The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-02-11
LONDON PHYSICIANS.
FEATURES OF HOSPITAL PRACTICE
IN TIE ENGLISH METROPOLIS.


Private Medical Practice in hondon.
| Works on Medical Science.
! DR. William Campbell one of the most
prominent physicians in Kansas, has been
! in London studying features Of London
| hospital practice Some of the observa-
! tons made by him concerning the results
Of his visit are very interesting lie said,
| in conversation the other night, that the
| practice OF medicine in London was cs-
seulialy different from the practice IN the
| United STATES. IN our country physicians
| had much better opportunities, and he
was certain that they were all better
practitioners as class. He mas been IN
| tine hospitals of Philadelphia and New
! York. and now is Of the opinion that
| student can gain more practical knowledge
| in the hospitals OF those cities than in
| London, although study in London hos
pitql gives a man a better name the
| American surgeons are much more skill
| ful operators than the English. They are
more delicate and gentle. It is to the
| discoveries Of American surgeons that
much Of the mitigation Of pain ia opera
| tons has been reached. Dr. Campbell
saws that in nearly all OF the London hos
pials American manufactured instru-
ments are used. Cocaine, an American
discovery, has only recently been em-
| ployed
DR. Campbell gave some Of the reasons
| 'or the superiority of the American prac-
! titioucrs. lie said that when an Ameri-
can physician had secured q proper
amount OF knowledge he could, with care
and attention, gain Il general practice. lie
| became engaged n once in studying prac-
teal questions from actual experience.
| While he 3 NOT rs much CT q book man as
| the English physician, he has much bet
ter practical knowledge In England no
physician can hope 10 obtain practice Of
any value unless ne has or has had some
official connection with some OK the great
hospitals. He cannot have q first class
practice unless he has reached connec-
lion with VOL known hospital, mem
barshio i'm the Royal College Of Surgeons
or through some piece OF special good
fortune, Q title.
SIR MORELL MACKENZIE.
Take tho c7sc Of M0ren Mackenzie. His
fortune is absolutely made through the
,i,le conferred upon him for his tret,-
y, ~ Of the crown prince Where he bad
one patient before he had the crown
princes case, be now has az least twenty.
iIis income has gone mp no least @lt.01O,
or e1j,0l0, q year from ais practice alone.
London has p very large number Of
hospitals ANY one can 50 20 the greater
number o. them Tor free treatment. 70
| is supposed THAT only patients viii apply
49,. free treatment VINO are not able 90
pay. Yot Dr. Campbell says that IN the
hospitals where he has been the greater
portion Of the people who apply for free
treatment are well dressed and have
every appearance Of being well % do.
SOme of the ladies are In silks and fur5
AMI give every evidence Of possessing
ample means. One of the most striking
OF the patients of this class was 70 hand
some and gifted yOpng lady who has
been studying on the continent for some
tMe preparatory 10 going Or the operate
STAGE She was always accompanied by
her brother, who looked az well to DO
and PROSPEROUS "a she did handsome and
distinguished.
The treatment FL tho hospitals is rough
aud careless OF the patients feelings
! There is no patient yho applies Tor free
treatment ct the hospital who can escape
the personal examination Of any Of tho
students who assist no the clinic one
would think that q person OF refined SEN
e.nilt ties would not care 20 place himself
under the rude handling Of English hos
D.tal surgeons and the personal eXamina-
ton ol thirty or forty students rather
than pay the lee which would be required
i'm consulting q physician -u private prac-
tice The well-tO-do DO not appear how
ever. To mind the disagreeab.e features en-
tailed upon a hospital consultation. They
bear an of its incouyeuioncos with stold
,ompojure go long as they are able to save
the guinea fees which they would be re-
qu.red 20 pay for private treatment
PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTICE.
The surgeons in charge OF the hospitals
encourage the people 10 come there TO take
treatment The reason Of this goes back
% the whole system Of medical practice IN
London It is the policy OF tine leading
and successful men i'm control of the hOsp-
tals 60 keep the private practice Of medic
cine "a the fewest possible hands. By
treating the mass "a people free IA thc
hospitals they make it impossible for the
younger physicians To o-tliu 70 practice
except by coming up through thc difficult
path Of hospital examination and APP
proyai Those who are in control u the
hospitals are few in number. Those who
can obtain connection with them are also
few. and to these few alone goes the pri
waite medical practice of London Admis
sion Go the places in the hospitals Is the Tee
suit 81 competitive examination upon
theoretical subjects Physicians who hope
20 get practice often spend the greater
part of their lives in unpaid attendance
upon The hospitals and in working upon
their books in order TO reach place where
they VIII be able 90 apply their learning
in the art Of healing.
Tho physicians who are struggling 20
make places for themselves often write
works on medical science. Some OF these
works have been eminently successful,
yet it is a fact that number Of eminent
London medical authors, who are quoted
the world round as high authorities upon
special subjects have not reached posi-
ton where their private practice pays
their expenses. The high fees exactcd is
another part Of the system OF keeping pri-
vate practice in few hands. The guinea
fee is oXorbitant Few people can afford
10 pay the ordinary fees OF London