University Medical College - Scalpel Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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mug a Hhgairian Shnnlh IGP illlnral BY JOHN PUNTON, M. D., Professor Nervous and Mental Diseases, University Medical College. The subject Why a Physician Should Be Moral,', is one fraught with serious im- port to every medical practitioner. Viewed from any standpoint the physician cannot fail to recognize if not acknowledge his moral needs and obligations both to himself and his clientele. Indeed, so necessary and fundamental to the best life and character of the physician are the virtues of morality that these should not only form the basic principles, but constitute the very foundation upon which his practice and conduct is reared. e 4 Even f'Hippocrates the Father of Medicine in his early day recognized this neces- sity for physicians, hence the Hippocratic Oath is based upon moral probity. While the ancient custom of requiring this to be read and approved by every recent graduate in medicine is now seldom administered, yet who can deny that its essential moral prin- ciples are as worthy of observance today as they ever were in the practice of medicine. To the aspiring mind, however, of the modern recent medical graduate, life ordinarily presents a beautiful panorama of hopeful possibilities which conforms to his ideal or conception of what is best in life for him. Every physician therefore, whether he is conscious of it or not has an ideal, base or lofty which moulds his professional life and character and thus shapes his destiny. Indeed, every man associates his life with some end or ends, the attainment of which seem to him most desirable. All important, however, for the physician is the choice of this primal ideal or that which he in his inmost heart loves and strives to attain, for this largely determines what he is to become as a medical man. Standing thus upon the threshold of his professional career, the young physician in his restless desire to succeed becomes enthused with the power and influence of fame, pleasure, position and wealth, all of which may appeal to him with such an irre- sistible claim, or clad in forms so beautiful and attractive that at a time of life when his experience is very limited, his faith untried and his opinions exceedingly vacillating as to their relative value it is easy for him to mistake these allurements for the best things in life. The full possession, however, of all of these agents have so often disappointed the liopes blasted, the possibilities that such factors prove to be serious obstacles of failure to any physician. Hence, in spite of their intrinsic value they utterly fail in themselves to furnish the highest and truest elements of success to the medical practitioner. More- -over, the future of the young physician even when favored with such powerful acquisi tions or illumined with the brightest hopes and most flattering prospects ever attend 7 ed in its incipiency with more or less misgiving and uncertainty. Hence, the question which has been asked all through the ages by the recent graduate of medicine and never 'tAm I to be a success or a failure? ls fraught with se- more earnestly than today, viz.: rious import. In discussing thi-s question in a recent address a prominent internist claims that for success in the practice of medicine four factors are absolutely essential, viz.: First, appropriate preparation in medical technical studies, second, power to recognize and

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First-The high standard that our college has always maintained has giV911 US an excellent quality of young men for students. Second-Each student becomes so thor- oughly imbued with the enthusiasm and college spirit, which has alway-s been a promi- nent feature in U. M. C., that life presents an entirely different and more beautiful pic- ture to him. Third-The fathers of the University Medical College realized early in the career of the institution that one of the most important adjuncts to a medical education was a thorough clinical training. It has worked out so well that it has been improved 'der that from 3,500 to 4,000 pa- from year to year. Is it not remarkable when we consi ' l ' ' f the Senior and Junior classes annually, exhibiting tients come under the observation o cel found in each man's frequently conditions and diseases so rare that they are scar y ' f' ' tl under an able instructor that he will lifetime, yet impressing the student suf icien y d'l recognize it if he sees it again. rea 1y g In our out door clinic it is the usual plan to assign three stu-dents to each depart- ment, where under the instruction of a professor they are obliged to examine, diagnose and treat the case, this gives them more experience in a systematic manner than they would receive in many years of private office practice. The Obstetrical department has quarters in the college troom, beds and tele- ' t ' lls for phonej, where three students are constantly on hand day and night to answer ca this purpose. Each student must be in attendance at five confineinents before he be- comes eligible for graduation. This department is also in charge of the Florence Crit- tenden Home, the only charitable lying-in in-stitution in our city. The surgical out door clinic cares for about eight min-or surgical cases daily in the college and on 'Wednesday general surgical clinic is held in the amphitheater where from one to four major operations are performed, In the medical clinic from twelve to fifteen cases are treated daily. Thi-s depart- ment has two general clinics each week in o , diseases are treated on an average, fifteen ne of the college amph-itheaters. In the department of Genito Urinary patients daily the year aroun The Gynecoloffical clinic treats from eight to fifteen patient daily and has one tn Gynecological surgical clinic weekly, where from one to three major operations are per- d, with one general Genito Urinary Surgery clinic weekly. formed. ln the Clinical department for nose and throat diseases, eight to ten cases are treated daily with one clinic each week held in the surgical amphitheater, giving the students ample information of the surgical technic in this branch. The Eye and Ear Clinic, always a large one, cares for from fifteen to twenty patients daily, with one busy clinic weekly ini the surgical amphitheater. From six to eight poor little unfortunates are treated each day in the Children's clinic. Much attention is given in this department to deformities and errors of diet: children are furnished with braces and other apparatus and various foods. They also have one general clinic each week. ' The Skin Clinic takes care of from five to eight cases daily and has one general -clinic each week. v Besides this there are held in the Kansas City General Hospital three clinics Weekly, G. 35. General Surgery, Neurological and Medical. Instead Of 'Slighting his department each clinician is eager and strives to make his own cl' ' ' - . d I 1n1c the most interesting, hence, one can see that it furnishes to anyone who 951195 H Splendid post graduate course.

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I, L I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I I I A I I I I I I I I I i I t themselves' third the possession of the psycho- seize opportunities when they presen , , l logic insight, and fourth, zealous enthusiasm and persistency in medical work. WVh1le undoubtedly these are essential, yet, in my judgment, a physician may DOSSGSS all of these and yet prove a sad failure. Any set of rules or theory to govern the life and char- acter of a physician which ignores his moral obligations or dependence and allegiancfe to God is in my judgment a known failure. Indeed, no man, whether he be statesman. lawyer, business man or doctor, can succeed in the highest and truest sense in this life without the help of God. A life without God, is one without hope and no' physician can ever hope to succeed if he ignores his moral obligations to himself, to his fellow man Lincluding his patientsj and to his God. Thus Divine Law, not only requires but de- mands that the physician apply to professional life and conduct the spirit and purpose of the Golden Rule, which has for its basis the virtue of moral probity. I would, therefore, add another factor to the list already enumerated to govern the life and conduct of the physician, viz., HA fixed and definite religious purpose, which means to the physician a clean, moral exemplary, conscientious ethical life. No physician can well afford to leave this rule or principle out of his life and conduct. Moreover, the rapid advance of medical science increases the moral obligation of the physician by rendering it necessary that the modern medical practitioner add to his equipment new features of education. He must therefore, not only study laboratory methods while at college but must bring this newer knowledge into use by introducing it into his practice and thus become a practical bacteriologist and chemist. This pre- supposes that he supply himself with a microscope and a complete miniature bacteriolog- ical and chemical laboratory outfit for actual use in his daily practice. Thus he will be scientifically prepared to examine the urine, the feces, the blood, the sputum and other normal and pathological products to aid him in his diagnosis, prog- nosis and treatment of disease. In addition the modern medical practitioner must also be a student of psychology. This will bring him in touch with the various normal and ' ' d f abnormal conditions of mind and human consciousness as well as the various cree s 0 common mode of false reason-ing of which Dowieisrn, Spiritualism, Christian Science, Faith Cures and other forms of religious and medical fanaticism are notable examples and whose so-called marvellous results in healing the sick are all based on mental sug- gestion or psycho-therapeutics. The conscientious physician must also of necessity be a student of sociology and thus become identified with all the leading Social, political, religious and medico-legal movements of reform which have for their specific object the betterment of mankind. This will associate him with the philanthropist, statesman, politician, lawyer and preach- er, besides those who are now grappling with the vital civic problems and those high class Christian men and women who are devoting their lives to help save those who by virtue of their poverty, dissipation, ill-health, bad habits and the misfortunes of heredity are forced to- live in unsanitary and evil environments like the slums and tenement dis- tricts of our large cities. Thus the educated physician to fill his highest and most useful purpose must of necessity be a liberal minded man, a moral man, a man of many parts, broad gauged, one that is capable and competent to recognize the social, political, religious and medi- cal needs of the poor and afflicted as well as those more favorably situated and by his superior educational advantages and moral qualities be willing and able to aid in the so- lutlont Of the Vital Problems associated with the physical, moral and religious health of mankind. He must, therefore, make medical science of use to the community and thug Eilaxlge the scope of his duties by including the teaching of the principles of moral