. Hezekiah Starr, 6 volumes; Dr. B. B. Browne, 6 volumes; Dr. I. E. Atkinson, 3 volumes; Dr. E. F. Cordell, 3 volumes; Dr. J. W. Houck, 1 volume; Dr. D. I. McKew, 1 volume; Dr. John R. Ward, 1 volume; Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, through Dr. Gilman, 1 volume; Maryland Medical Journal, 1 volume; Bureau of Education, 1 volume; Smithsonian Institute, 1 volume; Surgeon-General U. S. A., one volume; unbound Journals by various members.

Dr. Donaldson has presented framed portraits of Brodie, Du puytren, Corvisart, and Orfila; Dr. J. E. Lindsay, a framed portrait of the Faculty of Washington University; Dr. C. F. Percivall, a portrait of Prof. Wm. Gibson. Dr. W. C. Kloman presented a letter from Wm. Cullen to Dr. Upton Scott, the first President of this Faculty, dated 1773; this has been appropriately framed and adorns the walls of the library room. Through Dr. Caldwell, the tickets of Dr. John P. Dallam, a prominent member of the profession in this State during the last century, to the University of Pennsylvania and to Pennsylvania Hospital, have been received. Other articles of antiquarian interest have been the old ledgers, notes of lectures and minutes of the Harford County Medical Society, all during the last century, and in the hand

writing of Dr. John Archer or his sons. Dr. Geo. W. Archer has also presented a case of instruments belonging to his distinguished grandfather. To Dr. Quinan, through whose instrumentality these donations have been made, the thanks of the Faculty are due. Your committee especially desires to appeal to the members of the Faculty on behalf of the book department of the library. The library is almost entirely dependent upon the liberality of individuals for its supply of books. At the expense of a small amount of trouble and time, nearly every member has it in his power to materially increase the supply of books. It is to be hoped that more liberality will be shown in this respect than heretofore. At present our journal department offers the most desirable feature of our library, and has served to establish its claim as a valuable repository of contemporary medical literature. Our list embraces 118 medical periodicals regularly received; of these 93 are American, 13 are English or Canadian, 1 Anglo-American, 5 are French, 3 are German, and 3 are Austrian. Three of them appear tri-weekly, 21 weekly, 69 monthly, 3 bimonthly, 13 quarterly, 2 semi-annually, and one occasionally. 64 of these are donations from the exchange list of the Maryland Medical Journal. Through the liberality of the editors of this Journal its entire exchange list is now placed at our disposal. We also receive regularly the Transactions of 49 Societies, in addition to Hospital and Board of Health reports, circulars, announcements, etc. The librarian, having generously agreed to take charge of the addressing and mailing of the Transactions of the Faculty of 1881, about 200 copies were widely distributed. For these there have been received many exchanges, among which may be mentioned the Bulletin of the Academy of Medicine of Paris, of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, the Gazette Hebdomadaire de Medecine et de Chirurgie, L'Union Medicale, Gazette des Hôpitaux, the Gazette Medicale d'Orient (of Constantinople), the Bulletin of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Turin, and two or three American Journals. A number of valuable books have been acquired through exchange with the New York Hospital Library. This system of exchange with other Medical Libraries promises to be of great benefit to us. Shelving for 1000 volumes has been provided during the year, in order to meet our constantly increasing demand for room. Your committee recognizing the necessity for a modification of the rules now used for the government of the library, has adopted a series of regulations, which are to-day submitted to the consideration of the Faculty, with a respect

ful recommendation for their adoption. Your committee respectfully directs attention to the precarious nature of the financial resources of the Library Committee, as provided for previous to the present year. For many years this Committee has been entitled to receive one-half of the fees and dues of members. This appropriation has usually been coupled with the provision that all liabilities of the Faculty shall be met before this fund becomes available. The result has been that the Library Committee has never received the amounts that the action of the Faculty has entitled it to. This condition of affairs has always proved a source of embarrassment to the Committee, and has greatly crippled its energies, in consequence of the unavoidable uncertainty as to the amount of its revenues. Indeed, as has been pointed out, had your committee not been provided for by the special assessment levied at the last annual meeting, it would have been necessary to have entirely abandoned the policy that has returned such precious rewards during the past few years, and would even have been put to the disastrous necessity of dispensing with the services of the librarian. Clearly, the library, which has now become the most important feature of this Faculty, and undoubtedly is the cause of its present unprecedented prosperity, is entitled to a definite financial establishment. Without a stated income the library must ever remain upon a precarious footing, liable at any time. to receive the deathblow to its prosperity. With the assurance of a financial certainty its future cannot be doubtful; its position as one of the first medical libraries of the country will be assured. The members feel the necessity of a well-arranged supply of books and periodical medical literature. To some extent the want has been supplied. It is desirable to more perfectly meet the literary wants of the members of this Faculty. Your Committee urges the adoption of the proposed amendment to the constitution which will come. up for your consideration at the present meeting, whereby the future of the library will be assured; whereby it will become possible to provide a collection of medical literature suitable to the dignity and importance of this honorable and representative body. All of which is respectfully submitted.

April 11th, 1882.

I. E. ATKINSON, Chairman,
JNO. R. QUINAN,

B. B. BROWNE,

G. LANE TANEYHILL,
GEORGE H. ROHÉ.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION.

The Committee on Publication has the honor to report, that five hundred copies of the Transactions of the last annual convention of the Faculty, together with the minutes of the special meetings during the year, making a volume of three hundred and ninety-eight pages, were issued in October last, and distributed as in former years; also, seven hundred extra copies of the annual address of Prof. William Goodell, five hundred of which were sent to the author.

The total expense of the issue, including the cost of distribution, amounted to the sum of $462.80.

W. G. REGESTER,

J. GILMAN,

D. W. CATHELL,

E. CLEVELAND COXE,

A. B. ARNOLD,

April 11th, 1882.

Committee.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON MEMOIRS.

Your Committee, to whom is entrusted the duty of presenting sketches of the lives and work of those of our number who are called from work amongst us to another world, report that during the year we have lost by death seven members, some of whom are those whose work and presence did much to enhance the usefulness and power of our Faculty. We place upon the roll of our honored dead the names of John McKew Sullivan, J. William Walls, I. Davis Thompson, E. Lloyd Howard, Thomas Clay Maddux, Beniah Titcomb, Samuel Price Smith.

The Faculty, convened in special session, adopted resolutions expressive of their regard and of their bereavement, for each of them. Of none can it more fittingly be said than of the Doctor, "They rest from their labors."