University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1914-01-06
(This is the first OF q series Of VOca.
tiOnal Talks to be printed in the
NjSSOurian).

tiOnal Talks To ne printed III tht
MisSOurian).
Doctors are made, not born, accord
ing to Dr. Guy l.. Noyles, acting dean
of the School of Medicine.
Good health" he said, lis abso-
lutely necessary in one who would be-
come a physician. The other quail
ties come BY development. One of the
most important things that must be
acquired is keen observation. A doc
tor must see things and see them cor
rectly And it is not sufficient TO
learn to see things only. What is
seen must be understood. Much OF
the training of the medical students
is for the development of the Observa-
ton. and the habit of seeking causes
Doctor Noyes commended the policy
or requiring two or more years of
college work before admitting students
to schools of medicine.
A DOCTOR" he said, must be an
tuutdttu HldH. L Ht lutd iht' uo''oi -
are born. not made, is gone, and train
ing. a thorough education, is recog-
niZed as an essential This is also
making better opportunities for prop
erly trained doctors. The fact that
more is required limits the number
that can measure up to the standard.
The country is overstocked with med
iocre doctors Never was the maxim
that there is room at the top more
true than in the medical profession
now"
is the doctor not putting himself
out of a job by all these moves to
prevent and stamp out Diseases Doc
tor Noyes was asked.
Not in the least" he replied. In
that very line there is a field rich for
good doctors. Properly trained men
have opportunities to make for them
selves names that will last, and at
the same time to do something that
will be real help to society. Peo-
pie are coming to realize that the
medical field is place where preven-
ton is really better than cure. and
more and more it is coming to be the
duty of the doctor to keep persons
from getting sick rather than to cure
them after they are sick. OF course.
diseases can never be wholly eradica-
ted and all sickness prevented. but
that is the goal to which all medical
endeavor is working.
The medical field is becoming more
specialized. There are more men
studying and training themselves
along special lines, but the general
practitioner has not been reduced to
a lower place than formerly. nor is it
desirable that he should be-.
The study of hygiene, Doctor Noyes
said. is opening field which offers
good opportunities to young men. City
boards of health are demanding that
men whom they employ be thorough
ly trained in hygienic and health prob
lens.
DIR. o. w. Fl. Mitchell. professor of
preventive medicine. said that the
present increase in Importance of pre-
ventive branches of medicine was
bringing with it an increase in the
demand for men. He said that there
was demand for laboratory experts
and a great number of hygiene and
public health experts.
The pay that these public health
men can expect is small, however"
said Doctor Mitchell. 1T is espec-
tally low in proportion to the training
that is required of them. They are
required to be highly trained, and re-
ceive in return for their work little
pay. The United States government is
in need of a large number of men in
this line of work. Men are needed
for public health doctors in connection
with the military department and es-
pecially in the Philippine Islands.
But while these men are not high
ly paid they have an opportunity to
make for themselves names. to really
be something in the medical world.
Some of the very best doctors have
,1,I, .,