Daily globe., 1879-09-28
MEDICAL "REMINISCENCES.
A Chat With DR.. Prkerof New York on his
10th Birthday.

of an eminence six hundred feet above
the sea level, and commanding magnif-
cent view of Long Island Sound, was
locking and feeling younger than most
men DO at fifty. His hand is as steady
as ever, and his eyes as bright as a young
mans. ut was forty years ago." he said
to World reporter who had asked him
1or some "reminiscences of the advance of
medical and surgical science in those
forty years, "when first opened an Office
IN New York at the corner Of Broadway
and Bleecker street. was there about
two years and then removed to the corner
I was there eight years, at the end of
which bought two lots on Twelfth street
and built the house I have lived in ever
since-about thirty years ago" -
"How do the physicians of today
compare with those of thirty years
agoa" a. '
"Well, to tell the truth, don't think
the general practitioner is any more sue
cessful, Notwithstanding there have been
so many great discoveries. But if these
discoveries have not resulted in any great
benefit to the present race OF doctors,
they may very materially aid the prac-
titioner of the future. The medical men
OF to-day are inclined to go too much on
theory, I think, and that is almost sure to
result In occasional very great mistakes.
Take pneumonia, for instance. In the
old times that was not considered to be q
very dangerous disease; but nowadays,
when the disease is treated theoretically,
If person gets pneumonia, he is apt to
think that his life is in great peril. I
cannot help thinking that we have too
many specialists nowadays. Formerly a
doctor was supposed to treat all kinds of
diseases. Now we have oculists, obstet-
ricians, neuralogists, doctors who make
speciality of diseases Of the lungs and
heart, and so on and so forth. This is all
very we'll to certain degree, but
think 1t has been overdone in this
country"
'What are some of the most lmpor-
tant discoveries that have been made
IN medical science in your time?
Anassthetics, / suppose, would stand
frst9'
"Well, the discovery Of anasthetlcs is
certainly one OF the most important"
"How used you to get along in serious
surgical operations before the days of
anGsthetics9" ,a
1--WE had not so very much trouble. If
we had to cut off mans leg, or do anv
other important surgical operation, it was
our custom to give the patient good
stiff horn Of whisky or brandy, which
acted in the same way, only not so pow
erfully. We did not make the patient
drunk, but did the operation while he
was partly under the influence of alco-
hol. BY the use Of ether or chloroform
we have q very great advantage, to be
sure, for their effects are more powerful.
They put the patient in state of the
most profound insensibility, which ena-
bles us to operate more carefully and de-
iberately. Of course it is great COM
fort to the patient, as he can undergo any
operation without any pain save the men
tai fear and anxiety. Speaking of an@s-
thetics reminds me Of the fact that
might have been the accidental discov-
erer OF an an@sthetic. When was lec-
turer at the Pittsfeld Medical school IT.
was common custom of the students to
chiefs and inhale it for stlmulant.
Some Of them used to breathe it until it
had put them into the second stage of ac-
tivity and excitement. If one of them
had kept it up until the third stage
that of stupor and profound insensibil-
ity-had been reached, we might per-
haps have made the discovery right
there"
"What country has done the most to-
ward advancing the sciences of medicine
and surgery during the past thirty or
forty years2'
eff you limit it to that time should
say that the Germans have done the most.
When I first went to Europe for the pur-
pose of study I visited the principal hos.
pitfalls of England and France. Germany
was hardly thought of. Now, however q
medical student going to Europe would
not think of returning without making
observations in Germany. But not so
many medical students consider it neces-
ssry to pursue their studies into the old
country as used to.'
"Why is that? Have they better facili-
ties at home than they used to have2"
eyes. I would not think it was ne
cessary for medical student to 90 to
Europe to finish his education, even if he
were preparing himself as specialist
in fact. I don't believe that hardly any of
them would go if it were not for the fact
that ocean navigation is now SO easy.
The first time that I went It took us
thirty-6ve days to cross the ocean. Now
you step on steamer and in eight days
you are landed on the other side"
"But great many American students
do go to Europe, do they not, to complete
their studies?''
certainly, and principally for the rea-
son that have stated, that they can do
it with so little trouble. But a student
can learn as much here as in Europe.
Take an oculist, for example. After
studying the whole field over In this
country he may have a desire to visit sim
iliar fields in foreign countries. He goes
aad when he retvrns he feels satisfied ;
but after all he has learned nothing but
what he had learned or, at least, might
have learned at home. -
much credit2' I1. @
"Because they have made such great in
vestigations in chemistry, physiology and
pathology. No other people on earth as
at present constituted would have done
it. The German mind is peculiar. An
enthusiastic German Investigator is con-
tent to spend his whole life in determin-
ing, for example, the precise dimensions,
anatomy, and physiology, Of the root or
bulb Of human hair. It costs them
but little to live, and the more emin ent
investigators, are supported, partially at
least Oy fhe government. These men
spend their lives in the great laborato-
Eles Of Germany, and the amount of knowl-
edge they have contributed tc the human