Temple University School of Medicine - Skull Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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metamoRphosis ... the esoteric reality of progress. The original Greek roots are meta , translated as over or beyond and morphe , meaning form — literally, then, beyond form or better, to transform. Its usage has taken a variety of contexts. METAMORPHOSIS has most typically been used to represent a change — of form or substance, in appearance or character, especially that sort of change produced by witchcraft or magic. The noted and ob-truse German, Franz Kafka, has used The Metamorphosis as the title of one of his more famous short stories and has his cloth salesman hero, Gregor Samsa, awaken one morning to find himself abruptly changed into some monstrous kind of vermin , complete with multiple thin legs, a corrugated brown body, and a back as hard as armour-plate. Hopefully, medical science has never awakened to find itself so drastically changed; and yet in no other discipline are so many changes occurring with such rapidity and complexity. The proper practice of medicine involves both the elements of art and science, and perhaps these dual elements are to be equally praised in assessing medical progress. The art of medicine implies change; for art, above all things, has never been static. The science of medicine necessitates change, as restless minds and hands seek new avenues and techniques to solve the always-present problems inherent within itself. Of such stuff are changes born. To what extent these have occurred staggers the very imagination. The madcap magician of the Middle Ages has gradually evolved into that diagnostic mastermind, the twentieth century internist, whose tricks often seem as miraculous to us as those of his illustrious predecessor appeared to his captivated audience. The master therapist of ages past whose basic idea of treatment consisted of driving out demons or bloodletting has also disappeared. His modern counterpart's response can afford to be at least somewhat more flexible while vastly more effective. Alas, even that most noble of souls, the friendly alchemist, has seen the passing of his days. His replacements are legion, and the fruits of their efforts far more valuable than the gold so diligently sought without success. Such is the progress of change. It is with these thoughts that we introduce the theme of METAMORPHOSIS to you, the reader, and invite your attention as it is viewed through four of its more obvious and important component parts. y.« - ,•»? J $'' frfp . 1 “ .f-. ftfa1. , 1 • v m ; A . .WI.1? ft ttt reruns ) 8 2. THE