Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-01

nor learned, he can be dubbed MD. (being
. qualified mani BY short residence and a
fairly moderate examinations at one Of the
Scotch universities. or he can obtain q
foreign degree.
Having then become a legally qualified
man, the practitioner, having spent R1, 900,
or more usually a2,o0O, Is prepared to
seriously attempt to gain his living. His
choice lies between:-An assistancy to
another practitioner-A surgeoncy In the
army or navy or merchant service--An ap-
pointment in some institution or hospital
A dlspensary-Buying q practice-Buying
partnership Waiting for practice-Emi-
grating.
HIS EARLY CAREER.
With the first choice the young prac-
titioner closes, If he be a wise man; for he
has the opportunity Of acquiring, under the
auspices OF another, that necessary expe-
rience Of the maladies of everyday life of
which in his hospital career he may have
seen nothing. True, his salary is small
975 and board, or e10O outdoor. But with
out this Initiation into the arcana of prac-
tice he can never succeed as a general prac-
titioner. Here he has to learn the preju-
dices OF the British public. He has to try
to bow to these prejudices, il possible, with
out losing his self-respect. he has to learn
when to treat a patient, when to administer
a judicious placebo. He has, in fine. to.
master the drudgery of the profession and
its sordid details.
And now comes the turning-point in the
career OF the young practitioner. Will he
remain professional man, or will be become
a tradesman in disguise? All depends on
the influence OF his employer. A young
man may devote himself with enthusiasm to
his profession in the intervals of the uncon-
genial occupations Of dispensing medicines
and keeping the books. The treatment of
the poor and the care of the club patients
that may fall to his share may be carried on
BY him with wisdom and integrity, or it
may be slurred over in perfunctory man
ner. He may devote his whole attention to
the earning of halfcrowns for his employer,
and he may neglect his parochial and club
patients in the spirit of very Bundle. His
choice Of an assistancy is in any case wise
one; he earns his bread and gains experience.
Or he may choose the medical service CT
the army, navy, or merchant marine. IN
the two former cases he sees the world and
risks his life in wartime. After an ex-
animation, in either case he become entitled
to pay at the rate of from IS to los day,
and there are opportunities IN after life; it
is career, and he has certain social posi-
tion. He may confidently look forward to
half-pay, or pension which will keep him
as frugal bachelor.
OTHER PATHS OPEN TO SOME.
If the young practitioner can support
himself, and has talents of a high order and
great capacity for work, especially tutorial
work, he may "hang on" at his hospital, or
at provincial one, in the hope Of filling
some vacancy, first in the teaching, after
ward on the medical or surgical staff. But
his course supposes the possession of talent,
money and indomitable industry. If the
young practitioner has not distinguished
himself during his hospital studies or has
no friend at court, this line of life is hardly
open to him. For he may chang on"
holding numerous honorary appointments,
till he has expended his means in vain, and
he finds himself reluctantly compelled, with
his last remaining e. 900, to join the
crowded ranks of the general practitioners.
As to poor-law appointments, there are
first the workhouses and dispsnsaries; the
salaries are from ESQ to e100 q year. For
these appointments there are usually from
30 to 200 candidates-and nepotism rules the
roost. It is generally known beforehand
who will win; and the nominally open ap-
pointment is usually transferred much as
ivings are in the church--namely, by pur-
chase or arrangement Or the Guardians
take turns to elect, and the man without
local interest has no chance. There
are a few, a very few, prizes
in this branch of the profession.
Marylebone is worth $500 year; Shore
ditch, $500; Greenwich, e250, with resi-
dence and rations. If a man is fond of the
hard work of his profession, and is content
to remain all his life an ill-paid enthusiast
he can seek these appointments. The next
class are the parochial appointments; they
are worth from e12 to ESQ year, the prac-
titioner having to find drugs. These ILL
paid positions are either held by very needy
men or are merely looked on by country
practitioners as a means Of keeping off op-
position.
ONE FEATURE.
In fact they go towards paying
assistant, who often does all the work. As
a rule, these appointments are held by es-
tablished practitioners, who look upon them
in the same light as "clubs bs''-namely, as
'feeders" to practice. Rubbish recon-
mends rubbish" and "Paupers send you
paupers," are well-known sayings among
of medicine, but it is not so in
fact The poor, and particularly the provi-
dent poor, are the advertisements Of their
medical men, whether for good or for evil.
It is the poor who draw attention to kind
DR.. A. OF rough and drunken DR.. B. And |
the poor, as rule, call spade spade, and |
do not stint praise or blame.
Waiting for practice is only adopted by |
the man of property; while the man who |
emigrates had better have kept his FL 900 |
or e., 900 to start with in the colony Of his |
choice in another sphere than that Of med |
icaI man, and thus have saved also his five |
or more years of hospital work. But, If the |
emigrant is fond Of heavy out
door work, he need not cross the seas. Let
him buy country practice, and he will
learn what hard work is.