Democratic messenger., 1888-03-17
LONDON PHYSICIANS.
FEATURES OF HOSPITAL PRACTICE
IN THE ENGLISH METROPOLIS.

Reasons for tho Superiority OF American
Private Medical Practice In London.
Works on Medical Science.
DIR. William Campbell, one Of the most
prominent physicians In Kansas, has been
In London studying features OF London
hospital practice. Some OF the obscrva-
tions made by him concerning the results
Of his visit are very interesting. lie said,
In conversation the other night, that tho
practice OF medicine In London was cs-
scntially different from the practice in tho
United States. In our country physicians
had much better opportunities, and ho
was certain that they were all better
practitioners rs n class. lie has been In
the hospitals OF Philadelphia and New
York, and now Is Of the opinion that q
student can gain more practical knowledge
In the hospitals OF those cities than in
London, although study In London hos
pital gives man q better name. Tho
American surgeons are much more skill
full operators than the English. They arc
more delicate and gentle. II Is To the
discoveries OF American surgeons that
much OF the mitigation OF pain In opera
tiOns has been reached. DIR. Campbell
says that in nearly all Of the London hos
pitfalls American manufactured instru-
mcnts are used. Cocaine, nm American
discovery, has only recently been en-.
ployed.
DIR. Campbell gave some OF tho reasons
for the superiority OF the American prac-
titioncrs. lie said that when an Amcri-
can physician had secured proper
amount OF knowledge lac could, with care
and attention, gain u general practice. Hc
became engaged ut once In studying irac-
teal questions from actual experience.
While he Is not rs much Of book man rs
the English physician, he has IL much bet
ter practical knowledge. In England no
physician can hope TO obtain practice Of
any value unless he has or has had some
official connection with some Of the great
hospitals. lie cannot have a first class
practice unless he has reached conncc-
tion with u well known hospital, u mem
bcrship In the Royal College OF Surgeons,
or through some piece of special good
fortune, u title.
SIR MoIELL MACKENZIE.
Take the case OF Morell Mackenzie. His
fortune Is absolutely made through the
title conferred upon him for his treat
ment Of the crown prince. Where he had
one patient before he had the crown
princes case. he now has at least twenty.
His income has gone UP at least Gi2 C00,
or rl5,OH, year from his practice alone.
London has u very large number OF
hospitals. Any one can go TO the greater
number OF them for free treatment. IL
Is supposed that only patients will apply
for free treatment who are not able 10
pay. Yet Dr. Campbell says that in tho
hs. hua lima elta tar
portion Of the people who apply for free
treatment are well dressed and havc
every appearance Of being well 10 do.
Some of the ladies are In silks AMI furs
and give every evidence Of possessing
ample means. One OF the most striking
OF the patients OF this class was u hand
some and gifted young lady who has
been studying on the continent for some
time preparatory 20 going on the operate
stage. She was always accompanied 10y
her brother, who looked rs well to do
and prosperous as she did handsome and
distinguished.
The treatment IN the hospitals Is rough
and careless Of the patients feelings.
There is no patient who applies for free
treatment at the hospital who can escape
the personal examination Of any Of tho
students who assist ut the clinic ono
would think that person OF refined SEN
sibilit!es would not care to place himself
under the rude handling Of English hos
piial surgeons and the personal cxamina-
tion OF thirty or forty students rather
than pay the fee which would bc required
In consulting a physician IN private prac-
tice. The wcls.to-do do not appear, how
ever, TO mind the disagreeablc features en-
tailed upon n hospital consultation. They
bear all OF its Inconvenience with stolid
composurc so long as they are able To save
the guinea fees which they would DO re-
quircd To pay for private treatment.
PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTICE.
The surgeons In charge Of the hospitals
encourage the people TO come there To take
treatment. The reason of this goes hack
To the whole system of medical practice In
London. II is the policy Of the leading
AMI successful men In control OF the hOspi-
tails 10 keep tho private practice Of medi-
cine In the feweSt possible hands. By
treating the mass of people free In the
hospitals they make II impossible for the
younger physicians 10 ostain u practice
except by coming up through the difficult
path Of hospital examination aud APP
proval. Those who are IN control oi the
he ttals nrc few In number. Those who
few. aud Ia these few alone goes the pri.
vate medical practise Of London. Admits
sion tO the places In the hospitals Is the re-
suit ~ competitive examination upon
theoretical subjects. Physicians who hope
TO get practice often spend the greater
part 81 their lives in unpaid attendance
upon the hospitals and Ia working upon
their books in order 10 reach place where
they Will lie able To apply their learning
In the art Of healing.
The physicians who are struggling TO
make places for themselves often write
works ON medical science. Some Of these
works have been eminently successful.
yet II Is fact that "A number of eminent
London medical Puthors, who ARE quoted
the world round as high authorities upon
special subjects, have not reached posi-
tion where their private practice pays
their expenses. The high fees exactcd Is
another part 90 the system OF keeping pri-
yate practice In "a few hands. The guinea
fee Is cNorbitant. Few people can afford
to pay the ordinary fees of London
physician. The fellows Of the Royal col.
lcgc cannot cue for debts for medical SER
vices. This Is another element against
the younger practitioners. The fellows
are supposed To he In n position where
they do not need money, and those who
,lo not intend 90 pay. but who cOull be
compelled % pay In ~ court 0f law. go To
these hieh tligni,aries instead IL the hos
pitals.--T. G. Crawford In New York
Word.
a Qulck Trip.