Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-03
Columbian and Georgetown Branches
Begin Their New Year.
DR.. ]. FORD FHOMPNON'S ADDRESS.
Sound and Wholesome Advice Given
to the Students.
GEoRGETOwN'S INCREASE.

last evening. under the most suspicious
circumstances. The historical old building
on III street near 18th has been rejuvenated
and improved to such a degree that 1t COM
pares favorably with any similar institu-
ton In the country and would never be
recognized by its old students except by
the location. The crowd In attendance was
SO great that 1t overiowed the hall where
the exercises were held and many persons
were turned away from lack of accommoda-
TONS The students were out In full force
and a more enthusiastic set could not be
met in days journey. They yelled and
cheered at everything and the entrance of
the faculty caused demonstration that re-
sembled a national political convention in
Its enthusiasm There were a number Of
ladies present A few were students. but
the majority were relatives or sweethearts
OF the boys
DIR. A F. A. King. dean of the faculty.
presided In the absence Of Prof. James c.
Welllng. president of the university, who
was unable to be present because of Sc
we're cold An Introductory address to the
medical classes was made by DIR. j. Ford
Thompson and address to the dental
classes by DR.. L. c. +. Hugo.
DIR. J. Ford Thompson's Address.
Dr. Thompson made an interesting adj
dress. replete with advice and good counsel
greeting to the seyenty-second opening of
the department and referred in feeling
terms to the death of their late associate.
Prof. Lee. He said he hoped they all had
thoroughly considered the magnitude of the
work that lay before them and that they
had properly prepared themselves for its
most exacting duties. "Our profession" he
said. has suffered in past years and prob
ably does yet, more than any other. from
the great number of young men who elect
a. a r.
Of the qualifications necessary to assure
success. either as students or. later on, as
physicians But during the last few years
a notable change has taken place for the
better In this respect. and there Is now
almost universal effort on the part of the
profession for a higher standard in our
medical schools. standard that shall be
rigidly adhered to under all circumstances
and In every individual case. Every ntelli-
gent person must feel that this is a consum-
nation not only devoutly to be wished. but
that II was inevitable in the very nature of
things. for the time has arrived when all
educational institutions must be abreast
with the progress Of the age. which de-
mands from teachers greater circumspec-
tion In the bestowal Of honors and privi-
leges. that the worthy may be protected
from the encroachments OF hustling ignor-
ance. II this demand be heard and felt In
other calltngs. IL should appeal with the
pairing young men for unquestionably the
life
Improvement I'm the System of Edu-
cation.
He then referred to the question of med
tcal education. with respect to the best
method Of raising the curriculum of Amer
lean institutions to an equality with those
Of other enlightened nations and said:
The result Of this discussion SO far has
been a marked improvement in the last few
years. with a hattering prospect for the fu-
ture: SO that We no longer blush for shame
OF our country in congress of learned
men when comparisons are being made of
the relative merits of the different systems
OF teaching. although We have not reached
point where any claims of superiority
would be advanced or allowed But when
We compare our present standing with
what IL was a few years ago We have rea-
son for self-congratulation at the progress
made; though We feel at the same time
that much remains to be done before we
can escape entirely the reproach we know
not to be unjust
He alluded briefly to the old system of
education In medicine. and said that the
rivalry among the colleges to attract stu
dents reduced the final examinations al
most to a farce. the result being that
classes were turned out upon the commu-
rity with few, II any. of their members fit
to assume the duties devolving upon them.
1T seems astonishing to US now" he said.
how. with such system, the profession
retained its self-respect, or why 1T was not
overwhelmed with universal contempt .
AT ;ast. way back in the forties, there
was some concert of action. brought about
by the persevering efforts Of a few men. to
whom the cause of medical educational
methods was burning issue, which even
tuated in the calling and organization of a
National Medical Association. whose high
est purpose was the engendering of a feel
ing among medical men in favor of bet
ter system of instruction, which was
irresistible in its influence. Now,
while I say that this agitation ended in
II 40 nnr ma To INN hot ha
existence of this association accomplished
With one swoop all the changes for the bet
ter We are now enjoying; for. on the con-
trary, IL has been a long and bitter fight;
but it concentrated and put in motion those
forces which have been moving onward
slowly, II Is true, but increasingly ever
since: This influence was soon felt to an
appreciable degree and IL Is gratifying to
be able to state that the medical depart
ment of the Columbian University was
among the first to respond in spirit and In
practice to this call of the national con-
vention-"
a Brief History of the College.
DR. Thompson then became retrospective
and gave a brief account of his experience
with the college in it's early days He
spoke of the limited facilities of the old in
Urinary on Z street. back of the city hall
In those DAYS. he said, there were de-
hcious eiixirs and extracts, nor appetizing
granules and tablets. The physicians then
DelleVed IN the raw MATERIAL, anu pfenty OF
it, They had he said, 'the courage of
their convictions, and when they tackled a
disease something had to yield"
DR. Thompson traced briefly the advance
of medical science in the last decade ard
the resultant improvements in the meth
DDS OF Instruction. and aid: Germs bac-
terra. bacilli and micro-org;inisr1 have be-
come familiar terms indicating to the popu-
lar mind something tangible and real in the
causation Of disease.in comparison with the
obscure and incomprehensible theories
which had been so long advanced and dis
cuSSed by doctors in their Efforts to explain
mysteries of which. In fact they were Ia
mentally ignorant The high position now
accorded medicine and surgery as sciences
has been gained in the last few years by
the wonderful revelations OF the science Of
bacterioloSy, whose founiltinn was laid
by a man to whom the world owes a debt
Of gratitude greater. / should say than to
any other of the century, the immortal
Pasteur. Bacteriology has already demon
strated the origin and explained the nature
Of infectious and contagious Diseases and
the study Of this department. Of medicine
now occupies the professional mind to an
extent far exceeding anything that has pre-
cedei IT. Preventive medicine has been
the natural outcome, with the record %
great achievements already TO it's credit,
with a boundess future before IT.
A reference to the curriculum included
spectaliSm. which the speaker seemed q
think was being overdOne. at least that
IL required vigfiaut SIpSry-isn preyeut