Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-05-24
COMMUNICATED.
A DISH FOR ASPIRING MEDI-
CAL STUDENTS TO DIGEST.


nails may not be ont Of place at the pres
ent time; for that the medical profession
is over-crowded. and Overwhelmingly
so, docs not admit of shadow Of doubt,
and until medical examinations are coz
Quoted outside of the institutions con-
ferring diplomas, this will necessarily
be the case.
The following figures speak for them
selves: The number of medical students
in 1910 was 600; in 1871, 1916; III
1876, $3.50; in 1877, 9,646; and in
1878, upwards of ten thousand. With
the physicians already in the field, it
may be easily computed how rapidly
the ranks are filled 10 repletion. 1t may
be noticed in passing that the protes
sions of law and theology, although
both ouer. crorded, are not so to near
the same extent, and do not show the
same steady increase in the last few
years. The number of theological stu
dents in 1871 was 3,04O, while in 1877
it had only increased to 1865. In 1871
there were 1,722 law students; in 1878,
2,l74; and in 1877 these had only in
creased to 2,Sl1. While the increase
in the medical profession has exceeded
thousand year, that OF the others is
less than one hundred. With regard
to medical colleges, it is noteworthy
that the United States have more than
the rest of the civilized world, there be
inc sc regular colleges. besides numer-
Gus Eclectic, Homeopathic, and other
institutions of like character. At the
present time there is one physician to
every 600 of population in the United
States, whilst France has one TO every
1914; Germany, one TO 5000; Belgium,
one to 2,O4S; Austria, one 10 $500;
italy, one TO $500 Norway one to
every $3.50; whilst in Great Britain
there is one to 1,G72. The just relative
proportion of doctors to population has
been variously estimated at from fifteen
hundred to twenty. five hundred. 1t is
useless to comment or enlarge upon the
indications furnished by these statistics.
The continual forcing of larger and
larger number Of youths into a PROBES
sion which they can never ornament
and are likely to disgrace, is an evil that
has been often enough discussed. 1t
may be calculated from present indca-
tons that in two years the number OF
doctors will be one TO every four hun
dred of our population. Statistics also
develop the fact that but one physician
out of every hundred reaches q compe-
tency, whilst only one to the thousand
becomes wealthy, and that fonrhtths
are poorer when old age is attained
than when starting in life. In fact, few
physicians make anything but scant
living out Of their profession, the facts
showing that those who have accumnla-
ted wealth have done SO out OF some col
lateral employment
Many young men starting in life and
investing the same amount OF money
and time in some business would he
saved the modification and care Incl
dent to failure in the practice of med
icinc. Legislators should see to it that
the lives of the people are protected by
every safeguard that car be thrown
around them; it is the State which can
and ought to remedy the evil. Let it
do here what is done in all other cOun-
tries-take from the colleges their in
discriminate licensing power and bestow
it Oh board who shall admit to medi-
cal practice only those whose thorough
education prove them worthy to be trust
ed with the most important of all re-
sponsibilites-the dealing with human
life. w.
A correspondent of the Weston Dem.
ocrat has revived a miracle that happen
ed several years ago in this State, and
the recitation of the performance is
backed up with an affidavit from the
father of the young man who witnessed
the affair. Rev. Eli Martin repeated a
history of the occurrence, during a re-
yival going on under his minstratons,
the truth of which being doubted by
the skeptical, the following affidavit
was produced
"BuCKEYE Run, w. Va.
"Ths is to certify that |, Isaac Slut
Ter, was present when my son handled
the red-hot cinders. was sittingagainst
the pulpit; the back part OF the stove
was red hot all over a few minutes be
fore Some young men had promised
my son to go forward TO the altar with
but failed to DO so, and when he pro-
fessed religion he went back TO them in
the congregation and they cursed him,
saying there was no such thing as re-
ligion. My son got down before them
and prayed, asking God to give him
more faith, when he turned around aud
took hold OF the stove and took ont the
red hot cinders, holding them in his
hands and presenting them at the same
time to the people in attestation of his
conversion. | took hold OF his wrist
and turned his hands over and the Gin
ders fell out upon the floor, and they
were SO hot that the smoke arose from
the floor | supposed that his hands
would be so burnt that they would have
to be amputated; but not so, there was
not mark OF fire on his hands.
DIR. ISAAC SrUTLEE.
"Sworn and subscribed TO before me,
this, the 1lth day of December, 1873.
VIM. NJ. Riggs, Justice of Grant Dis
trict, Doddridge County, w. Va.
Mrs. RICHARD Thomas RECOVERING.
Her large circle of friends will be re-
lieyed to learn that Mrs. Thomas, of
Licksville, who was assaulted by the