The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-21
.HE physician is one Of the noblest

products or CIVILIZATION. His
~ associates are of the highest
grade; his surroundings are refined,
broad and progressive. He lives both
under the sunshine Of life and under the
shadow of death, and, by day and night,
he feels the pulse of humanity, and
continually listens to the beating of
the public heart. Practically every doc
tor in good and regular standing is n
man of ability and a credit to his COM
nnlnity. ~
No man can occupy more honorable,
a more respected, and more RESPONSE
BILE position than does the regular doe
tor. In the action of his brain, and in
the skill Of his hands, he often controls
life. He is our friend at birth, and re-
mains with us until we die. He is
necessity. .
To become physician, one must pass
thru the longest and hardest courses of
study, where favoritism is unknown,
and where each student must depend
upon himself. Not one boy in ten thou
sand has the natural abilities to make
him fitted for the medical profession,
no matter how many there may be who
think they want to become doctors; and
the parent who pushes his son in this
direction, unless the boy shows marked
characteristics which point to this pro-
fession, not only wrongs the boy, but
the community as well.
i. + !.
The boy most likely to succeed as a
doctor is one who takes life seriously,
and yet is not morose. While it is true
that some frivolous boys have later &C.
quired great sobriety Of demeanor and
III
sieians, yet the majority of good ply
and serious lads, who early realized that
there was something in it besides
chance and pleasure. The embryo ply
stefan Is likely to be student, almost
always an experimental, an early seek
er after truth, natural reasoner, and
one who does not readily accept any
statement unless it is backed by proba-
bility. He is seldom, if ever, supersti-
tious. The miraculous is to him the
natural law of God and the working of
God s nature.
Such boy loves nature, and in his
crude way is an evolutionist and be-
lever In cause and effect. He feels the
growth of life, and becomes familiar
with its different forms, Physiology is
his favorite study, and he may ever
acquire fair knowledge of anatomy
He may faint at the first sight of blooi
and become unnerved in the presence
of suffering, so that his parents may
conclude that because the boy does no
seem to have the strongest Of nerves
therefore he is untitled for the medica
profession. The physician has nerves
No man without nerves, and no NAL
without feeling, is fitted to be ply
sician. The greater the physician, tn
greater the amount of feeling he pos
sesses. But he also has the power o
nerve concentration, which allows hir
to cut in mercy. Good butchers are no
good doctors, and the nan without ter
der feeling never made good surgeon
!. !. i.
One Of the first indications of abolit
in this direction is the perceptible er
joyment which the boy shows at tn
visits Of the family physician, and tn
earnestness with which he listens
all that the doctor says. AS he grow
older he associates with medical mel
and probably borrows medical book
and studies them earnestly. TIL
chances are that he does not displa
marked money making ability, and pro1
ably he thinks more about becoming
man and useful member of societ
than Of being mere money -getter.
The ordinary boy, the boy who h;
: no particular ambition, who does n,
know what he wants to do, and does n,
seem to care what he does, is not fit
enter the medical profession, and ar
attempt to force him in that directie
is criminal.
The physician is reasonably sure
a livelihood, but he must not expect
be self supporting during the first yea
and perhaps not during his second al
third years Of practice. His chanc
are much better in the country than
the city, unless he possesses remarkat
skill Or has strong social influence.
very few physicians in large cities {
Joy incomes Of about $25, 900 year, a.
possibly there are some whose receiI
exceed this amount. The average ph
stefan in large cities probably receiv
from $4,000 to $4,000 year, and co
paratively few established city doctt
have annual incomes Of less than 81 81
There are in large cities number
family physicians who are not speci
lists, who have practices worth fir.
$4,000 to $4,000 year.
Well-established country physicia
earn from $500 to $4,000 year, co
paratively few receiving more than t
larger amount The physician must
duct from his income the cost of ma
tanning his practice, which consi
chiefly in keeping a horse and carria
and man or boy to care for them, a
the sums paid out for instrumen
dressings and medicine. The major
of physicians maintain their offices
their residence, consequently Office
pense is likely to be merely nominal.
The country center physician is
likely to find himself up on selma
tanning basis in less than year, and
many cases his income will not be s
fcient to support him in ordinary &C
fort until he has practiced three
more years. The country town phi,
clan may have uphill work, for til
may be much competition and even