The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-16
mating lhe MedIeaI standard.

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fort has been made in this State, and with
q fair degree Of success thus far, looking to
the raising Of the professional standard for
the practice Of medicine. Up to the con-
summation Of this movement West Viz
ginia was one Of the States in which every
quack could settle or soiourn and impose
on the public. As matters stand now a
practitioner must show proper credentials
from the medical examiners before he, can,
except at his peril, attempt to practice
medicine.
This is all very well as far as it goes, but
there is yet good deal to be done before
the profession Of medicine will command
the highest respect and confidence Of the
public. We refer to the notorious fact that
the standard required for the study and
even graduation in medicine is not by any
means what 1t ought to be. In the hst
place young men are admitted to the office
Of physicians 10 enter upon the study Of
medicine who arc very inadequately pre-
pared for such an important calling. They
are not half educated in any proper sense
Of the word. They have been to school
and gone through tho common school
branches, and have laid the foundation
merely for course Of severe study and
broad mental culture. This is all. Gem
orally speaking they arc very defective in
all points that embrace real mental dis
cipline and development. Even allowing
them to possess fair capacity, they are not
prepared to enter upon the requirement Of
professional education that presupposes,
or should presuppose, maturity, enlarge
ment .-and high development Of their
best powers. This development, or what
ever measure OF it may come to them, is to
be attained by the study Of medical books
and the actual practice Of the profession.
But much that is in medical books must al-
ways be sealed book to them. They have
not the mental keys that will unlock and
appropriate it. 1t is like novice in art
astemptingto interpret.tO himself the works
Of the old masters. Tho thing is practical
ly impossible. The best men Of the pro-
iesion see this difficulty and are now dis.
cussing 1t in their societies and in their jour.
mails. For instance, We notice in the New
York Tima Of Monday alongaccount Oithe
views Of eminent medical men Of that city
in regard to the necessity Of raising the
grade Of the profession, and also Of pre-.
venting If possible such horde Of crude
and untitled young men from entering
upon the study Of medicine. ,
DR.. George =. shrady, editor Of the
Medical Record, said he had been fighting
for an advanced standard Of medical
education for the last fifteen years.
Ho added that, in his opinion, the time
had come when the two great wings Of the
proiession-the regular school and the
homeopaths-would unite in promoting
such legislation as was required by the
best interests Of the profession. Although
he had not carefully examined the bills
that would soon be pending before the
Legislature, he knew something Of their
tenor, and he was prepared to indorse any
scheme Of legislation that would tend to
raise the standard Of professional acquire.
ments and to elevate the profession. DR..
shrady drew a practical picture Of
the present state Of affairs and the
motives that led many young men
to drop tho handle OF the pillow
or leave trades and industries for which
they were fitted and engage in the study Of
medicine. Unacquainted with the diff
culties Of making ones way in the PROBES.
sion alter graduation, totally ignorant Of
the sfact that medicine is already over
crowded, inspired to enthusiasm by the
printed. circulars OF the medical schools,
the rustic sees himself at the expiration Of
two or three years iull.iledged physician
with new and brilliant career opening
before him. He has, perhaps, by hard
labor on the farm or at his trade, aCcnmu-
lated $500 or SgOO-a sum which, il judici.
ously employed, would give him starting
point in the grade Of life to which he was
brought up and has been accustomed. He
drops tie pillow, the lathe, tho carpenters
plane, or the stone cutters hammer,
and sets out for New Yerk. His
education in the common English
studies that he has pursued at the district
school being fair, he is matriCulated and
enters the class us q medical student. At
the end OF two years, by dint Of unceasing
application, he is graduated with honors,
and possibly writes thesis that is compli.
mGnted by his Professors. He thinks the
struggle terminated, when, in fact, it is Just
about to begin. His capital Of $500 or $500
has been consumed in the pursuit Of his
studies; it has passed into the hands OF the
college corporation whose brilliant promises
enticed him to study medicine. He takes an
office and waits for patients expecting that
the reputation OF his thesis will bring them,
or that some happy accident will interpose
IN his favor. lie waits-waits-w in vain.
The glory Of the thesis fades in the presence
Of the hard realities Of debts that he cannot
pay, and OF bread that he must have or
perish. A few months convince him that
he Is alone in the world, pennies, and
that he must fight his way TO an honora-
BILE living In some way or other. Happy
for him at this juncture II he has the deci-
sion to abandon his pretenses and return
to the industries for which he is fitted. III
not, life holds no promise for him save that
Ola few years conflict with inexorably ad.
yerse conditions, and final defeat. The
money that he has expended for medi-
cal education was given In vain; the pro-
ieeIion, already overcrowded, has no occa.
sion for his services and no place for him
no comfortable corner in which, without
money or influential friends, he can hope
to obtain success and a subsistence,
"Sueh," said DR., Shrady, "is the history OF
many Of q sanGuine graduate, who has
deemed bouquet flung 10 him at the
Academy OF Music, or tue left.handed
compliment Of q college president that
there is always room up higher for those
who can get there, guarantee TO success.
ful practice. There is room enough higher
up, but he cannot get there, and so staryes
for few months or years, depending upon