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

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This, however, can be done but imperfectly if the physician does not remember that he should be as much concerned with the immoral conditions and circumstances which surround humanity as the diseases to which humanity is heir and thus aid in ex- tending the conventional conception of morality which should come to mean healthy living, healthy thinking and healthy acting. A system of moral and religious health should therefore become the grand mission of medical science to reveal through the in- strumentality of the morally trained and educated scientific physician, for moral health is paramount to public health, while their wise correlation contributes to the highest and the best good of mankind. Such a programme sufficiently explains the reason why a physician should be moral for in the midst of the pathetic scenes and tragedies of life which he is daily called upon to witness neither the uneducated, immoral or irreligious physician can be of help., They who are to be the leaders in medical science must therefore embody in their lives all the best features of cultured education, while morality, supported by the virtue of religion, must of necessity form its chief cornerstone. Such a life as this I commend and covet for each student of the University Medi- cal College. Iduai Ciruhuatv nrk in I urnnr BY FLAVEL B. TIFFANY, A.M., M.D. EARS ago, when we first started out in the profession, it was thought that one could not obtain the best advantages in the study of medicine without going to Europe and at that time there was reason for his belief. Our institutions were yet young and limited in their advantages. There was scarcely such a thing as post grduate course in America. There was n-ot even a graded course of medicine. The curriculum was the same for the junior and the senior. Those days there were no freshmen or sophomores. Two semesters was all that were required in this country for the completion of a medi- cal education. But inf the old institutions of Europe the requirements were far greater. They gave special attention to practical medicine, while we were satisfied with the didactic. At the time I first started out for post graduate work, I was unable to find any is side of the Atlantic, and was compelled' to go to the European clinics. This was some thirty years ago. I was especially interested in the study of Ophthalmology, Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, and there it was that I found grand opportunities for the prosecutions of these studies. At 'flVIoorfields, London, I found more than a dozen prominent Ophthalmologists at work treating from three to five hun- dred patients a day. Among these men were Drs. Wells, Bowman, Pritchett, Lawson. Hutchinson, Wordsworth and Nettleship. All enthusiasts and authorities in this special department of medicine. In another part of London, Sou quar , found the great authorities, Morrel, McKenzie and Lenox Brown. Here again we were of affections of the nasal passages, pharynx and opportunities on th l S e at the nose and throat hospital, we able to see and study hundred-s of cases lyrynx. It was here we first learned the use of the laryngoscope, to view and to treat the wonderfully interesting organs of voice. Part of our time we devoted to visiting

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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

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the hospitals of tuberculosis and part of those of skin diseases. However, being more interested in the study of Ophthalmology and Otology, we naturally sought these clinics. After spending some months in the great metropolis, we went on to Paris, where we found such men as Pannas, Landolt, De Wecker, Abidie, Meyer and Galezowski, eminent workers in Ophthalmology. A few months were spent with these gentlemen and then we go on to Berlin, where the winter is passed working in the clinics of Drs. Herschberg, Swheigger and Schoeler. In the spring we go to Vienna, stopping for a few days with the famous Ophthalmologist, Prof. Alfred C. Graeffe at Halle, and Dr. Ooccius at Leip- zig. At Prague, we found Professor Sattler, who frequently operates upon twelve or more cataracts a day. The two mornings I was with him, he made ten operations. At Vienna, Professor Arlts has retired and Fuchs and Stellwag are taking his place. Here one finds perhaps the best opportunity in all departments of medicine for post graduate work. F-or here they make a specialty of teaching, g-iving special instruc- tions in the various departments-all under one roof in the great university. It was here that I first made some observations in comparative ophthalrnology, viewing the fundus of many of the lower animals such as that of the snake, the frog, the chicken, the rabbit and the monkey. Most of these men have not only a very large experience, but many of them are authors of the subject which they teach. Vienna is an especially good place to study Otology. Here it was that we found Professor Politzer, who stands preeminently or did at that time at the head of Otology. He is recognized as the peer of all authors on this s-ubje-ct. His book contains eight hundred pages on this little organ of hearing. Vienna with Professor Politzer is und-oubtedly the best place in the world to study affections of the ear. In those days there were no such advantages to be found in America, but of re- cent years it is altogether different. There is no country in the world or in any period of history where medicine has made the tremendous progress as has been made by the Americans in the last two decades. The American doctor of today is no longer looked upon in Europe or any part of the world as being unlettered and improficient but he is respected and held in high esteem as a man of authority and erudition and there is no longer any dearth of clinical advantages in America. The post graduate advantages of Philadelphia and New York will compare very favorably with any of those in Europe. No one need go across the water for these ad- vantages. The day is already at hand when many European students come to our shores for the prosecution of clinical work as did we of former times to their country. On the other hand there are many things one may gather in Europe that can not be gotten in America. One sees a greater variety of diseases many of which are not often if ever seen in our country. Besides it is' an advantage to make comparisons between the managing and treating of the different cases. And if a person is desirous of famil- iarizing himself and gaining other languages such as French and German, of course, it is -of necessity that he go among the people where he is obliged to hear and speak their language. While the advantages of America have greatly improved yet those of Europe have not deteriorated.