The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-05


sos facts symead upon il pages h sismssixstt and
satisfactory proof how extensive varied aud valuable are
it, contributions IN medical sience aud it, tea, youses
helmng aud oong answer to the taunt-
ing proclamation Of tho Edinburgh Review OF 1870,
sWhat does the world vet to American physicjaals
and surgeons In September, 1854 the editors oi the
Association Medical Journal of Great Britain published
CODE and declared that this body VI PHYSICIANS
the enlightened Of greatest nles-
cal constituency in tho world Of which IL would be pre-
snmptuous in thern To spwk in terms Of psstse They
said Of the volumes Of the TRANSACTIONS already publisod
that the duties Of the standing committees have sn ably
aud thoroughly performed that the progress Of medical
science WHOLE its prominent divisions into practical
medicine surgery aud obstetrics carefully and accurately
traced In series Of reports worthy Of tho highest praise
had been reported In clear and comprehensive
manner rejecting the highest credit upon the commit
tees and also upon the association in selecting them for
their respective dutes and in regard what has been
done In the aboriOus investigation the indigenous med
ical fora OF the Union examination into and reports
upon the aulteIa0n vi drugs sanitary condition Of the
various States, and difference between them in the public
health the study Of epienics and of special scientific
subjects the committees continue Theses European med
ical authors, have collected and publisls vast
OF highly valuable information. They assert
their belief that Success especially Ia ethical
FORM depends solely In the moral power nsspsSe from
constitution based upon the principle equal repre-.
senation which they affirm they not only greatly ad-
mire, but scarcely refrain from envying is.s
Here then, IL reply 10 the above invective pronoun
ced against the medical profession Of America volunta
nly called forth from the countrymen OF it, author and
before he had been ia his grave ten years by the cont
buttons Of this body 10 medical, science within seven
years of s organization Upon such dsnterested evil
dence such full free, and candid confessions and from
such source may rest the claims of the American Med
ca Association for proof of the benefits 1t has conferred
medicine most active and powerful agent ia dis
seniinatng usslll medical knowledge this continent
1t is highly probable that similar institution has ever
been successful Ia carrying its chief object the
promotion Of science than the one now assembled in
this ball
ltas done something, perhaps all it could under the
circumstances to elevate the standard of medical educa
ton An influential motive calling forth this organiza
ton, the proposed attempt correct the defects
the plan OF instruction and comforting the degree then
generally adopted in our medical colleges and one Of
the first resolutions passed even when the profession had
assembled in convention, was the creation OF commit
tee to report at an early day on these exciting subjects
Improvement in the system OF teaching medicine and
change in the power granting tile dplorua iC not
reformation in the schools have ever since apjtat.l
the profession and consumed considerable norton of
the time of our sessions The only power to control
the economy of the colleges which this BODY Possesses
il exclusively moral advisory or recomuendatory and
not legislative or legal and while it may he tn,e
that no set of resolutions presented by the several
committees have been fully carried into effect still it
cannot be denied TINT important changes calculated TO
lvanc medical education have nevertheless been made
Al least seven professors now compose the faculty IN All
our schools the one or two exceptions 10 this being In
those in which the science is taught nine consecutive
months Not less than a period of fpur full m0nths in
structon now constitutes course OF lectures and even
this Is exceeded in most Of the institutions But one nm
n,u course is now delivered with scarce an exception
aud AN interval is thus allowed for reading or private in
structon The association has clearly defined what shall
be taught Il has inquired into the practical opuratjns
Of all the colleges IN the land scrutnized the general
condition If medical teaching in every State compared
It with that of the most enlightened nations called at
tntion TO preliminary education and declared what il
ought To be advised higher ret,ujsitions and more
RIGID examination for obtaining the degree and hos Inv
It's free discussions and reiterated expressions ia regard
=. A Il