The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-03
TRAINING OF PHYSICIANS
THE MAKING OF PRACTICAL HEAL
ERS IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY.
Methods of the Medical College of In
diana, a School for the Education
OF PracticinE Physicians.

Editorial in Indiana Medical Journal,
June l. DR.. y. w. Brayton, vice dean or
the faculty and president of the Indiana
State Medical Society, Editor.]
In his address as president of the Asso-
citation of American Physicians at the May
meeting in Washington. d. c., DR.. WEIGH
compared the opportunities enjoyed in this
country by the men who desire to study
the branches of scientific medicine and
the opportunities open to those who desire
to become proficient in clinical medicine
and surgery, of Johns Hopkins University.
DR.. Welch said:
There are laboratories in this coun-
try that are equal TO any in the
world that are open to young men who
have graduated and who wish to become
teachers of anatomy, physiology or pathol-
oSy. In these laboratories young man
must serve his apprenticeship, but his pro-
motion is sure. In clinical medicine and
in surgery, on the other hand, the only
way open to men who desire to become
teachers of these branches is through dis
pensary work and private practice. The
facilities at the disposal of those who de-
sire TO work in the practical branches,
then, arc not so good the facilities at
the disposal OF those who desire TO devote
their life-work to the branches of scinetific
medicine. In other words, the training
of physicians has not kept pace with the
Training OF SCIENTISTS.
Commenting on these views of DIR.
Welch, DR.. Theodore Potter, professor of
bacteriology and principles of medicine in
the Medical College of Indiana, remarked
'Dr. Welch's views would seem 10 indi-
cate that the time has come when medical
college men must determine whether they
will be teachers of mdicine or practitioners
of medicine But this double function will
probably be long continued in our present
system of medical education" Let us con-
slider, for an example, the course of the
Medical College of Indiana, which has just
held its thirty-firSt annual commencement.
This college has never had any endowment,
except a gift from one OF its nonored
founders, the late DR.. John S. Bobbs, recog-
nized the world over as the father of
choecystotomy," and the gift of the Lo-
max property, from the Late Dr. William
Lomax, of Marion, Ind. DR.. Bobbs's gift
was for the formation of a dispensary for
the city poor. These gifts. while betoken-
ing noble spirit on the part of the donors.
were not large, amounting to some ten or
twelve thousand dollars, collectively. 1t
has never had penny of State endowment,
although the State supports a law school,
a school of pharmacy and a normal school
for the education of teachers. The Medi-
cal college OF Indiana has for over thirty
years been absolutely self-supporting and
has proved one of the most useful success
ful and efficient medical schools in the
Mississippi valley. Throughout more than
half of it's history and including the last
ten years, no single one Of it's twenty-four
professors and its twenty-six lecturers.
demonstrators or assistant has been paid
a penny for his services, with the excep-
ton, in the present year, OF slight honor
ariums TO the directors of the anatomical.
histological: pathological and bacteriologi-
twelve and fifteen hundred dollars By
this common sacrifice the school has ac-
cumulated real estate and furnishings
which are to-day worth one hundred thou
thousand dollar addition for laboratory
purposes, to be completed the present sum-
mer. This policy will be continued in
definitely, as no member of the faculty ha .
any personal stock or salable interest.
Any young teacher promoted to the fac
ulty has equal ownership and controlling
power with those who have been it's pro-
fessors for quarter of a century. All
that any one of its fifty teachers receives
with the exceptions above noted, is the
reflex benefit which comes by the study of
medicine as teacher. the emphasis he
may gain in his particular line of work and
the consequent influence it may have on
his private practice, and the benefit of
constant association and common interest
frereS and consultants. Some of these
teachers give from one-fourth TO two-ffths
of all their. waking hours and energies to
the college for six months of the year and
a considerable portion of time and work
to the dispensaries and hospitals of the
school and city throughout the entire
year.
A FINE RECORD.
The income from tuition fees is over
$4,000 a year, every penny of which is an
nually collected by the treasurer, Dr. John
Oliver, SO that not dollar OF tuition money
has been lost to the college the last five
years. The excess OF gains over the large
expenditures goes to immediate better
ments, as in the laboratory and dispensary
building now under construction Har-
mony has always been maintained in the
faculty. There has not been clique or
essential difference for a score of wears
The older professors gravely pass to the
emeritus list when weary of routine teach
ing, though still engaged in active pra &C.
tice and consultant work. Such is the his
tory of DR.. j. l. Thompson, one Of the most
eminent oculistS in the United States
whose son, DR.. D. A. Thompson, has sue
ceeded TO the active teaching in ophthal-
mology; DR.. Isaac Walker, for many years
professor OF diseases of the mind and nerv-
Gus system, and DR.. William B. Fletcher.
one of the most charming and efficient
in the West. The present dean of the fac
ulty. DR.. Henry Jameson. has been teach
ing in the college continuously for twenty
five years. and has occupied in succession
the chairs of chemistry. obstetrics. nervous
diseases and general practice, in which he
excels. and is one of the leading consultants
of his native State The secretary, DR.. Geo.
j. Cook, was the first man in the West to
restrict his practice TO rectal and bowel
surgery. after many years as a general
practitioner, surgeon and teacher of anat-
omy in various Louisville schools. DR.
Frank A. Morrison. an accomplished oculist
and unexcelled as a demonstration of diff
cult physiological problems, has been in
such relations with the City Health Board
as It's president that he has made the most
efficient and honorable use possible of the
public charities in the interests Of the in
digent sick and OF medical education.
Other men connected with the college as
surgical specialists have attended the
special annual meetings OF national soci-
cites and have kept abreast OF the special
currents which collectively make up the
great tide of medical and surgical progress
in the State city and college. and while
they have. possibly very wisely RETAINED
from writing special surgical and medical
treatises. have contributed papers and
studies Of lasting value to serial medical