Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-12

Entered at the Postofice ut Marsh alltown
| Iowa. as second class mail matter
THE ANNUAL CROP OF DOCTORS.
Dr. Frank Billings, in IN address be-
fore the American Medical Association
lat New Orleans last week, pleaded for
the abolition of the commercially con-
Idueted medical schools and the estap-
4 lishment of conditions making a UNI
Iversity course requisite to a license to
practice medicine. Dir. Billings would
add two years to the present four years
fcourse. this time to be spent in the pre-
paratory studies of English, French
German. mathematics, history, philoso-
| ply, physics, chemistry, general and or
ganic and qualitative analysis compar-
alive anatomy and general biology. This
Tor some plan similar in scope. DR.. Bill
iings thinks. is necessary to prevent
Iovercrowding of the profession and as
Ian added safeguard to the public
against unqualified practitioners.
/ DR.. Billings is led to these conclusions
by statistics showing an abnormal
schools and students. His figures are
interesting. In 1877 there were sixty
five medical schools ia the United
| States; in 1882, eigthyntne; and in
1902, 1856. In 1882 there were 14,93i
matriculates, and in 1862 there were
2f,501-an increase of about loo per
cent in twenty years. The number OF
graduates in 1882 was Ais, and in 1902
lit was 5000. Commenting upon these
| figures DIR. Billings says: The natural
increase in the population of the coun-
| try and the deaths in the ranks of the
/ profession make room each year for
about 5000 physicians, based on the
proportion of one physician to GOO of
the population. With 5 900 or more
graduates each year, surplus of 1000
physicians is thrown on The profession.
ioyercrowding it, and steadily reducing
l
the profession to acquire a livelihood"
Perhaps DR.. Billings is right and a
might thin the army of annual medical
matricuiates. However, his statistics
teach no such lesson. Requirements to
graduation in the more popular schools
| ~
| rigid year by year, while the number
| of matficulates has been, as his statis-
| tics show, increasing by leaps and
bounds. Tie change from q two-term
course to three years failed to check
the rush toward this profession and the
iadded year which has raised the re-
NOTABLY failed in this regard. Perhaps
1.-THE additional two years proposed by
DR.. Billings would have as little effect
Howard u reduction of the crop of doc
tors annually turned loose by the medi-
ical colleges.
| The wide interest of the general pub
|
medical men as in their efficiency as
general practitioners. From the view
point of the average citizen who en-
ploys physicians it would seem that we
| can not have too many good doctors.
The average physician OF today is Well
read and skillful. His four years OF
close application have fitted him to be-
come by experience expert in the treat
ment OF disease. When he has finished
his course and taken his. degree he has
become doctor, but not physician.
Upon his perceptive qualities sharpened
by the theoretical knowledge of the
schools he must depend for success or
failure as a medical man. The public
requires that he be successful or re-
pudiates him. If DR.. Billings suggestion
will make still better physicians, let it
be made operative.
But the public will have little sympa-
thy with any movement designed to
place profession upon an aristocratic
plane or limit competition in any pro-
fession or trade The survival of the
tittest must exist among the profess
sions as in all else Six years of prepa-
ration for practice, If needed to prop
erly fit the student to take charge of the
public health, is not too long and should
liz deemed necessary, be made a legal
requirement. The restriction of an
question of livelihood a difficult one for
certain members of the profession is
not, however. matter for state or ma
tional interference.
is CONSOLIDATION A BURDEN?
In another column will be found