Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-10
MEDICAL EDUCATION
And the Code of Ethics, as Treated
by DR.. Sutton in an Address
TO NJ. D. GRADUATES OF NIAGARA.
An Advanced and Admirable Idea of What
Doctors Should Do.
CHARACTER AS ESSENTIALS LEARNING

OF any college than the one given Dy Dr' H.
S. Sutton, of Pittsburg, to the graduating
class of the medical department of Niagara
University at their commencement exercises IN
Buffalo yesterday. The longer terms OF study
which he commends. as also the high standard
of character which he suggests as essential TO
the fraternity, are worthy OF the advanced
school of medicine to which he belongs. THE
DISPATCH is favored with the address entire,
which is appended:
GENTLEMEN-The medical colleges of the United
States differ widely in the education they give.
Some require wofully short services of the stu
dent and none require more than three years OF
professional study in the class room. No Ameri-
can medical college has much foreign demand for
its output. You have shown your wisdom by Sc
lecting lhree-year school for your Alma Mater.
The time is near at hand when the public, acting
upon their lawmakers, will suggest to the two
course medical colleges Of this country, that their
day OF grace has expired.
But gentlemen, sourd preparatory education
and the meritoriOus possession of medical d.
ploma. are not sufficient qualifications for him
who would be successful in the practice of his
profession. A doctor may be brilliant scholar,
mentally and physically powerful but If he be de-
void of character he will be failure. Education
without character is dangerous to a DOCTOR and to
the community in which he resides. If there eX-
ist man more dangerous than drunken doctor,
do not know him.
Picture man with his pocket case full of poi
science blunted and his hand unsteady. There
are such men in the profession, and fools to en-
ploy and excuse them upon all occasions; and
there are those who proclaim these men capable
OF surprising skill if they would but avoid liquor
oUIETUs ADVOCATED.
The doctors should be silenced. The strong arm
of the law should take away their concealed weap-
ons, more dangerous than knives or revOlvers
and they should be deprived of the liberty to en-
danger or destroy their patients by mistakes and
11Nf
your ship; keep it safe and sound; it will prove
the great supporting power of your lives. Char
acter in its noblest form exemDlifies human ma
ture in its grandest perfection: through it alone
man approaches the likeness of his Creator. Be
sober men, industrious, courteous frank of speech
and honest in your dealings with your fellowman.
frOwn upon evil and encourage morality; dare TO
do that which is right and never hesitate to say
man or woman bribe you to depart from the path
Of rectitude or make YOU a tool upon which to
cover their own shame. win hohest mug mug
nation Danish such people from your consulting
Avoid politics: nothing will destroy good doc
tor sooner. Avoid the reputation of driving fast
horses and horse training: either will detract
from your influence among moral people.
BE respectful to all your neighbors, rich and
speech, no matter what their position may be:
such men dangerous companions. Be chari-
table TO poor people;but exact from the rich fair
spare hours in reading good books and medical
journals. Preserve an air of neatness and order
about your pei son, and keep your offices, however
humble clear of dirt and loafers.
Society demands something Of every man. Rural
districts are free from many dangers which beset
it in large cities. Everywhere the society of
earnest educated men and cultured women is en-
nobling. Society in large cities is kept up at
. much expense and is source of danger to young
physicians. 1t is TO be INDUCED in guardedly
Society doctors are, as rule, poor students, and
trust their society connections rather than their
professional qualifications to gain them patron
age. Society in large cities should be dealt with
prudently and cautiously; enjoy it, and add to its
e9loyment honorably' and in strict accordanee nee
duties you owe TO yourself and your patients.
PHYSICIANS FINANCES.
Avoid debt. Live honestly in style in keep
ing with your means, remembering that it is no
disgrace to be poor in money, but that it ic dis
honorable to contract debts which you cannot
pay, and that debts bring worry and mental dis
traction. In your intercourse with your profess
sional brethren observe the golden rule of doing
unto others you would be done by. Trust your
skill rather than your wits to win patients, and
avoid the ways of the politician and the trickster
in your endeavor to outstrip your professional
neighbor. The code of ethics is pure and right
eous document; if all men followed its precepts
and applied them conscientiOusly to themselves,
intercourse among medical men would be
code as pertaining to Christians. You will en-
counter men controlling large practices who read,
selves much as the devil reads. interprets and ap
plies the Bible TO himself. They pirate about the
code. and all young doctors who come into their
neighborhoOd find them ever ready to display IL as
menace aud as protection against the invasion
the code as first and medical education second.
The Bible itself teaches us to beware of men who
are too sanctimonious; let me warn you to beware
of medical men who are narrow in their education
and eternally preaching about the code.
Lest be misunderstood l repeat that the code
Isl pure instrument. Study it, apply it silently
n I DO 70 yo og S 0rd 70 4oT5 m regs
TO vanity-often the outcropping of ignorance
may not come amiss. You pride yourselves upon
being graduates of a regular medical college.
pocrates was the head of our scbooS Its teach
based unOn scientific research. Its Driu-
ciples the result OF the wide and free exposi~
dogmatism ever peryaded this glorious old pro-
fession to which we have this day plighted our
faith. If this were true then this school of med
ITSELF like Minerva from the head OfJOve.
BLEEDING EVERYBODY.
The reverse is true. From the time of Hippoc-
rates until 100 years agO-a period of over . 900
years-this very school 10 which you belong was
cropping its way through the labyrinths of ignor-
ance, superstition and morbid public senti-
meut. often displaying the most uncompromising
empiricism. II poured into the human stomach
the most nauseous and misunderstanding COM
pounds. 1t bled everybody, from babe months
old to the oldest man or woman suffering with GER
ebral anamia. 1t bled for exhausting fevers and
acute infammauions Unfortunately. People
went in crowds to be bled and it is recorded that
one Of the Kings of France, for the preservation
of His Majesty's strength, wasbled 30 times in a
single wear. The practice of your school was the
scourge and devastation of the human family for
more than 20 centuries. With its depicting gYeme-
dies and the Lancet II killed every wear more neo-
pie than Grant lost before Richmond. That great
power bestowed by the Creator upoE mankind,
constitutes that ever-varying force which we call
the vis 1ledtcGtTfT nGtUrG, was an unrecognized
factor.
What saved this murderous school of medicine
and evolved from its ancient wretchedness the
great life-savtng profession of to-day? 1t was be-
cause II never adopted an exclusive dogma. 1t
empirical in the application of severe rene
dies: but the dogmas, which stand for ultimate
truths and which have characterized other sects
in medicine, were wanting. Herein lay the secret
of its preservation.
hundred years ago. when the roar Of artillery
was heard on both sides OF the Atlantic and revo-
luton, was running riot among the nations of the
earth the great revolution in medicine began.
At that period this old school Of medicine was at
tackled by Brown, of Edinburgh; Broussais, of
Paris; Rassori. of Italy, and Hahnemann, of Ger
many. 1t gained wisdom and knowledge in every
battle. From Brown it caught the fact that as
thenic diseases did well when treated by stimu-
lants. Broussais, by the violence OF his attacks.
drove the profession into more critical study Of
the pathology of Inflammation. RassOri who at