Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-12-31
Medical Reform Movement.

There are said to be more than eighty
thousand physicians in the United
States, or an average of one doctor TO
every six hundred Of the population. A
large proportion OF these have but slight
knowledge of medicine, and still less Of
the pathology of disease. They have.
it may be, entered one of tie eighty or
more medical colleges" of the coun.
try, with scarcely any previous training
in general knowledge, and after CATCH
ing up smattering of medical phrase
ology, have graduated and begun to
practice. But that is all. The medical
profession embraces, as every one
knows, many able and learned members,
and there is small number of ipstitu-
tions whose diplomas are guarantee
of the proficiency of the recipients in
medical knowledge. But by far the
greater number of medical practitioners,
according to the testimony of eminent
members of the profession, are as we
have described them. ill-educated, I'M.
skilled in diagnosis, and incapable of
treating any but the simplest cases, or
OF prescribing any but the most common
remedies.
We need not say that this is by no
means as it should be. The physician
so often, humanity speaking, holds the
keys of life aud death to his patient,
that it is Of the utmost importance that
he should be thoroughly fitted, so far
as training can fit him, for the duties
he is called upon to perform. An
ignorant bungler may do an amount Of
mischief in the sick.room which the
most skillful physician can never undo.
Every one has occasion, at some time in
his life, to seek the advice OF q doctor,
and 1t is not unreasonable, in view Of
the varied interests involved, to demand
that at least the graduates OF Medical
Colleges should be educated men,
learned in all the mysteries Of their
craft, whether they be followers OF
Hippocrates or Hahnemann, or any
other light OF the medical vocation.
The necessity OF reform in medical
education has long been recognized by
leading physicians. They have seen
with pain the gradual lowering OF the
standard of proficiency, even in the So
called Irregular faculty" But while
the evil has been apparent enough the
remedy has proved Q more d tficuls
matter to discover. A few euln- ut
members Of the profession have, low
ever, set themselves resoiutely 1" the
task Of instituting the desired reform.
and their praiseworthy endeavors
should receive thu heartiest support Of
the general public, in whose interest
they are laboring. At o recent session
in Providence. r. l., OF the American
Aoademv of Medicine which IN cnnn.
posed of physicians who, in addition to
the degree Of NJ. D., have also received
that OF A. NJ, it was urged by the Pres
ident, DR.. Frederick D. Lente, OF this
city, as an important step toward .
higher standard in medical education,
that the degree OF A. B. from respect.
able college should be required %
,, first qualification for entry into medi-
cal college. The young man. he
thought, who has not the ambition,
energy and patience to secure the pre-.
liminsry training implied by that title.
sis not fit to enter the sacred precincts
of medical science, to cope with the
emergencies and responsibilities Of
medical practice" He did not indeed
regard this as pansces for all the ills
OF medical training, but believed il An
essential feature OF the reform they
sought to accomplish. It certainly q
not an unreasonable requirement, in
view Of the fact that medicine ranks
as one Of the " LEANED" professions,
and has to do so largely with the health
and happiness, and life itself Of those
to whom they minister.-N, r. Er-
GDaiaer.