University of Tennessee Knoxville - Volunteer Yearbook (Knoxville, TN)

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STRONG HALL Page Twenly-ninc

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melimittary Mphiral Eppartmrnt The credulity of man has apparently been prayed upon since the time of his emergence from whatever his former state may have been and no where has the predatory habit been more highly developed nor more glaringly exercised than in the healing art. As with all forms of living things man has been ever struggling to adjust more perfectly to his physical en- vironment and has encountered tr: Vi ' : along the way many vicissitudes CHEMISTRY LABORATORY which checked his progress and deducted from his success. De- pletion of his own physical vigor has been a large factor in preventing the attainment of the high degree of rapport toward which we are ever striving. In our effort to correct physical derangement recourse has been had to every agent conceivable, both within and without, and the disposition to invoke the aid of our own fellows has been the chief stimulus to the origin and development of what we now term the medical profession. The obscurity of many ills and the meagerness of knowledge on the part of those Who presumed to alleviate them necessarily encouraged much assumption and fraud. The results of practices were equally indefinite leading at times to the ac- ceptance of the worse and condemnation of the better purpose. This stimulated the activities of charlatins and resulted in many fatal errors. In turn a feeling de- veloped that individuals could not wisely select in the matter of honesty and capability of medical dispensers and legislative control was extended in the form of permits or licences. These licences were granted on the basis of examinations and did much to raise the standard of practices in general. However, legislation did not, and perhaps could not, render full protection from deception and it soon became evident to the medical profession as such that regulation must come from within. In response to this recognized necessity the American Medical Association has established and maintains practical control of the standards of preparation and fit- ness of all recruits entering its precincts. This control is effective over virtually the entire American continent; certainly over the United States and Canada. As a preliminary step toward the end desired the association raised the edu- cational requirements by the addition of two years of college work before entrance upon the study of medicine proper. Certainly this was a forward, if somewhat daring, move on the part of the American Medical Association but developments have shown that it was neither untimely nor ill advised. In response to the above requirement many of the colleges throughout the country have erected courses especially suited to the needs of the prospective medical student and have generally created schools or departments deSIgnated as pre-medical. The University of Tennessee immediately entered into the spirit of the move- ment and has for some years complied with every recommendation of the American Medical Association. In point of fact we are extending our activities much beyond the minimum of the associationis requirement and encouraging in every way the highest attainment possible for the time the student spends with us in preparation for his work at the medical college. In this connection it has been made possible for our students to combine studies in such a way as to enable them to complete a college degree at the same time they are taking their medical training and thus secur- ing both the B. S. and M. D. in the six years which are necessary for their full preparation for medical practice. We are in sympathy with everything that promises greater skill in safeguarding general physical welfare. wMAURICE MULVANIA. Page Tmenty-cx'ghl

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THE LONE SNOWFALL OF THE WINTER Page Thirty