The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-30

the faculty of the present school ever re-
ceived financial compensation Whatever
moneys have been received have been USED
in the purchase of property and equipment:
Whatever reward the faculty has received
has come from the professional reputation
its members may have gained by virtue
of their positions and from Increased slim
ulus to study and from the consciousness
of duty done. The college, as you know,
is now the medical department of the Uni
versity of Indianapolis, incorporated the
present year. In welcoming you to-ttay J.
am conscious of the many suggestions
which might be offered as to what should
and what should not stimulate the ambl.
ton and direct the best efforts OF medical
students. There are some prerequisites Tor
the study of medicine which your presence
here to-day and the matriculation as stu
dents suggest that you have already fully
considered. 1t is presumed that you have
a tolerably clear understanding of the
work Immediately before you; and the
broader and Ii ore respons bic held of inves-
cation and labor which Will be presented 10
you practitioners of medicine
If any of you have undertaken the study
of medicine with the commercial idea up
permost in your minds let me entreat you
on this opening day of your college course
to abandon the study of medicine or at
once to conscientiously endeavor to rightly
comprehend the true work of physician
and to seriously dedicate your life and its
best efforts to it's accomplishment. do not
wish to convey the idea that the laborer IS
not worthy of his hire or that the medical
profession does not promise a competency
to those whose natural endoWments ana
acquired attachments fit them to undertake
the serious work which It's DrdcJlce IN
Wolves / hope. however. that higher and
nobler motives have prompted you. The
study of medicine is in itself a liberal edu-
cation. Its successful practice Is an attaln-
ment worthy the loftieSt ambition think
physicians too often underestimate the
serious responsibilities and the sweet and
almost divine privileges of their ministry.
We are. perhaps, told too often by grateful
patients that we Rave relieved their suffer-
ings or saved their lives. We know so Wen
the limitations of our art and hear so fire.
quently expressions of gratitude that We
g, h9f H0
healing art is in very truth healing art.
Certainly the vast field of interesting in
vestigation which is before you, with the
promise of a. life of usefulness and honor
able social position, is enough to entice you
here. If we add to these the assurance of
an honestly acquired competency 1t is not
strange that the halls of medical colleges
should be annually filled with those anxious
to become practitioners OF medicine.
WHAT BECOMES OF STUDENTS?
What becomes of medical students? 1t
is interesting question. Whence they
come and whittier they go is subject of
deep interest to medical educators and of
very much more interest to the students
themselves. Sir James Paget attempts TO
answer this question in part from notes
taken by himself and assistants the
careers of one thousand pupils who were
students at the st. Bartholomew Hospital
in London and attended his lectures. His
observations covered the first fifteen years
of the professional lives of these young
men. Or the one thousand he reports that
tWenty-three, or l-3 per cent. OF the num-
Der, achieved distinguished. success: sixty
six considerable success; sos, or so 2-3 per
cent, fair success. Eighty-seven died
within the period named. OF the remain
ing 3l9 they were just living, and that not
well, or they had made outright failures.
He defines distinguished success as having
been accomplished by those who within the
fifteen years gained or held leading prac-
tees in populouS localities or who held i'm
portant medical offices in large hospitals or
became teachers in great medical schools.
He attributed considerable success to those
who gained and held during the period
named high positions in pubic service or
leading practices in good districts, or who
retired with money earned in practice
gained more than ordinary esteem and in
huence in society. The fair or moderate
success which was the lot of more than
half those whose histories known con-
sisted in their having secured a fair praC-
tice. enough to live upon and maintaining
a good personal and professional reputa-
ton and in holding ordinary appointments.
The results attained in the first fifteen
students of St Bartholomew can certain
ly not be regarded as fattering; particular
ly SO when it is remembered that it is a
record of students whose opportunities and
attachments were above the average. |
think it is fair to say that one-half of
those who study medicine are not found
practicing it at the end of five years. L do
not wish to discourage you or to make
less alluring the beautiful picture of sue
cess which your ina gination has painted
but it is better TO consider the facts Sc
riously in the beginning than at the end
On the other hand may say that young
men with proper qualifications rarely make
downright failures, either as students or
practitioners.
DR.. J. w. Marsee dean of the college,
gave some "reminiscences. He is the only
member of the original faculty still con-
nected with the college.
DR.. w H. Wishdrd also made some stir
ring remarks based upon an experience of
fifty-five years practice in Indiana. The
students very enthusiastic and called
out various members of the faculty. all of
whom were present One hundred and fifty
students had matIiculate al noon yesterday
and a class of over 250 will be in attendance.
The four years course and the increased
scientific and literary requirements now
insisted upon have resulted in assembling
a body of students of superior education
and capacity. One of the members Of the
faculty quoted the remark of President Ell
liot (of Harvard) that since medical stu
dents are compelled to have thorough pre-
lminary training, they no longer eat pie
with a knife and that a group of medical
students is not f<s manners and converse
ton to be distinguished from any other
body of students