New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-08-16
MEDICAL EDUCATION.
NO STANDARD OF KNOWLEDGE TO CONSTITUTE
M.DS.

NO STANDARD OF KNOWLEDGE TO CONSTITUTE
M.Ds.
An Address of the Faculty of the Louis-
vile Medical College the Physicians and Students oil
the United states recites the difficulties when nave
hitherto embarrassed and defeated every attempt to OBJ
tam uniformity i'm different colleges as 10 the standard OF
education which entities medical students to diploma
or In respect to the fees charged by colleges Tor ads
sion To their courses Of lectures.
The American Medical Association. formed in 1st7, I'M
dertook at its first meeting to gapple with the dhcui-
ties of reform in medical education During the first ten
or twelve years OF its existence the Association made the
mistake OF assuming the right to regulate anu deiate 10
the medical colleges. At length however, the discovery
was made that no body Of men can acquire the
authority requisite to such control its Efforts nmed
since been limited to exercising what may DC caled
moral Influence and placing the questions nj Issue pc
lore the Colleges themselves the Association hveu
them to meet in convention, and proposed pan on re-
form. After failure and delay, Joint Committee
OF the Colleges and the Association IN 1850 reported Sc
res Of resolutions These adopted by the Associa
ton and approved by the Colleges But after All ls
not one Of the changes recommended was ever carried
utterly despairing being able 10 accomplish any good
by direct acts Of s own passed resolutions to refer PACK
the entire subject OF medical education 10 the
OF the Colleges the Committee the subject being only
required TO report the results Of such reference Dur
ing TINS year Qs7O the Committee OF tue ASSOCIATION ns
reported the expression OF their sentiments the
hnal action of convention OF teachers employed IN
medical colleges, who To the conclusion mat the
requirements for the degree of Doctor OF Medicine must
be practically determined by each medical college Tor
itself by the average attachments OF Its students ana py
other considerations Of which II alone can Judge
The address OF the Louisville Medical College, afer re-
counting these failures, describes the path which its
faculty have marked out for that institution, and pro-
ceeds to Justify Its II has determined 10 lnsst
upon superior standard Of education and TO require the
payment of what considered high fees for attend
ance upon its lectures.
The question OF fees s 10 great extent involved III the
question Of standard Of education for in general
be stated that where the fees are low the nstruc
ton is inferior. Small fees rule do not offer an IN
ducement to OF superior ability to act as teachers,
but il by endowment state aid college Is able 10
pay good salaries to competent teachers, yet must
charge suitable fees for instruction be content with
class Of pupils who will neither be credit To their alma
mater benefit TO the community. 1t has been
pointed out by the American Medical Association, both
In reports and resolutions, that the widely recognized
conclusions the subject of these fees, which
have been reached in various ways by many emn ent
in the profession both in this ana IN
other countries unfortunately practically ignored IN
the United states by many colleges which have under.
taken compete with another in the reduction OF
their fees for the sake of attracting greater numbers OF
students In these reports the depreciation which results
III the character of the education afforded is very clearly
shown. But, perhaps the simple fact that there are
instances of colleges whose fees for their entire course OF
lectures are only $40 is su GENTLY Indicative Of the
consequences that must follow. The address, TO prove
the positions taken, cites ancient as well as modern
authorities; and Latin heXameers elegantly Illustrate
its descriptions But 1t should scarcely require the
evidence of ISOcraes Adam Smith, Sir Ashley Cooper,
and Sir Charles Bell. with abundance OF lesser lights,
TO prove propositions that would seem to be almost self
evident.