The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-08-22
THE PHYSICIANS OF the FUTURE

Recently PROFESSOR GEORGE +. PERKINS,
Of the University OF Vermont, delivered a
most admirable address ut the opening of
the 9th annual course of lectures in the
medical department of that Institution that
is characterized by so much sound, practi-
cal sense aud liberality OF view, that it is
worthy to be most generally read. The
gist of the doctrine.taught is that however
noble may be the work OF the physician to
attend to the discovery and apply tho
remedial agents for healing disease or allie
Waiting pain, yet the grander field and EN-.
ployment OF his skill aud study is the
asccrtainment and disclosure to the people
how to live that disease and pain may not
como upon them. This is truly a fine senti.
ment and worthy the source and the pro-
iesslon whence it emaaates. BY this the
learned professor evidently means that
sanitary knowledge sho uld be more en-
larged and disseminated that 1t may be
moro completely applied to our every day
lille to the end of development
for mali OF longer life, more vigorous, n
happier and better one than any yet
known. lie means that hygienic studies
must be more general among the young at
their schools and in their homes, that they
should begin to understand little more
about their own bodies even at the expense
of the heavenly bodies, little more about
their own anatomy and physiology than
about the composition of tho rocks or the
structure of the stars. He evidently
means that tho microscope must be
in the future more used for the
entertainment Of our own physical
phenomena OF the blood flesh and bones,
than the telescope for the search of noun.
talns in the moon and spots on the ;sun;
moro minute inspection Of the water we
drink, the air VIC breathe, the food we. eat.
And when these views shall obtain We will
be all the better Off 1t is charged that the
Catholics at one time would not permit
their adhcrents to read the bible, for fear
their faith should be shaken and certain
church doctrines exploded. but that they
must live by and through faith alone. The
world is better now for the newer
era that throws the books open
to its eyes. So has il
been charged that physicians write their
prescriptions in foreign language, lest
tho faith of the patient be lesscned. But
1t will likewise be all the better for the
lsyman and the professional when our
medical education shall DO so arranged that
the general stndent may obtain full vievs
and secure firm grasp of the great truths
OF animal life, Of pathology, therapeutics
and practical medicine. The country will
be healthier, however, when blind faith
in all sorts Of medical agents shall give
place to greater faith in right living, proper
diet, appropriate dress and good
drainage; when pure air, simple food,
and healthful exercise shall be the sub.
stitutcs for all sorts OF drugs powerful in
quantity and quality. II is, indeed, better
to 30 live that diseases should not come,
than being Ill TO possess the possible means
OF an ultimate cure. Now will this de-
tract from tho physicians work. II, when
attending a patient, he is specially con.
cerned in that patient having a good nurse,
how much better is he Off II the
sick himself is 80 well inform.
oil that no contributes Just so
much aid to his own recovery 1t will be
better too, for man, when he comes to UNI
derstand that his being is not simply an
aggregation Of 'raw-hidc and blood and
bones Nero physical composition of OF.
gans aud tissues operated as through their
respective cells, by sundry molecular and
chemical forces, but that he is made up of
the moral essences as well, having his hopes
and his fears, his loves and his hates, with
mind to think, to dare and to do. These
are OF the influences that often refuse TO
yield to the treatment Of mineral, me.
talic or vegetable substances, OF the
pharmaceutical compound or the surgeons
scalpel. Whom We understand and appre-
ciate these. things Us we'll as some others,
We contend that tho world will be- wiser
and better and humanity generally will
score up the average Of life ON tho actuary's
insurance tables. We believe that the DRIFT
OF the medical practice OF to-day is in the
direction indicated, and he who censures or
loses faith in his physician because he does
not SEQ fit to order at each visit some add.
tional prescription, Is living in tho idea Of
tho times that are passing away forever.
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THERE are 1886 banks in the United