Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-05-06
Continued from Page g.

main of medicine and surgery with
a master hand. An accurate memory
and mind capable of vast compre-
hension allowed him a wide range of
knowledge which, with his exception
al gift of generalizing without de-
tracing from the practical appilca-
ton of the case in hand, made him a
clinical teacher with no superior.
He commanded the entire field OF
medical literature, generously &C
knowledging the labor of others. He
dignified his language by the use
Of a Latinized vocabulary, and while
his sentences were stately they We're
never involved; but it required close
application and a disciplined mind on
the part of the student TO grasp the
subject in all it's detail. He COM
bined the analytic German with the
practical American style in his
method of teaching. He suggested
to the student, and lead him uncon-
sciously to a logical diagnosis. By
simple Socratic method he systema-
tized and classified the student's
own knowledge of the subject and
drew ideas, to the delight and sur
prise of the student himself. He had
the rare gift of transmitting his own
enthusiasm to his students and fell
low workers, and this not only in
his clinical teachings, but through
his writings. Many students passed
annually from DR.. Senn's teaching to
the field of practice imbued with a
spirit of investigation and scientific
research.
His clinics were attended not only
by the students on the bench, but
by many practicing physicians; not
only residents of the city, but also
those from adjoining states took adj
Vantge of this exceptional opportun-
ity for keeping themselves in touch
with both medicine and surgery. His
name and fame tapped vast regions
for clinical material, and rare cases
which had baffled the diagnostic skill
of the local talent were sent to him
for diagnosis. Each clinic was a
postgraduate course, and the large
number of patients illustrating the
great triumvirate in medicine, tuber-
culosis, syphilis and malignancy, gave
him wonderful opportunity to teach
differential diagnosis where it was
most needed by both the student
and the large majority of practicing
physicians. DR.. Senn's clinic was
unsurpassed in the abundance and
variety of material, and here the
student learned the pathologic phys
iology, pathology, pathological an3t-
omy and clinical symtomatology from
a past master in the art of clinical
teaching. His clinical was a model
of conservative surgery. Every de-
tail of the diagnosis was built on
the solid ground of physiology, anat-
omy and pathology.
Nicholas Sem and patient were
equal to a whole medical school.
For the last fifteen years DR.. Sem
was not only the guiding star of
Chicago physicians but of the gener-
al medical profession. His linguistic
attalnmentS were an indispensable
aid to him in absorbing and digest
ing the medical literature Of the
world for practical application in his
clinic. He was a nationally con-
sentative surgeon and never forgot
natures recuperating power. DR..
Sem was a careful, critical reader
and he utilized knowledge with mar
velous facility in his clinic-one of
the greatest clinics of the world. AS
a diagnostician Sem had no superior.
His profound intuition, his vast gen
eral knowledge forced him to the
view that probability is the, rule
of life, and Sem was nearly always
right. He examined patients with
the utmost care and was wonderfully
accurate in obscure cases. DR.. Sem
riveted the attention of his students
and colleagues indelibly jmpressing
practical knowledge on them by his
diligence, his brilliant genius and his
vast learning ever commanded respec
His enthusiasm was contagious, per-
vading, for in his clinical work he for
got self and time. He would conduct
clinic for 2 o'clock in the after
noon until five hours without the
slightest manifestation of fatigue Or
Tagging interest.
Senn's works of genius have en-
riched medicine. He was a blessing
to mankind. His determination to
make a correct diagnosis was extra
ordinary. | have seen him spend an
hour in his vast clinic on pa
tient with the conclusion that peri
typhlitis was the condition; the next
day a repeated examination con-
WINGED him that the patient was not
afflicted with perityphilitis, but pos
sessed neuroma on the ileohypo-
SaSITlC nerve IN the region OF the
appendix and again presented the
patient to the clinic acknowledging
his mistake. Sem was the world S
most practical clinician, original, con-
sentative, brilliant, interesting-eX-
ceiling in diagnosis.
He has been the center of scien-
tific surgery in Chicago for the last
fifteen years. His great clinic was
an Illustrated book on medicine and
surgery. Like Patrick Henry, he
kept ever lighted the lamp of ex-
perience. The characteristics of DR..
Senn's surgery were accuracy of
diagnosis and completeness of opera
ton.
In these days of wide dissemina-
ton of knowledge and general surgi-
cal skill, it is seldom that one towers
far above his fellows, but to him we
must concede the title of one of
the most distinguished surgeons OF
modern times. His clinic introduced,
and permanently established, new
methods of teaching. 1t is as prac-
teal clinical surgeon that Sem vii;
be the longest remembered. To this
work he devoted his life and soul,