Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-01

VIRGINIA BEACH. VA. August 81
,sr.-iaL)-The number of physicians
present at the meeting Of the Medical
s ty Of Virginia is estimated at 300.
A. the morning session, after the trans
r.,.au OF other business, Dr. Hodges Of
f.r.d resolution providing that if it were
possible TO go so the medical histories OF
vrelnla submitted at the meeting held
JAS. year at the Virginia Hot Springs
should De printed by Virginia publishers.
The resolution was adopted.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The feature Of the day was the excel
i.r, address delivered by DR. L. D. Har-
,.y. the president of the society. In his
o.ealng remarks. he spoke substantially
o. follows:
Iu casting about for a subject, one Of
The most eminent and successful of our
honorary members "a man of worldwide
reputation, suggested that the college
professors were so busy Crammug science
Irt1 the heads of the young graduates,
that they never said a word 10 them
about their profession as n business, and
that Consequently. medical men were pro-
verbally the worst and most unsuccess-
fuI businessmen in the whole COM
uuuity' Recognizing the truthfulness
%. fhe criticism. ! have endeaVored TO
collect a few suggestions for the beneiit
D. the young men who are about TO
enter the medical profession, TO impress
furm with the fact that their diplomas
from their Alma Mater, and certificates
from the Medical Examining Board
merely open 10 them the portals of medi-
cIl science. and that the art or practcal
medicine is learned only by accurate OBJ
sery4tion and knowledge. Success Will
come 20 YOU only by your own personal
eXertiOus tact. and the unceasing study
off the fast advancing science Of medi-
cine. OF surgery, its handmade. and OF
carry out for himself an the details Of
l- work, and the time 10 learn them ac-
..rratnly. and IOr them 10 become liked
habits. is from the very beginning Of his
professional career
HAVE CONFIDENCE.
4 college diploma simply certifes that
you are prepared TO enter tho practice Of
medicine. not that you are full-hedged
doctor Have confidence In yourself,
but don't conclude you know IL all. Your
success will in no small, degree depend
ON what YOU will learn from the old
doctors with whom you come in contact.
Treat them with all the courtesy and
oafcrence which is so becoming from
youth TO age, from ineXperience TO knowl-
edge. II won't be very long before MS
appearance will be TO you as OF the
brightness Of the morning sun. You VIII
get into deep waters, and YOU Will ind
DO much bose to ask q consultation with
him. iu some obscure cases, than to have
it forced on you by your patrons. That
"a man. rough, perhaps uncOuth, VIII
teach YOU sense. and if he finds you
have made "a mistake, Will cover 1t up
so kindly and so skilfully that YOU VIII
almost forget IL yourself Thank God
there are a good many Of him left IN
Virginia yet.
KEEP lTEMIZED ACCOUNTS.
As am essential part of your Office out
ft provide a cash book and a ledger,
and record minutely every case of inter-
est I'm the one. and charge daily i'm the
other. every item of service rendered.
Get in the habit of doing these apparent
ly trivial routine matters from the be-
ginning. thereby laying up for yourself
treasures for future reference and use.
Learn wisdom of our brethren of the law.
They never draw legal paper that the
first item does not contain provision,
securing their Zee before all others. You
will find yourselves so continuously alb
sOrbed In caring for the lives OF your
patients and VIII consider their interest
and welfare OF such gravity and i'm
pOrtance that you will be inclined TO
neglect your own; and YOU will find il a
struggle 90 compel yourself 10 attend 10
the details of your own interests. Keep
your Office neat and attractive TO the best
class of people and be I'm IL at all times
when not otherwise professionally en-
gagged. so that yOI can render prompt
response 10 those requiring your services.
The day has passed when people VIII
wait until this evening, or tomorrow
for physician. and the one always on
hand and prompt viii secure the most
desirable patronage.
a CORRECT DIAGNOSIS.
"The most essential prerequisite to sue
cess I'm medical practice continued the
speaker, "is correct diagnosis of the
malady which may effect the patient,
and no amount of scientific knowledge
Will avail. until you have acquired the
art of giving the patient thorough ply
siCal examination. including an inspec-
tiOu OF the naked skin 10 is your busi-
ness 10 observe the cOuntendnce, color
OF the skin the general conformation of
the body. the attitude, and 10 examine
miuutcly every organ separately and
thoroughly. and 10 critically inspect the
secretons and cXcretiOns from the body.
You should make yourselves fdmllldr Win
the use Of AN the instruments Of pre-
cisiOn. including the microscope, Opthdl-
moscope. and the X-ray apparatus which
Dr Sem reports Of such wonderful
service in the examination of our wound
90 soldiers in Cuba
"An examination of the throat VIII
y
cinc disease. or the approach Of one of
the zymctic diseases OF infancy Ac-
quaint yourselves with the mental and
moral idiosyncracics of each patient as
well as OF his physical characteristics.
G ln his confidence by deserving il. Fa-
miiarizc yourselves with all the emer-
geucies OF a general practice so as 10
b. prepared when they arise 10 meet
them with the best and most scientific
measures for relief. When emergencies
do arise YOU Win have no time 10 consult
your books. nor one OF these grand. old
country doctors, who knows everything.
TRY TO STUDY HARD.
Regard each patient as separate
problem TO Doe solved said the speaker,
This disease the corallary. Study We'll
and observe carefully the central ner-
vOus and vascular systems which control
ths nutrition OF the body. and meet all
local requirements as they arise by APP
prOpriato. constitutional, and well con-
sdercd local measures. BE q better spe-
clalist than the specialists themselves IN
those branches which pay for the time
and labor consumed In their acquisition
by doing the work which they profess
a. well as they do, and great many
other things besides. thus keeping your
patrons az home and securing fees which
might otherwise &c beyond our borders.
You general practitioners can DO this
By hard study and determined EFFORT. II