Sincethislecturewasdeliveredagreatand，asIthink，beneficialchangehastakenplaceinthepracticeofmedicine。ThehabitoftheEnglish“generalpractitioner“ofmakinghisprofitoutofthepillsandpotionsheadministeredwasruinoustoprofessionaladvancementandthedignityofthephysician。Whenahalf-starvingmedicalmanfeltthathemustgivehispatientdraughtandbolusesforwhichhecouldchargehim，hewasinapitiablepositionandtoolikelytopersuadehimselfthathisdrugswereusefultohispatientbecausetheywereprofitabletohim。ThispracticehasprevailedagooddealinAmerica，andwasdoubtlessthesourceinsomemeasureoftheerrorsIcombated。
THECONTAGIOUSNESSOFPUERPERALFEVER。
ThisEssaywasreadbeforeasmallAssociationcalled“TheSocietyforMedicalImprovement，“andpublishedinaMedicalJournalwhichlastedbutasingleyear。Itnaturallyattractedlessattentionthanitwouldhavedoneifpublishedinsuchaperiodicalasthe“AmericanJournalofMedicalSciences。“Stillithaditseffect，asIhaveeveryreasontobelieve。Icannotdoubtthatithassavedthelivesofmanyyoungmothersbycallingattentiontotheexistenceandpropagationof“PuerperalFeverasaPrivatePestilence，“andlayingdownrulesfortakingthenecessaryprecautionsagainstit。ThecasehaslongbeendecidedinfavoroftheviewsIadvocated，but，atthetimewhenIwrotetwoofthemostcelebratedprofessorsofObstetricsinthiscountryopposedmyconclusionswithalltheweightoftheirexperienceandposition。
Thispaperwaswritteninagreatheatandwithpassionateindignation。IfItoucheditatallImighttrimitsrhetoricalexuberance，butIprefertoleaveitallitsoriginalstrengthofexpression。Icouldnot，ifIhadtried，havedisguisedthefeelingswithwhichIregardedtheattempttoputoutofsightthefrightfulfactswhichIbroughtforwardandthenecessaryconclusionstowhichtheyled。Ofcoursethewholematterhasbeenlookedatinanewpointofviewsincethemicrobeasavehicleofcontagionhasbeenbroughtintolight，andexplainedthemechanismofthatwhichwasplainenoughasafacttoallwhowerenotblindorwhodidnotshuttheireyes。
O。W。H。