New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-16
MEDICAL SCHOOL NEEDS
Set Forth by Dr.. Schurman at
Cornell Commencement.
EUROPEAN CITIES SHOW WAY
They Recognize the Hospital as
the Supreme Laboratory
for Research.

Sixty-eizht Young men and women were
graduated from the Cornell University
Medical College yesterday afternoon and
received the degree Of Doctor Of Medicine
The commencement exercises were held in
the auditorium of the college, at 18th street
and First avenue. The degrees were con-
ferred by DR. Jacob Gould Schurman, presi-
dent of Cornell University. who also ao-
dressed the graduates. DR.. w. M. POLK,
dean OF the medical college, read the honor
roll on which were three young women
and seven men. The John Metcaf POLK
memorial prizes were awarded as follows:
First prize. $500. to Berton Latin; second
prize, s125. to Josephine Bicknell Neal, ana
third prize, SO, to Earl Vincent Sweet
DR.. Schurman spoke on Progress In
Medical Education" He advocated a union
between medical colleges and hospitals. and
said that New York medical schools were
far behind the medical schools Of the great
European cities, because they have not
availed themselves of the benefit to be de-
rived from having their students take ad-
vantage of unrestricted hospital training.
DR.. Schurman said, in part:
There is much to deplore in the condi-
ton of medical education in the United
States. With the large number of our pros
prietary and commercial institutions the
number of our medical schools is greater
than those of all the rest Of the civilized
world put together. The character OF the
schools may be judged by the fact that
nearly half of them have incomes below
$4,000.
"A stage of medical education which is
just coming into existence In this country
is the recognition of the hospital as the
supreme laboratory of the medical school.
To a certain extent this principle has been
adopted by all medical schools which have
dispensaries for the treatment of the milder
forms of disease. But practising ply
stefan has to deal not only with diseases
in a mild form, but with diseases in Sc
we're and alarming forms. These are the
cases which fill hospitals. II the hospital
is to be effectively used the members or
the faculty of the medical school must
have the same freedom and right OF con-
troll in regard to it which they possess IN
connection with their laboratories In the
medical school.
mo first class medical school IN the
United States possesses such hospital OF
its own. The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
though a separate organization, has, how
ever, formed alliance with the medical
department of Johns Hopkins University.
L HIS I1oOiCdl OSpdi tAiACiit 1AoS cSSi o
strengthened by this reinforcement of hos
pital facilities. The greatest need of our
first class medical schools to-day is the
free and unhampered use Of hospitals
which they own or absolutely control on
the medical and educational side.
THE way 10 establish medical education
and medical research on a high plane in
this city is for the best hospitals to offer
places on their STATS to the professors In
our best medical schools. If the Roosevelt.
New York. St. Luke's. Presbyterian and
Mount Sinai hospitals would adopt such a
policy they would, in a short time, win a
place in medical education and research
that would rank them with Guys and ST
Bartholomew in London, the Royal In
Urinary of Edinburgh, the Charlie of Ber-
lin. and the Hotel-Dieu. OF Paris, and that,
too. without sacrificing, but. on the con-
trary, enhancing their reputation as hui
name and philanthropic institutions for the
care of the sick and injured
'rWhy should not one or more of the great
hospitals of the city of New York adopt
the policy which has been initiated in other
American cities, which will turn the dis
esteem now attaching to medical education
and medical research in New York into
fame and honor consonant with the great
ness of our city and satisfying to the just
expectations of the scientific world?'