Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-09-04
SCEI4YAAHEOVS.
FROM THE FRANKFORT ARGUS.


one who has attended 10 the Influence of
financial calamiies on our country, that
next TO the moral injury sustained by So
ciety in dissolvmg confidence between
individuals, is the destruction of conf
dence in the future resources Of trade,
agriculture and the various mechanical
avocations, by which young men are run
ming from the counting houses, corn
fields. and workshops, to commence
professional studies, and particularlyth
OF medicine. That very few, iiany of
these, are qualified by education to en-
bark in such field of science no man
can doubt, and that their encouragement
sill result in curse, rather than bless
ing is most probable. II is therefore de-
sirable, that they should have some idea
OF what they are doing, or about TO do,
before they are launched too far 10 turn
back and before they have been at the
rouble and necessity of realizing the
words OF the poet, who says,
"a little learning is dangerous thing,
Drink deep or taste not the pieran spring
There shallow draughts ntoxicate the bran,
And drinking largely sosoers us again"
They shoeld not only be informed that
the profession is as much founded in
literature as agriculture is in soil; but
they should be guarded against impru-
dent solicitors who NAV care less for
their pupils destiny than for the pupilage
tee, the name preceptor, Or for the sub
scr,iency OF other views. 1t should be
recoliected, that the means OF good cdn-
cation and even classical attalnments, be-
gin to abound in the west, and that our
university and seminaries OF learning
which will be cherished as the nurseries
zfalBti. ard liberty promise their per-
petuation. The time must shortly ar
rive when slender qualifications in pro-
lession to which life is truete,, will no
longer be passport to easy success in
this country OF the newer ones, where
those who study it merely as trade, are
induced to flock; but the more learned
and better skilled must soon be general
iy known in their stead.
The writer has no wish to rilcule IN
nocent victims Of delusion; but so Far
from having such feelings, would pre-
sent them with correct views IN the
strong language efDr. brakes discourse
on medical education. This professor,
afier enunerating the following sciences
aud departments of the profession, as,
Anatomy, Physiology. Surgery, Patholo-
gy, Matema Medica, Pharmacy, Obste-
tries, Chemistry, Botany, Mneralogy,
Zoology, Medical Jurisprudence, Elec-4
richly, Magnetism, Hydrosia!ics, Geo
sraphy, Meleorology and Metaphysics,
al CT which immediately encircle and
constitute the profession by a doye-,ailcdl
.confpeney, then goes on to observe.
The catalogue is not yet completed.
literature and science are net the same
but a physician should acsrire both, and
tie cnltlra,ion OF the former ought to
precede that Of the latter, it is, however,,
a mortisying fact, that insthe United
States, andparticularly west the noun
tains, the young men designed for the
profession of medicine, are in general
destitute of this preparation in literature,
SO essential to their future acquisitions.
Commencing the latter while ignorant
Of the former, their progress is compa-
ratively slow and imperfect;f and they
learn when too late, that 4 magnificent
edifce cannot be erected on a narrow and
badly consructed foundation. No young
man should commence the study of me
dicaI sciepce till he is at least sixteen
years Of age; and unless the preceding
time have been devoted to the acquisi-
ton of language and the rudiments of
general knowledge, he will neither pos
sess that learning nor those disciplined
habits Of application, that are essential to
q successful prosecution Of medical stu
dies. While the standard of literary
and professional excellence necessarily
participated in the general imperfection
which at,epdcd the Institutions Of our
new country, this want Of preparation in1
those who undertook the profession of
medicine was less. striking and had TO be
excused, from being ul,avoidabirse
The representatives. for prosecuting a
better course Of, preliminary studies have
been aseateds evsnin the western states,
and No young anian@ should hereafter be
encouraged to become stadcut fpre.s|
dicine, who has moi prepared hffhselfsin'l
agnanner corresponding with the vast
extent apdipherent dignity Of thststience.
This preparation, should ncst consist
merely IN a detached knowledge ofbis
a ,en lant,saaree He akauId ascend to its