The morning call., 1892-09-18
4

O. hour younguns to cut up an try their
hideas on, now, ham | guess they know hit
by this time. We haint come to tn 'ospital
yet"
/ was ready to believe that she had given
not only the doctors in question, but good
many other people as well. "a piece OF her
mind" for the practice of giving freely had
apparently left her but very little for her
own use. Here was this boy, to whom there
was chance of restoring comparatively
good use OF his hurt leg, growing up help
less cripple, because of the prejudice Of his
parents against hospitals.
One theory is that people are cut up alive
at the big hospitals. A patient at the dis
pensary where l was once a student-atte3d-
ant Informed me s0!emnly one day, when |
recommended her to take her sick baby 10
the general hospital, that they cut folks up
out there and boiled 'em down for soap
grease"
This seems like the QuinteSsepce of ignor-
ant SUPERSTITION, yet, considering its source,
1t is not q much greater deusio1 than the
one prevailing even among people with
claims to something more than ordinary in
telligence, that 'the cadavers used in the
dissecting-rooms of cur medical colleges are
usually stolen from graveyards.
When this prejudice is overcome We Will
have fewer crbples and hopelessly de-
formed, helpless sufferers in the world, for
did the unfortunate class among whom
are few cases Of eongenltal def0rmity so
great that orthopedic surgery cannot re-
move or alleviate il.
Walking the wards is an important part
of medical students education. In the
big Eastern hospitals there ara certain
days in the week when the embryo medicos
are taken sometimes by classes. sometimes
by twos and threes. through the wards in
charge of one of the college lecturers, for
bedside clinic.
Here they obtain their first Insight into
practical diagnosis and learn TO read the
patient" as one OF my instructors used To
put it; TO gain from the expression of coun-
tenance, the osition In bed, the move
mentS of the hands, the very glance of the
eye as the doctor approaches, the knowledge
that enables the successful physician on
entering patients room TO say, after
single glance and before the sick man opens
his lips, "Ab, better this morning; that's
good" or TO know with absolute certainty
before he makes single inquiry that the
patient is worse.
They learn TO note and identify the SYM
toms they have studied from "the books"
and to make practical application of their
knowledge. Contrary to the popular idea,
however, they are not allowed to practice"
on these patients, and any objection that
patients may have to the presence Of stu
dents at the bedside is respected by the
physician.
ject. Your average sick Elau or woman
takes such lively interest in his own all
ments that he can readily appreciate the
possibility OF their being of interest to every
body else. professional or layman. They
are usually eager to relate their symptoms,
and take as much interest in the tyr0's ex-
perimental taking of temperature and pulse
as he does himself. l remember distinctly
my dlsmay and almost despair on being
seated, one day. in front of a patient aud
told to ascertain the cause of the terrible
headache that was major symptom of her
malady.
My patient could not speak word of
English and l knew not one word of the
Poilak tongue in which she expressed her
self, but she was as interested as /, and be-
tween Ber expressive gestures, lugubrious
sighs and such physi0gnomical indications as
l had already become familiar with, | man
aged to make so shrewd guess (it could
scarcely be called more under the circum-
stances) as to surprise the physician who. |
fear, attributed largely to my knowledge
what was honestly due to the good will and
helpfulness of the patient
LII the poor people who need the comforts
1t affords could but know it. the hospital Is
of all places the one they should seek in case
OF sickness. In the clean, wel-ventilated
wards. with their comfortable beds and
rigidly regulated temperature, the poor de-
formed child Of the stranger within our
sa'os hao oA.euucu Ill III, gratis, ana In the
name oil humanity, as tender care, as skjllful
treatment. as regular and unfailing attend
ance as the sick millionaire tossing upon a
bed OF pain in his luxurious home can COM
mand by lavish expenditure of his gold.
vi all the pltlful sights in our hospitals
perhaps the children's wards are the most
pathetic. Somehow. even those of us who
bow meekly to that most satanic clause in
Satan's whole creed, whatever is is best"
feel an impulse of rebellion when the heavy
burden Oh sickness falls upon the little
children, and we'll we may, for there is no
more Dltter satire upon our boasted eyiliza-
ton ana progress than sick child. The
sight is common one, however; the
surgical wards Of our hospitals are full of
the little hurt creatures.
Surgical clinics, while not always so really
instructive as those illustrating the practice
OF medicine, are usually far more interest
ing to the student. They come to be
looked upon as an event In the week heavy
grind, and are rarely "cut." They are con-
Quoted at the hospital in the large. we'll
lighted. thoroughly warmed and ventilated
apartment known as the amphitheater. The
operating-table stands in the center OF the
apartment where it gets strong light, and
all arouI5 1t rise tiers Of seats, one above
the other, for the students. The surgeon
lecturer gives short history OF the case.
while the assistants are making ready. We
will suppose it Is to be an amputation.
1t may be an ''emergency" case Just
brought in by the ambulance, or a case
where, after strenuous efforts to save, leg
or an arm must be sacrificed to save life.