Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-10-18
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
DIR. shrady Gives some Good Advice
TO Young Beginners.

Seventeen! A good age to think oil
adopt ng profession. BY the time
you are thirty-fve YOU may begin to
enjoy lucrative practice. But why
do you want TO be doctor? Have you
Il preference for the studies of that
professionp
Yes! Good"
''Ot course you have already consid-
rred the cost that attends the study OF
wch profession as medicine?"
Only in part! "
"rhen 90 no further until you have
? ven 1t the most ser Gus thought. To
pursue course in medicine costs
me. money and many sacr fees.
Thus it was, writes New York cor
respondent to the Philadelphia Press.
that DIR. George +. Shrady met the
questions of a Dung man. who. having
graduated at a public school. had de-
cided to take up the study of medicine.
The youth full of that hope. ambt on
and sei-satlsfactIon that characterzes
persons of h years. had gone to DR..
Shrady, who is the editor OF the Medi-
cal Record. for advice. The doctor
was just as earnest in his considera-
ion of the case and just as careful as
40 his advice as when, rs the contiden-
Gal friend. adviser and physician of
the late General Ulysses S. Grant he
watched over, cared for and mnistered
to the needs of that great man.
Then your advice is to choose some
.lher," -began the young mau.
Not at all" came the quick reply.
Il nor no other man has right to say
to any one, do not take up the study
OF med cine. Requ ring from its votar-
les the possession of every exalted
qualification that can adorn the heart
and grace human nature, there is no
profession nobler than that OF the ply
s,cian. and we have no right to guess
what man is He may have in his
Eompos ton the making of such q prac-
titioGer. such sc enlist rs The world
has yet not seen. But do say begin
ght. So far as the welfare OF the
rountry is concerned it does not need
you. There are more doctors or per-
sons holding the degree of NJ, ID. now
than can make decent living. The
country. in fact the world. is over
stocked with them. The sober facts
show that in the medical profession the
market ID crowded to OVERLOOKING and
that the supply far exceeds the demand.
VIII lie the Increase in population is less
than two per cent the increase of doc
tors is moro than five and one-half per
cent. and there is but little room left
TO considerable percentage of physl-
clans to gain the bare necessities of
life"
Docs not medicine afford as MANY
chances for lucrative success now as
formerlyT 1 inquired. for l was
listener TO the conversation.
Not as you understand tho word
success. So d the doctor. ITO those
who studt the art and science OF meet
cine as it should be studied-to the
educated, thinking man-the pofes.
sion is as promising as ever. TO those
who throw down the blacksm this
tongs at the anvil TO-DAY and within
two ears walk out of medical school
licenced to practice n profession as
difficult as It is trying, there is but lit
tie promise.
Can rs good a medical education
be obtained in America as abroalP
Quite as good. The me iical col
leges of this country are beg inning to
compare very favorably with those Of
Europe. The schools organized by
men who create themselves professors
and throw out their bait in the shape
% cleverl written advertisements. just
for the sake of the money there is in it.
are coming to be valued at their prop
er worth. Their only desire is to have
large class. for the more students
they have, the more money they get.
In order to effect a good showing they
nre then DESTROYS of or ndI9g out rs
many so-called doctors rs they can -
Just like the man with sausage ma.
chine would grind out h links of
finely cut meat-all OF a pattern. $ re,
shape aud kind. 1t is just here that
we need to institute q reform or two
For the good of the profession rs well
as the safety of the nation. no college
of medicine should be allowed to ma
circulate man who can not show h
b. A.. NJ. A., or some equally weighty
degree from some known and reputa-
BILE college. Then instead of the
teaching power-the professor becom-
ing the licensing power-each state
should have charge of the work. The
colleges may send the men forth with
the stamp ofgapproval and recommend
them for ] cense. but there should be
n state board of medical examiners TO
say whether they are capable and eff
cient, Candidates for diplomas would
then be examined without fear or favor.
The profession would be elevated to
the dignity that il deserves. and the
diploma would be far more valuable
than it is now that the teaching and
licensing powers are one. All tins,
however, will come some of these days
just as will the necessity of q collegiate
training and four years special
course. AS rule. however, the col
leges in this country are worthy insti-
tutions"
what do you consider the essential
for SUGGEST
"The practice of the healing art is
an occupation instrinsically dignitied.
1t can not be Invested of this quality
bv the humble condition of the prac.
titioner or the lowly sphere of his pa
fiont and vat tho doctor ahould no moi