Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1857-09-12
From tie Virginia Meiieal journal.
CLINICAL TEAruINE IN VIpcTNI ,


great deal has been said OF the importance Of clint.
cal teaching element OF medical instruction in the
schools The American medical association the journals
the local societies and the woudbe medical felumers of
the present era have all advocated with no ordinary zeal
the importance of providing students with the reouss
opportunities for studying disease the bedside OF the
patient The profession TO regard this branch of
medical education OF such paramount value that il might
naturally be supposed H would lend it, aid to recommend
and build those schools whose ductors use sire
efforts to give their pupils reasonable means for
testing the practical vSlue OF lectue-room doctrines
That this consideration whatever they may saw weybs
but lightly with the medical men OF Virginia cln be pro
we'd without much effort. IL is well known fact that
at the present ~ thresOurth5 of the edcaired
yates from this State receive their diplomas in Pbii.t.l.
phia. IL il concrdrd that ia department Of medical
theory our schoos unequal " their Philadelphia com
petOrs Why theB do southern students leave u TO 90
10 northern nsututionsy The reply IL short Bec,ns.
they aeisd 10 do by their yyeceDtoSs Ask the adj
Visrts for thus aiding southern Youth and
southern capital TO northern cities and We are
~ referred to thelonieai advantages Of the large Phil,
depha hospitals. We told OF immense wards and
Of the thousands Of cases at BOckey aln.ou.e Of the
convenient location and pleasant lecture the Penn
sylvnnia hospital.
How very touching appears this sacrifice Of selfipere.t
and State pride Ia the educational welfare Of those who
rely their judgment How mafvelou-ly kind must IL
seem TO those Who pfuht by this gratuOus zeal Have
these gentlemen inquired the comparative eui-
cal facilities OF PhiadepbaY Have the, ever aualyzed
aud ascetained the real worth Of the cuioue
Of the Quaker city. Let zee what is this mucbi.d
so.caltd clinical instruction.
On regular dsy paraded before the oyergrown
aud uneIPectan classes Those who can squeeze around
the bed, the lecture Is ia the ward the front row
il in the lecture rOOmlsten the grave professor
~hie lie describes the patients DTcsstt symptoms 70.
cipe is written, operation is performed dressing il
applied. All applaud (Nbetber they see or hear or no
tie graceful operator, the sagaciOus practitioner The
bed disappears, does the patient seldom to be seen
second ume while others occupy the same tabls
the professor moves majesticaly ON, followed like
comet by bis gaseous train.
L. such aOlemu lqrcea that
ofm aspects Of diseases Is IL thus that they arr enabled
N follow it, ptOlean phases watch its progress view the
daily aud hourly difficulties that arise learn the remedies
by which they 70 be cOubalted form iud nent Of the
relative absolute pouer Of thesc relieve ses the te
suit IN health deati1 Can they thus b. taught 10
weigh the indication OF the pulse Of the respr.t, I
the surface OF the pupil Of the various grad, of ssp
bhty, mobility, intelligence, &C. draw correct inter
iereuces from the inspection OF the thousand aud ono m
gans and functions Of The living bolyY Il This al tat il
conveyed BY tho term clinical facilities on which are laid
much strs-s by those Who vaunt their advantage and
anOst denOunoe useless al OIer e chingY t,1 Eve
or SIX hundred students struggling with each other in the
narrow wards Of hospital acquire mash tact In deteciin
or treatenng maladies by such metbodg Yet We are
informed that this Is The great advantage OF Phlndpa
course and Therefore We Urged 10 rob our MN aud
adjoining southern states Of much treasure and 81 the
Po"er to erect Tor themselves great centes Tor medical
/ learning.
We do not pretend that this sort Of teaching j. .ou,
good eheci that 10 default Of better 10 absolutely value
les; bot 10 be evident 10 ALL rithopt tnprb cfir
hst IL canned supply the opportunity 90 greatly needed
by those Who are endeavOring % quality themselves 10,
the practice Of our most arduOu5 aud responsible PROBES
sion.
Nor can can this end b. attained whore hospitals are so
situated governed that aduittance Tor the student
y granted Only N stated pcod more or les widely sep
STATED What has heretofore gwen Paris i.s world vide
reputation Tor medical sciliHcss The simple fact that
the student could 10 the wsrds only With tho pro
lessons but also Fh the drcfscrs sod nurses and
muuicy, RON day 10 day hour hour the condition
and progress Of whatever he might eject Tor study
And nov, that a ctcupt che system Of following the
tending surgeon physician - pfoscrhcd these
hospitss haze %, closed books aud may safely
predict that Paris will longer attact the foreign stu
dent ~ formerly.
IT, then 30 j. impoftsnt that dc stuen shoud study
htr" The hosDifai 49, connection viN The teb9oi aud sHb
J'ri 10 Me csfroi NJ ~ fcHhV. let the two nsitl-
iole be- situated nearly possible ugethcr and open
NJ Wars ~ the u the daily inspection o. tpe who
attend the lectures N the other Permit tho sudeut 70