The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-09-08
The University and 1t. Medical school.

forgotten that Houston, Galveston
and all other Texan cities are but
members of one grand empire state,
which is destined before long to
harbour within its own limits such
diverse industries as have hitherto
been found only scattered among
many different countries. The time
is not far distant when Texas will
produce cotton enough for the
greater part of the world when in
the vicinity of its coal beds it will
manufacture this cotton into fabrics,
which it will deliver to its own sea
ports, to be carried over the oceans
in its own home-built crafts; when
il will grow wool, and work it up
into goods sufficient to supply many
foreign countries; when its mineral
wealth will give rise to extensive
mining and metallurgic enter
prise; when its cattle and dairy
produce will afford food, not only
for its own population, but for the
hungry multitudes of Europe and
Asia; when it will raise its own
breadstuffs, sugars, fruits, tobaccos,
and supplies of almost every kind,
and will fabricate all commodities
which it now imports from the east.
1t can not fail that our natural adj
vantages, now eagerly courted by
capitalists and only awaiting the
touch of their golden wand to
spring into active play-that the
many and abundant exports which
will be created-will place so enor-
nous n balance of trade at our
disposal as must eventually engen-
der n prosperity and civilization UNI
paralleled in stability and grandeur.
All this being assuredly in store
for us-nay, coming even now upon
us precipitately-what more mo-
mentous event could happen in the
development of our country than
the establishment of seat of learn
ing, where our youth is to be
trained in the performance of the
highest social functions-trained in
manner BETTING people fore
most in the march of industrial pro-
gress?
The organization of our univer-
sity is, for us, the most prominent
question at present.
Being all well acquainted with the
highest types of educational insti-
tutiOns, and having the glorious fu-
ture of our state in view, wish TO
convince the people of Texas that
il will be greatly to their interest
not to separate the medical school
from the rest of the university, and
to locate the whole establishment
where it of right belOngs-at the
state capital.
The present writer is himself Il
physician, educated in the chief
German Observation-Disclosures,
Bonn, Berlin, Wuerzburg and
Vienna-and he is also late professor
at one of the greatest medical
schools ut London. He ought,
therefore, to know something about
the making of good doctors. His
personal interests are in no way IN
volved in the present question. He
is living on his farm, far away from
Austin, cultivating science on his
own hook. Considering this,
think he is the very person
TO give disinterested and OPEN
minded opinion on the proposition
that is to be voted for on the sixth
day of September. Indeed, L feel it
my bounden duty to do all in my
power to assist in getting the uni
versity, and especially the medical
school, started right.
know very well how obvious it
must appear to most people, that n
student OF medicine, whose future
business il will be to cure patients,
ought to be educated just where he
has a chance of observing. as many
patients as possible. 1t is chiefly on
this plea that Houston and Calves
ton are coming forward as candi-
dates for the medical school, and it
is ON this plea that popular senti-
ment is favoring one or the other of
these large cities.
Now beg to say that it is alto
gether mistake to believe that the
observation of ever so many kind
and cases of disease in hospitals will
give the slightest inkling of the ma
ture of any such disease to minds
previously unprepared. Any per-
son attending hospitals may learn
very skillfully to apply certain
names to certain combinations of
symptoms, and to administer in con-
sequence certain drugs, according to
| art. But such a person will be no
more true physician than an ex-
perienced nurse, or self-made
horse doctor, who has his little
remedy in store for every morbid
| symptom in equine life.
A disease is not a foreign thing,
attacking the body, and having to
be killed outright by the popping
of some specific upon it. 1t is the
very body itself in deranged state
is, in fact, nothing short of carrying
on of life under abnormal condi-
tions. To know a disease-as a ply
stefan ought to know it-requires,
therefore, first of all, thorough
To the physician or surgeon the hu-
man body must be transparent
through and through; visible to the
minds eye in its slightest, even mi
croscopical details. And moreover,
and above all, the intimate working
of the vital machinery, so marvel
ously complicated, has to be thor
oughly understood, and always pre-
sent to him in his judgment and
treatment of disease. Anatomy, and
especially physiology, are the indis-
pensible prerequisites for the study
of medicine. Not before these
sciences have become the living pro-
perty of the student, will he be capa-
bic of observing diseases in the right
light, capable of walking the hospi-
tails with profit TO himself and the
public.
But to understand physiology,
which is the working of the body in
health, there is further required-as
a condition not in any way to be
shirked-a profound knowledge of
physical and chemical science.
These beng, from the nature ofthe
case, the memorable demands upon a
genuine medical man, the question
before us is: How can a student be
best provided with this preliminary
training, the thoroughness of which
will certainly fit him to become a
good practitioner, whilst the want of
il will prevent any amount of hos
pital work to yield to HIM an insight
into the intricasies of his chosen vo-
cation.
Physics, chemistry, anatomy,
physiology are then the four princi-
pal sciences, that convey to.the stu
dent a proper knowledge of the hui
man body.
Where medical schools have been
started in connection with hospitals,
that is in consequence of available
clinical nafarial Il hos haan tho ems