The New York herald., 1849-02-24

and those among them who are IN any
way connected with the medical profession, par
nculary, to this report, matter of considerable
interest is discussed In 1t. 1t will be seen that a
series of resolutions were presented, which, if
founded on fact. would show a very lamentable
condition of things to exist among the medical
colleges of the United States.
BY these resolutions, il is stated that the great
majority Of young men who have the degree of M.
d. conferred them every year, these colleges,
are Ignorant and incompetent, and not properly
qualified for the arduous and responsible duties OF
the medical professions; and the proposer of these
resolutions stated in his speech, that cat this pre-
sent time doctors made, not for the benefit of
the public the profession ITSELF but tor the beue-
fit Of the very men who made them doctors'-
meaning, we presume, the professors in the varl-
GUS colleges.
The remedy for this state of things, that is pro-
posed in these utions, is petitioning of the
Legislatures OF the various States of the Union, to
procure the passage of enactments by which d.
plomas, from colleges, shall henceforth be regard
ed simply as academic honors, not conferring the
right to practise and that his right to practise
shall only be granted by separate and distinct
boards of examiners, who are not interested in
teaching, who are to examine candidates for the
doctOrate.
1t seems to us that these reconsideration they
can be called by no other name-against the col
leges of the the Union, are rather harsh Let us
60 little into detail. The requirements for gra-
duation at all the colleges, we believe are that the
candidate shall have studied medicine three years
during that time he must have attended two full
courses of lectures, and he must be able to pass
satisfactory examination. He has to pay for the
two full courses, and from this source the profess
sors obtain their remuneration for ecturing during
the session. For instance, at the colleges in this
city, each student pays much to each professor,
Tor the privilege of attending his daily lecture dur
ing the session. but having paid for two sessions, he
IS thenceforth entitled to free admittance for
as many more sessions as he chooses to attend;
or if he has attended one session at any other
recognised college, he can come to New York or
Philadelphia, any other college he pleases, and,
after paying for one more session, he Is entitled
to free admission The principe ls, that medl-
cal student need only pay for two full sets OF tick
cts; after doing that, the professors make no
more out of him but he must have paid this
much before he can be examined for graduation.
Previous to being examined, there is what Is
termed a graduation tee to be paid 1t varies In
different colleges; in some, it Is as low as slx-
teen dollars; In others, as high as thirty. If the
candidate is successful, this amount is retained
by the professors; it amounts to from SO to IS per
professor. II the candidate is rejected, the money
Is returned to him, and, of course, is much less
in the pockets of the professors.
The difference, therefore, 1t makes to a profess
sor, whether he passes or REJECTS a candidate, is
r.. Al. T. ~ l..
returned under any circumstances, whether the
student passes or not Now, 1t certainly seems
rather harsh and discourteous imputation to pass
on the whole body of professors in the United
States, that, tor the sake OF paltry sum like So
or $5, they would be influenced in passing men
grossly ignorant and incompetent; and, moreover,
we question If it is fact. And, again, supposng,
ior the sake of argument, that the whole body of
professors are so mercenary and avarlcious, mas.
much as they are drawn from the foremost ranks
of the profession, where can men be found unpre-
JUDGED enough to act examiners Surely, pro-
fessors can be tempted by the shining bribe Of
a So or So bill, 1t will be hard to find uaapproach.
able examiners
Again, another question presents ITSELF as to the
ignorance and incompetence OF the great majority
Of the young graduates. That quackery and empi
ricsm overrun the land there is no doubt; every
city, town, and hamlet, teens with the advertise
ments and circulars of empires of every descnp-
ton. According to their accounts, every disease
Is durable; cancer and consumption are no more
dangerous or fatal than flea bite; for every all
ment they have a cure. These medicines are
extensively used; fact, it quite probable that
more money Is expended annually on this class of
drugs, than in fees to regularly educated physi.
clans; still this does not prove the Incompetency
Of medical practitioners; it is system which has
gained ground In all countries. Even in England,
the land of strict examinations and high medical
attalnments, patent medicines as they are termed,
flourish as vigorously, If not more so than here;
but still all this affords no ground for condemnlng,
IN toto, the country practitioners.
In the spalsely settled districts of our Union,
who tolls hard and labonously! Who rides miles
upon miles at the call of every one, by day and
night, for but scanty fees, and those not always
paid! Who sacrifices all domestic and social en-
joyment, his natural rest, and every comfort! The
young practitioner, struggling to get connection.
Who in the city does the drudgery Of the
hospital wards Who attends the dispensaries
and goes the rounds among the poor and un.
fortunate, secluding himself from all enJoyments,
and devoting his time and talents gratuitously to
the suffering paupers in the alleys and lanes of our
metropolis Who exposes himself daily to the
most fatal contagious Who sacrifices his life
in the fever wards of Bellevue Hospital Who
boldly braves the risk of contagion of the dreaded
Aslatic cholera! Who spends months and
months, without fee and reward, in lying.in asy.
lums, lnfmanes, and other institutions where
experience Is to be gained, and information at
tained' Who struggles on, day by day, on the
merest plttance, hardly earned, and only sustained
by the hope or future eminence, and a reasonable
income wherewlth to support himself and family
The young city physician is the man. And yet these
are the ones stigmatized as ignorant and ,ncon,pe
tent, wanting In the rudiments of education, &c.
Facts do not sustain these accusations That
there are Ignorant men in the medica nrofessinn