Among Dr. Gay's papers are interesting memoranda of the first efforts to organize the Buffalo General Hospital. Meetings were held at his office, being attended by many doctors and business men. Among the doctors mentioned frequently are Drs. Strong and Wilcox. Through him, his father-in-law, the late George W. Tifft, and other friends were interested in this movement. Buffalo owes to no one more than to Dr. Gay in the foundation of this great public charity.

In 1861, he was appointed, by the Union Defense Committee of Buffalo, surgeon-in-charge of Fort Porter, and, while at this post, examined and had charge of the Forty-ninth Regiment, N. Y. V., Col. Daniel D. Bidwell commanding. He is one of the founders of the Society of Natural Sciences of Buffalo, and served on the original board of directors. He was also curator of botany in the institution at an early period in its history. On the organization of the Buffalo Surgical Infirmary, in 1876, he was chosen surgeon-in-chief. Always an advocate of higher medical education, he was appointed by the authorities of Niagara University upon the establishment of the medical department to the chair of clinical surgery, and held that position until ill health compelled his resignation, when he was appointed emeritus professor.

He was married, in January, 1854, in Buffalo, to Sarah A., daughter of the late George W. Tifft, Esq., an old and respected resident of this city. Dr. Gay's life has been devoted to the science of medicine, and he held a high rank in the profession, both as physician and surgeon. He has been a permanent member of the State Medical Society since 1861. He was also a member of the Erie County Medical Society, and has been a president of that body. On a number of occasions, he has been delegate to the conventions of the American Medical Association, and has made verbal reports on surgical operations before that distinguished body. He was also delegate to the British Medical Society in 1885.

His reports and contributions to medical literature have been

numerous. Among them the following are specially entitled to mention: "Erysipelas; its Constitutional Origin and Treatment," 1859; "Medical Progress," 1862; "Hints Regarding the Management of Fractured Bones," 1867; "Placenta Previa," 1868; "Uterine Surgery," 1868; "Uterine Displacements, and their Surgical Treatment," 1868; “Vesico-Vaginal Fistula," 1868; "Unavoidable Hemorrhage," 1869; "Puerperal Eclampsia,' 1869; "Two Cases of Labor Complicated by Presence of Uterine Tumors," 1869; "Fracture of Acetabulum," 1884; "Protoxide of Azeote as an Anæsthetic Agent," (translated from the French); "Intestinal Invagination, etc.," "Retroversion of the Impregnated Uterus and Spontaneous Reposition," "Encephaloid Tumor, etc.," "Hernia," "On Retention of Urine from Traumatic Stricture," "Varicose Veins," "Radical Cure of Hydrocele," "Operation for Procedentia Uteri," "Aneurismal Tumor Following Penetrating Wound of the Thorax," "Radical Cure of Inguinal Hernia," "Case of Ligation of the Left Sub-Clavian Artery."

Of late years he has devoted his attention more especially to surgery, and was engaged in preparing a work on that branch of medical science. For over a year the doctor has been ailing, owing to a sickness contracted while in the discharge of his duty at the General Hospital. *For several months he was quite ill at home. Being advised to take a trip to Europe, he did so, returning in the fall comparatively well. On his return, he was given a reception and banquet at the Genesee House by the faculty of the Niagara Medical School. The doctor then seemed fully restored to health, but it was not long before he became again seriously ill. He and his physicians realized, from the state of affairs at the outset, that he could not recover. After a painful illness of several weeks, he died March 27, 1886. He maintained throughout a cheerful mood, and frequently proclaimed his faith in God and his adherence to the Christian principles which had been his guide for many years.

FIRST ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT OF THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF NIAGARA UNIVERSITY.

THE EXAMINATIONS-THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION-THE CONVOCATION EXERCISES-THE

HOOD AND GOWN-THE BANQUET.

We have for years most earnestly advocated a higher standard of medical education in our medical colleges, and therefore we have watched with great interest the progress of the effort to establish in this city a medical department, in which, by a provision of its corporate law, the high requirements which we and other journals of this country have demanded, and must, necessarily, be maintained.

Our readers well remember the organization of the Medical Department of Niagara University, three years ago, by twelve medical men in our city. Since then, there has been added to the faculty eight lecturers, some as assistants, and some as lecturers on special departments.

The college has given three full courses, and two spring courses. This year the winter, or regular term, was lengthened by adding six weeks to the course, and the spring term was omitted. The third term had drawn to a close, and examination week was at hand. For a week the faculty had examined the students, and at the end of that time the result was announced. Six out of the whole number examined for graduation were recommended by the Faculty to the Board of Examiners. Early Monday morning the Examiners arrived; they are: Dr. G. Doyle, Syracuse; Dr. Carroll, Rochester; Drs. Henry Flood and Ross, of Elmira; Drs. W. W. Potter, Hartwig, W. D. Granger, R L. Banta and C. W. Gould, of Buffalo, and organized by electing Dr. Banta, President, and assigned to each examiner a special branch for examination. The candidates were ordered before them at IO A. M. They were examined for several hours. All the candidates passed with credit.

In the afternoon, at the Bishop's home, an ad eundem degree was conferred on the present faculty and lecturers of the college. Together with the graduates, they formed an alumni association to assist the college in all honest efforts to advance higher medical education. Of this association the officers are as follows: President, Dr. Wm. H. Heath; First Vice-President, Dr. R. B. Parks; 2d Vice-President, Dr. Murphy; Secretary, Dr. Geo. T. Lewis; Treasurer, Dr. Clark; Drs. Crego, Clark and A. Hill, Executive Board.

The exercises in the hall were the next in order. Many assembled at Association Hall in the evening to see the young graduates admitted, as of old, into the grade of the Doctorate. Bishop Ryan, as Chancellor of the University, addressed the meeting, being introduced by the president of the medical faculty, Dr. Cronyn. He told of the early beginnings of the University, the struggle for existence, but was glad to know that this college had not taken a second place anywhere. They require a preliminary examination; they require attendance at school, and a thorough examination before graduation; but all this is a help to the doctor, and in the distance he could see accorded this college the standing it deserved. He called attention to the hoods and gowns worn by the professors, lending dignity to their calling. They had seen fit to request the council to introduce the custom of Cambridge and Oxford here, and he was glad to be one to vote for its adoption. Too much could not be done to give these young men a high sense of their calling. They would also be hooded after the manner of the University, that they too might from henceforth be able to assume the insignia, won only by those who have been duly qualified to perform the high duties of their profession. He spoke of the Queen of England laying the corner stone of a medical school in London, finding herself among doctors with gown and hoods, lending true dignity to their noble calling. In conclusion he congratulated the medical faculty on the success attending their efforts, for in spite of their rigid

entrance examination, the school numbered forty last year, and this was but the beginning. The young doctors then appeared before him one by one. They were presented by Dr. Tremaine, and the degree conferred by the Chancellor, the exercises being in Latin. At the end they were each hooded, a doctor's red hood being thrown over their heads. As the candidates came upon the stage, each was received by his friends with a burst of applause.

"There were many floral gifts. The young men were, without exception, fine-looking and doctor-like in their bearing."

The list of graduates is as follows: Dr. E. J. Murphy, Buffalo; Dr. R. B. Parks, Jamestown; Dr. Thomas Hill, Buffalo; Dr. Anthony Hill, Buffalo; Dr. George Wetherell, Toronto, Can.; Dr. George T. Lewis, Buffalo.

Prof. Clark, of the faculty, addressed the graduates. We are glad to be able to publish the remarks in full in the present number of the JOURNAL. The Rev. Mr. Bates, pastor of the Methodist Church, of Dunkirk, gave an excellent address, speaking extemporaneously. The effort was a scholarly one, and the speaker was frequently interrupted by applause. He called attention to the advance of medical science, and related many amusing anecdotes of medical treatment in various ages and countries. He called attention to the invaluable services rendered by the medical profession, and the poor return received. Their bravery, courage and faithfulness were all brought prominently before the audience, so that every doctor present must have felt the greatness of his calling. "It seems to me that what physicians need from the public is a little more evident gratitude. There is a rebound to gratitude that pays us again and again for all we give. It is the sweet music of the heart when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness. There are some people that become as chronic in the search for doctors as in their disease, and usually, in the end, they dangle helplessly in the web of the patent medicine man. Nor is there more excuse for the discharge of our family physician because