Omaha daily bee., 1914-11-22

the incompetent and selfish game bcing
played by our "a - University Team,
under the guise OF Medical Education"
am well aware OF the fact that, in
ages past and gone, when mankind was
less civilized my attitude toward
these state Officials" would be re-
Garded as high treason" and that the
individual who dared Criticise their con-
duct would have been summarily dis
posed OF, or made food for powder
Re that as II may from my viewpoint
a greater treason would be to complais-
antiy scquiesco In the same OF "gullers
OF the gulliblc" that Is being played at
the expense OF the State of Nebraska
by the maintenance Of an Advertising
Machine" run I'm competition to the
larger professional ana social organt-
cation FOR the financial remuneration
of those who are kind enough TO give
their services 20 the Institution without
remuneration" As bearing upon this
subject, l again quote Prof. MeltAer, OF
the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Re-
search: According TO my way OF think
ing, ] would say that In most instances
they are unfit for these positions.
Whether two or three hours care given
by them). they are hours left over from
a very busy active occupation. and the
teaching Is then done In most cases by
a worn-out man bodily and mentally.
| II will be generally admitted that for
nearly all teachers Of clinical subjects
private practice, with It's commercial
end, is the chief aim and occupation,
while the teaching mart Is at best only
minor subject. and in not a few In
stances only an ornament and unmls-
takably a very desirable advertisement.
| l remember how years ago noted sur
gcon, who was the professor OF surgery
at one of the best-known medical schools.
said to me: They pay me thousand
| dollars year. The fools would
pay them 5000 for the professionally;
| it's worth more than cas-, 900 q year
TO me. What deplorable condition.
The teaching OF the pure medical
branches which, for the physician in the
making, is tho most important part OF
his medical education, should be carried
on by worn-out men for whom II Is in
varlably only a secondary occupation
and often not much more than an orna-
ment or an advertisement"
So. Just now, this sleeping octopus, the
| Rockefeller Institute for Medical Re-
search, is falling into line with ideas
that l have been emphasizing in my ar
ticles published in Medical Journals. dur
| in the last five years, as well as In a
book now In It's third edition, the first of
which appeared in 1901 Better late than
never"
1t is not enough TO demand that the
entrance requirements by the students
be- up to a certain standard. Ali right
so far as II goes out what does tho
School owe the students In return?
1.-THE Hopkins school fellows lines OF
its own, and with great success When
that school was opened. about twenty-one
years ago, the entrance requirements
were made very high, indeed higher than
at any place In the world, and at time
when most colleges in this country had
very low requirements. The wisdom of
that venture Is today self-evident. Johns
Hopkins Medical School Is sending out
a high type OF medical men into teach
ling departments, into research institutes
and into general practice. The part OF
the plan which does not permit the pro-
fessor Of clinical subjects to practice
for private gain does not deserve TO be
designated as ''grotesque," as has been
done in the report OF the Council on
Medical Education. II probably originated
in the desire to put the teachers of clin-
lical subjects on a university basis, and
thus maintain a university atmosphere
i'm the medical school, an atmosphere
which Is essential 60 the mode Of life
Of the scientific men OF that school,
and which Is readily disturbed by thu
mode OF life of a head Of department
who in a very limited amount Of time
devoted to practice could obtain fol-
his service much more than the amount
of such a salary
The state OF Nebraska can well at
ford TO nay for full time clinical teach
ing. and thus remove the Medical De-
partment OF the state University" from
existing as a parasite upon the large
professional and social Organization. The
physicians OF the entire state need the
influence OF University Clinical Profess
ors who would In their efforts to educate
not lose a penny by telling the truth
irrespective of whether II brought cen
into their pockets, since 1t would thu
: conserve the welfare OF those needn't
their assistance. As the School nov
exists. the teaching of some OF III
= clinical branches is far short OF the aV
; eraRe school of medicine. II the reade
! will consult the November IA Q9lD mum
: Der of The Journal OF the American
] Medical Association, and read the Hrs
5 art Gle, by william w. Graves NJ D.
. chairman OF the Section on Nervous an
Mental Diseases, at the Sixty-Bfth An
lnual Session OF the American Medica
Association, entitled SOME FACTOR
J TENDING TOWARD ADEQUATE IN
sTRuCTIoN IN NERVOUS AND MEN
IA iTAL, DISEASES" he will see why
am Justified, after fifteen years OF pa
: tient effort to awaken the intelligen
portion of my sleeping colleagues TO
keener appreciation of more enilghtehe
q conception OF their professional DUTY
showing no further tolerance toWar
the culpable stupidity manifested oy man
- Of them toward the most progressive
efficacious, and all inclusive branch
% clinical medicine, so far as the Weltar
a, the individual patient and the stat
Al large is concerned.
n In his address. DR.. Graves at ono
N nlaced his subject in harmony with IN
: broad conception of Modern Psyehltar
and Neurology. so long advocated by m
lin which he used the following remarks
when we consider the intimate an
reciprocal relations of the nervous sy'
=, tenn with other systems and organs
NaHwa.N at ri