The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-22

d
5000 8
Doctors Pendleton and Merrill were ar
pointed an auditing committee.
The report of the committee on the Main
Medical School was presented by DR.. G. A
Packard
DR.. Fuller of the committee on the Insan
Asylum made verbal report which was &C
copied.
The report of the delegates to the Massa
chusetts society was presented by DR.. Gordon
DR.. d. L. Lamson of Fryeburg, reported
case OF injury to the brain, which was discuss
ed by Drs. Weeks, Dana and Hall, particular
ly in relation to the location of the lesion in
aphasa.
DR.. N. Nickerson of Meriden, Conn, was
presented as delegate from the Connection
Medical School,
DR.. S. Ell. Weeks presented a report in rela
tion to the anatomical museum at Brunswick
of which the following is the full text:
The object have in view in occupying thu
time of the association is to call the attention
of members to a subject in which l feel sure
all are interested. l refer to the anatomical
museum belonging to the medical school O
Masne. The collection, while it is much bet
ter than it was few years ago, is far from
being what it ought to be for school which
has existed upwards Of sixty years. Within
the past five years much has been done to i'm
prove its condition The collection has been
moved from the narrow quarters it formerly
occupied to a much larger room.
The museum, like all similar collections, is
designed to facilitate the study of the phe-
nomena of life, both in health and disease, as
hat .ol. Al.
practice of medicine is based. With this view
the collection is divided into two departments,
the physiological series and the pathological
series. The physiological series contains ex.
amples OF important notifications of the diff
ferent structures or organs by which the func
tons OF life are carried on in natural condi-
ton. The pathological series exhibits the
same structures or organs under the influence
OF injury, disease or malformation.
The collection consists of wet and dry prep
arations. The wet preparations, both physio.
logical and pathological, have been put into
new jars and fresh supply of alcohol has been
added; so that all these specimens are in good
comparative anatomy has been rearranged and
placed by itself in glass case, where it can be
used for purposes of instruction.
The preparations of human anatomy are we'll
arranged in separate cases, so that they can be
seen and studied to best advantage.
dry, have been arranged by themselves and
can readily be reached for study and instruc-
ton.
1 feel that we have made the best arrange
ment we can OF the material we have. The
collection is very meagre when compared with
what it ought to be; and what desire is to ask
the members of the association to do what they
can individually to increase our collection.
Any preparations, either physiological or pa
til illogical which you may be willing to part
with and desire to have we'll cared for and
used for purposes of instruction will, if sent to
the college, be properly labeled with the name
of the donor and carefully preserved in the
museum. Books or surgical Instruments or
whatever is of historical or general interest to
the profession, if sent to the school, will be
properly preserved.
desire to add to our collection each year so
that it shall be an object of pride to the pro-
fession of the state.
purpose of increasing tho collection, will be
appropriated according to the wish of the donor,
or II lett TO the Judgment of the Faculty, will
be Judiciously expended for preparations de-
signed to aid in the process of instruction.
All donations made to the museum can be
wick, care Prof. Alfred Mitchell, who will see
that they are properly cared for.
1t would be extremely gratifying to the
members of the Faculty, if the physicians of
the state would visit the school frequently
during the lecture season, that they may see
what means and methods are being used for
the education of young men, who are to be-
come future members of this association.
AFTERNOON SESSION
The association was called to order at D. m.
The President announced that tickets to the
entertainment could be obtained of the com
mittee.
The President then delivered the annual ad-
dress, of which the following is an abstract:
PRIVATE PREcEPToRsHIP IN THE STUDY OF
MEDICINE.
DIR. Greene opened BY stating the object and
intent of the Association to represent and en-
courage all that is best in the character and
interest OF the profession, and its power as an
influential body in moulding and directing pro-
fesslonal opinion and practice.
Question OF questions before the profession
to-day IS how to attain to higher standard and
better system of medical education" He
then spoke of the great advance in medical
science in the past few years and in all branch
es of natural science.
MEN are becoming more and more interest
ed in the study of themselves and their envir.
Onments. The what, the how, the Why:
those are the questions that have taken hold of
the human mind with an incremental force of
which only thoughtful men are aware"
He then proceeded to show the great claims
medical science makes upon the medical stu
dent IN our time and criticised the present
plan OF education as entirely inadeqnate to
meet these demands
The great evil in our present system is pri-
vate preceptorship. 1t Is the main hindrance
to thoroughness and the great obstacle to a
the tone and character of the profession.
He went on to describe the loose aud super
hclal manner in which the majority study aud
how such men can with a little ingenuity fit
themselves to pass the necessary examinations
for graduation.
leaves the individual with only a valueless or
rather dangerous smattering Of ideas. But it
serves his main purpose of obtaining a
diploma.
1t was shown that by the present system a
large number of men are brought to the study
OF medicine without fitness as regards prelim-
mary education, which was earnestly insisted
upon-that it leads to overcrowding the profes.
sion, and the evils of this excess in number
was especially dwelt upon.
The great remedy suggested was to put all
medical education into the care of the schools.
Ihe remedy for this professional plethora
lies In reducing the supply. This can only BIZ
done by placing the standard of preliminary
requirements so high and insisting upon a
course OF medical study so thorough and ex-
tensve that the class of incompetents who
now enter by cross-cuts and surreptitious
methods shall be cut off from all hone of adj
mission.
The matter is not easy OF mathematical de-
monstration, but there is not the least doubt
in my own mind, or in the minds of the MANY
experienced teachers with whom have con.
versed on this subject, that with our present
civilization, the amount of wealth and its de-
gree OF distribution, and with O degree of
business activity that renders facilities for
earning money SO great and numerous, any
man who has the character for energy and
perseverance, and the unwavering devotion of
special love for his work that are essential to
true success in medicine, can enter the profess
sion under the regime herein advised. This.
too, is the decided opinion of eminent iurists
with reference to students of law, and I am
glad to find rapidly advancing sentiment in
the legal profession, which is much more
susceptible of the plan of private preceptor-
ship than medicine, in favor of compelling al
students to spend three full years in the law
school,
Poverty is no hindrance to the right sort of
men. "What," says one, "would you estab.
lish an arstocracy of learning?" Yes, indeed
say L. Not for moment.would l advise a sys.
tenn that forbids mans entrance into the pro.
fession because he is poor. l would only com.
pei MIN to become thoroughly educated for his
WORK. would say to him, the duties you seek
TO assume are so arduous, the responsibilities
you invite are SO weighty and solemn, the
trusts you propose to take are SO sacred and
the rewards and privileges that await YOU
though not in money, are so rich that Won have
no right to aspire to all this unless Won are will