The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-12


nj a medical school the students see a pic |
tute which Ii not readily forgotten, and
the value OF this form OF teaching 10 testi-
fled 70 BY the fact that clinical lectures
are more largely attended than any Of the
other college exercises.
In kind the show patients differ. There
are men with limbs missing, others with
peculiar joint affections, various forms OF
diseases Of the nervous system, diseases Of
muscles, anomalous anatomical develop
ment, ia fact every chronic liner which
flesh is heir to. Perhaps the most success
full of these show patients. from q financial
point OF view, was a man who could dislo-
cate most of the larger and some Of the
smaller joints at Ill by mere muscular effort.
This mar Is, possibly, responsible for more
ccurate knowledge Of the methods Of re.
duction Of dislocations than any thousand
persons In existence. He would lie on a
table for an u at q time while medical
students, under the direction OF an Instructor
first diagnosed the nature of the dislocation
and then attempted reduction-keeping at
l. until familiar with the manipulation and
perfect In their execution.
This mans condition prevented him from
earning a living by manual labor, and his
mental ~attainments were insufficient. to
maintain him. yet his income was sufiicient
to enable him 10 support himself and family
in comfortable circumstances His fee was
s. an hour, and during the sessions OF the
medical colleges II was a poor week that
he could not get in five hours work. When
things were dull at the colleges he exhibited
himself at the homes OF physicians who
invited their friends TO indulge in a feast
OF dislocations.
An example Of anomalous development
was presented In the man whose viscera
we're transported; his heart. being on the
right side, his liver on the left and 80 on
As such a condition as this can only be
demonstrated 10 a fow den at a time
this patient was not In great deman lie
was q middle-class mar.
The man who simulated epileptic seizures
30 successfully az TO deceive many physi-
clans Is an example Of what the degenerate
will do TO avoid work. This man has been
missing from the circle Of medical schools
for some time, but he was very useful as a
subject, because, outside OF q hospltal,
medical students can rarely zee an epllsptlc
attack. The teachers were, therefore,
glad to avail themselves Of this mans cum
ming simulations for the students, GOOD.
The man himself took a great MORBID IN
terest In the perfection Of his attacks, even
going TO the extreme OF biting his tongue.
n OF the most recent acquisitions 70
this most peculiar OF professions in thts
country Is a hypnotic subject. This
young man achieved certain notoriety
abroad as tie subject Of the elder Charcot,
and appeared at the clinics OF Paris ana
Brussels. Repeated hypnosis has pro-
duced a condition so susceptible to sug-
gcstion that II IL only necessary TO tell the
him in order to accomplish that feat Con-
slant concentration of his attention
upon himself has made him capable oi
controlling the action Of his heart, n
even the reaction Of his pupils. Being new
T. Tho country This man seeks the nulk
OF his income elsewhere than at The medical
colleges. He travels about with n pro-
fcssional h%ypnotist, and il the man VINO
I-A. do Lone RlnZtAE nnnnIfDfE nt WHOM
have appeared in the daily press,
In addition 10 those persons who show
themselves, there are q number OF incident
or degraded individuals who live upon
the proceeds OF exhibits OF members OF
their families. usually children or a brother
or sister. One woman supported hcrsef
tin this case there was no other means OF
support open TO herl and family by show
ing two Of her children who were crotlns,
a peculiar form Of dwarfism associated
with imbccility. These mon, who were
about tho height. Of six-yecI -old BOYS,
usually appeared with a hiotl.er-a we'll
developed, finely proportioned msn-tor
comparison. The fixed charge which thls
woman demanded for showing her on
spring were s. for one. $40 for both cretins
and SIS for the cretins and the healthy
son together. THIS interesting family
travelled about from city 20 CITY,. in the
course of a year going from New YORK 10
San Francisco.
The ultimate CNQ OF u TnhlOIhN VI NH'rT
show patients Ia the almshouse and a pau
per's grave-not q goalto invite the thought
ful into the ranks Of the profession, The
class Ia diminishing and will soon disappear
altogether. Business Ia not as good az u
once was. The concentration OF the popu-
lation In great cities brings a wealth Of
material for medical teaching. and to-day
a group Of symptoms must be rare indeed
70 Tail Of duplication and reduplication dur
ing a single season.
The great hospitals with the advantage
FOR teaching which they AFFORD make the
ma iority Of show patients an unnecessary
cxpense-and the gospel Of the times IL
that unnecessary expense has no reason
To ayiEf