The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-08

J Z
In twenty years the study OF medicine
and surgery has grown crystallized In n q.
wonderful manner. At the present day
the course requires four years special
work on a basis Of thorough preparatory
study After n well arranged primary
and common school course of eight years
leaving nothing for granted as to the
ground work in this part OF his liberal
education, he next spends four or five
years in high school or college Having
thus developed the liberal side OF his
couture, he is considered ready for en- !
trance upon the especial scientific studies
which constitute the basis OF medicine
8and surgery.
Let nothing be even said or done to
,dccry liberal education In professional
men Doctors may be classified I so also
slhyyers and clergymen,@as those who
Ftterally educated before entering their cs-s
pecial studies There is In these callngs
'iroom at the top for the man with g
liberal education. Truly, genius may oc-f
casionally lead, though handicapped but
undeveloped genius will be outclassedi
The present tendency In medical etluca-
tion is towards demanding the highest
qualifications in the way OF preliminary
training,
f5sS What doe& ire. ,I1eulcfil Sl"usi1 /. i.S y
when he enters the course OF scientific
study? His first subjects are chemistry,
eanatomy physiology He Is supposed to
know thoroughly the clements and math-
cmathics OF physics. the laws of motion
and force which go"en tho material
world. Great DEFICIENCIES, however. are
found here, and this Is to the everlast-
ing disadvantage Of the student all
through his course. The human body Is
machine. acting under physical laws,
and these laws must be understood.
ID. Chemistry Is the other great natural
science and chemical laws, like physical
apply to the human body. Chemistry,
iespecially physiological chemistry, Is re-
$cognized more and more as the basis for
the study OF medicine.
H Anatomy is tho first OF tho strictly
biological sciences {'life" sciences, as
contrastcd to physical scences) and
embraces gross anatomy, studied by dis
"A section. and histology, studied by the NIL
croscope. 5
The student Of anatomy meets In his
first month n thousand now words; these
are formed mostly on Greek nn\ Latin
bases, hence deficiency In his preni-
nary study of the dead languages Is felt
here. Many students get discouraged at
I this point and some give up medical
study.
THE work In anatomy. histology and
> chemistry prepares the student for physl-
ology, the science OF the functions Of the
s human body in health: this science, with
pathology, the science OF diseased COM
\ dittnns, Is founded on the above mem
toned sciences. and Is, In turn, the foun-
dalton for the applied branches OF mcdl-
cine and surgery.
THE work In chemistry, anatomy and
histology must be largely laboratory
work, and the student must himself work
Z out his results with sca!pel and mcro-
scope and test-tube In physiology still
x dominate. Besides complete courses Of
lertures. the student must be directed to-
wa ards reaching by actual experiment, his
own conclusions AS to bodily function.
action OF drugs und processes Of repair,
Animals In common use in the physio-
loglcal laboratory are the frog, turtle.
rabbit, cat. dog; all work of this kind
In carefully guarded and nothing cor
responding TO the ordinary idea Of piyl-
section Is ever permitted One demons
stiation given each Year To the students
lsLthe artificial stimulation Of the nerves
s which govern the hearts action and those
csnnected with breathing These vital
facts are thus indelibly impressed upon
the mind OF the student. Another 5eau-
ttfui delnonst ration is of The ''motor
areas OF the brain. So we'll are these
areas localized that n surgeon can de-
Z l!berately cut down on a certain part ana
q be sure OF finding there the foreign body
or tumor producing certain symptoms,
So, on The brain Of a dagsor monkey. the
stadent "a shown hs52etfect Of artificial
Il y l. ~ ~ y