Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-05-14

should not improve the opportunities thus
secured. The students can hardly know
that it was an unheard of thing to elect a
professor on the strength of his reputa
tion and endorsements and without &C
tual trial in the chair. Whether wise or
not it is our impression that 1t has been
done repeatedly in this and other medical
colleges. No one claims freedom from
liability to human error on the part of the
trustees but as body, they must be con
coded to be above any participation In
medical feuds or personal quarrels, and to
be actuated solely by desire to promote
the best welfare of the University in all
departments.
The students must permit us to say that
it seems absurd to us, to speak OF DR..
bingham as inexperienced" lie mas
had for years an extensive surgical prac
tice. Since the retirement and death OF
DR.. Thayer, no surgeon in Vermont has
established and held IA higher reputation.
In his own practice and as attending sur
geon at the Mary Fletcher hospital he is
constantly performing important opera
tons. The students who have attended
his lectures know that he lays especial
stress on the Importance of antlseptic
treatment.
The particular cases alluded to appear
tol be incorrectly described above. The
first was not case of 'simple adhesion of
the law" 1t was a case of chronic con
traction of the muscles, and adhesion of
the muscles to the jaw, on both sides, with
atrophy of the musces-the trouble having
been of over ID years standing Prof.
Bingham did not instruct the class that
cases of less duration and extent might
not be operated on with success. lie ana
pronounce the case before him to be one
in which permanent relief could not be
secured by seVerng the contracted mus
cles OF course he never said that no OPP
Grafton OF any kind, under conditions not
then existing, might not be advisable.
And it is enough to say that no operation
pronounced unadvisable by him was sub
sequently performed. In the other case
what Prof. Bingham sad was that there
We're indications of suppuratlon Out that
1t was impossible to say In advance OF the
incision, whether the fluid would prove to
be pus or water The operation was the
proper one in either case. These are the
facts i'll these cases and these are the
strongest cases brought forward to prove
the incompetency of the professor of
surgery. In the variety and uncertainty
OF external indications, all surgeons OF
any extended practice, we take 1t, occa-
>iunally find things different from what
they expected before going beneath the
surface. An erroneous prediction would
not necessarily be proof of lncompetency
| Only quacks assume to possess lnialllbl-
Iity. An experienced and Skllliul surgeon,
who witnessed these clinics, says that nc
mistake in diagnosis or operation was
made in them. 1t will probably occur to
our readers that the students would be
better qualified to criticise after taking the
course Ill surgery, than before. The
charge that Prof. Bingham made blunders
in diagnosis which any tyro in the art
could perceive to be ineXcusable and
"absurd' defeats itself. 1t is intrinscally
| improbable.
The other points made by the students,
need but brief comment. No petition has
been addressed to, or presented to ''the trus
tees" The trustees have not been called
| together since the annual meeting, ten
| months ago. The executive committee OF
the University have, when requested
acted as advisers of the dean and medical
| faculty. In view of current misrepre
sensations of his acts and words, it was
quite proper that Prof. Bingham should
| have witnesses OF his interview with the
committee Of the class. DR.. Wright
whose high ability and deserved eminenct
we fully recogniZe-is authority for tn,
statement that ii was more than doubtful
whether he (WrighU could have beel
secured to fill the char of surgery If hi.
nomination had been confirmed. That h,
can not now be secured is we'll known
We understand that DR.. Bingham wa!
dropped as Demonstration, by the proteS
sor of anatomy, because, though not al
active or offensive partisan on either side
he happened to be on one side rather than
the other of the old controversy between
factions of the medical profession in thi:
quarter. We have never heard that hi
removal was due to any incOmpetency
We haze understood that his service
were considered valuable both as demon
strator of anatomy and Instructor III sur
gerry i'll the preliminary course. IT -
they must be more valuable now, as h
has grown in experience, knowledge ant
standing, in the Intervening years
We are Us far as possible from any de
sire to judge the young gentlemen VIII
constitute the controlling majority of thu
medical class with the slightest harshness
They are not to blame for desiring tn
best instruction possible. But the bes
possible is not always attainable. In sue
a case the wise man takes the best he cal
get, and makes the best of it. We niue
regret the state of feeling into which tn
young gentlemen have worked themselves
or have been worked, and we are sur
they must regret their course, in comm
time, if they persist in deprlVing then
selves of any of the advantages and il
structions which they came here to gain
z Iarkin Mead's Latest Work.