Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-11-15
FUN AND PHYSIC,
A Medical Professors Idea of the
Doctors Of the Future.

A Medical Professors Idea of the
Doctors Of the Future.
Prof. Da Costa, a new member of the fac
ulty of Jefferson Medical College, Philadel-
phia, delivered his Introductory lecture the
other day. He said: 81 look to the day
when we shall have clearer idea of the in
ception, extent and advancement Of tissue
alterations than we now have, when the
amount of force expended in diseased &C
ton, if 1 may so express myself, shall be
more accurately gagged, and the progress
of disorder more readily detected; when we
can measure the something of life that is al
the time undergoing the changes OF life
even in pathological textures, and estimate
more closely the finer physical alterations
being made and the upshot of these altera-
TONS"
Much is also hoped from the improvee
ment of instruments. The microscope, the
thermometer, the laryngoscepe and the op
kaleidoscope are constantly used by skilled
physicians. Prof. Da Costa apprehends,
however, that by-and-by it will be impossi-
BILE for any one man to be master Of the
skill required to manipulate all these in
struments As in the mechanic arts, there
will be division of labor. Every doctor
will necessarily become in certain sense
specialist. He thus humorously sketches a
professional visit of the future:
"Madame is in her boudoir, reclining on
a sofa, in expectation of her medical IT.
tendants. A drag drives up, from which
alieht two servants with heavy bags, who
assist two or four doctors to descend. The
fraternity is announced, aud followed by
the servants enter the room. The bags are
deposited, the servants withdraw, and after
the exchange of few remarks the exami-
nation begins. DR.. Ready, the junior prac-
titioner, conducts the first inquiries, makes
the ordinary investigations of the different
organs, and before finishing pulls out OF his
pocket tablet containing the vOlumetic ex-
animation of every fluid in the body, COM
Melted since the last visit. This is looked
at by all. DR.. Reckoner then takes traces
of the movements of the heart, of the
nulse. of the action of the muscles,
records the velocity of the contraction
and estimates the amount Of
nerve supply, showing diagrams and figures
to the patient, who inspects them with a
look of a connoisseur. DR.. Eyeman now
applies the improved opthalmoscope, which
photographs as well as is used to see by.
AGAIN madam shows active interest and de-
clsres that the picture is very pretty. A
mysterious nodding and whispering has
TAKEN place. There has been Indigestion,
with pain at the pit of the stomach; can
there be anything wrong with the blood
vessels there? DR.. Magnet, who is very
accomplished physicist, steps forward: IF
YOU will permit me, / will make you trans
parent And by means of modified, por-
table Ruhmkorf coil, and an instrument
with lenses dexterously passed in the stom-
ach, the fir patient is really rendered trans
parent. The examination is completed;
fortunately no serious LESSONS exist, and a
consultation held in the next room results
in the advice to take few glasses OF water
and a daily ride on horseback"