New-York tribune., 1903-01-18

Probably no one of the professions has made
more progress in the nineteenth century, and
stands in a more advanced position at the open
ing of the twentieth. than that of medicine.
The invention Of general anesthesia by ether
and afterward. by chloroform; of local anaes-
thesia by cocaine; the determination OF the cause
Of suppuraton in wounds leading to antisepuc
surgery with all its possibilities of cure by sur
gical operations of what before incurabIe;
the discoveries in the laboratory of the origin
Of disease. and the toxins with which to combat
it; the newly acquired power to prevent cpl
denies; the invention of various instruments to
examine the hidden parts of the body, as well
as a new source of light by which the
skeleton is plainly seen, with numerous other
advances open great field for him who is prop
erly fitted to upon the practice of medi-
cine and surgery. But not every one can be
made fit for the life thai must be lived if one
practises Conscientiousy in such a profession
Not every who has an impulse or a fancy
for this profession should undertake it. Failure
and disappointment await those who have here
attempted TO build house without counting
the cost.
It is not likely that paper like this will deter
many young obviously unfit for the strenu-
Gus life that it involves from entering into the
medical profession. But, as this series of arti-
their sons in their choice of a calling. it may be
OF service to them to know how to give a
requisite encouragement for perseverance in
those who ought to persevere, and how to dis
suade those who do not realize what they have
undertaken. Just as sors of soldiers very often
become soldiers, and those of clergymen go into
the church, so sons of doctors form large con-
tingent of the medical students of this country
For them none but paternal advice and example
are required But for others much may be said
that viii assist in making choice Of callings.
There are several things to be considered in
determining the question to adopting this
calling The young man who purposes to study
ard practise medicine should have good physi-
cal constitution. 1t may not be necessary that
he should be absolutely UP to the mark which
would enable him to pass the physical eXamina-
tion at West Point, but boy should not start
out with preparation for the study Of medicine
unless he has sound mind in sound body
There are other professions in which by care
full life with an avoidance of certain exposures
q young man may be successful, in spite OF
many physical defects But, in the ordinary
life of practitioner Of medicine, in town or
country. there are too many unavoidable hard
ships TO encourage a boy or young man with
a feeble physical system to set out in it. 1t ought
also to be said that the highest standard of
ethics and morals is required of him who as
pires to a place physician, and by this term
l comprehend all that is implied in the title in
volving it may in this country what is called
general practice. medicine, surgery, obstetrics,
one of the lesser specialties, ike that Of the eye
and so on. No young is fit TO take the
sacred responsibility of the care cf the body of
another human being. a body which is the
temple of the soul, or be int1usted with the
personal history of his patient, unless he has the
alities of reticence and high sense of honor,
added to a kindly, tactful disposition.
The health and morals being assured, the next
point is the educational preparation. There was
a time in the United States when large numbers
of young men came from the district school to
the medical college. In the State Of New-York
that day is wholly passed. and to the great ad-
vantage of our people. No young man ought
TO be allowed to enter upon the study of medi-
cine anywhere without having given evidence
of preliminary qualification fitting him to
understand the studies that he IS to undertake
This is provided for i'm the State Of New York
and in a few others, notably Pennsylva mia, New
Jersey. Virginia North Carolina and Illinois
The Regents preliminary examination for en-