Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-27

Arising somewhat vaguely out OF
the claim OF superior economy comes
the farther assertion that the sup
ply of country doctors will somehow
he greater il the university operates
II medical school in Richmond rather
than at the university. The sole
basis for this assertion appears to be
the conceded fact that there are more
graduates of the Medical College II
virginia located in the country thar
there are university graduates. ana
the apparent Inference ia that city
location operates To influence medical
graduates to leave the city in which
they We're taught and locate in th.
country. This whole claim Is an al
mos: perfect example of non arquItur.
II Is manifest that mere location of
the school has nothing to do with
this result. The decision by "A medi-
cal graduate as to where he will
practice his profession Is determined
by the extent of his abilities. ambi-
tons and by economic ana social con
sidcrations. Until rural conditions
improve sharply the city will always
get the UPPER stratum OF the medical
class Tor manifest reasons. Chs
country VIII get an increasing num-
Der CD when rural conditions, such
as good roads, automobiles. tele-
y u ones. dwelling convenicnces.
II seem more advantageous to locate
in the country. and every good citIzei.
should strive to bring about suc!,
results; and when CD the total num-
her o; doctors produced grows
greater.
OF course. IL the standards OF tho
school were lowered. the number OF
impcrfcctly prepared Goctors might
conccivably increase. No one pro-
"A I'M. a I'M, -
The proposal is to have II high-class
medical school in Richmond The
reason why there are more graduates
of the Medical College of Virginia i'm
the country is quito simple and In no
way related to mere location. Tbs
medical school OF the University of
virginia has been Il clinical school
for only about fifteen years. Tn TIL
l9o2 IL was sincere. high class
dtdactic school. famous for high stan
dards and hard work. There were
two schools I'm Richmond less exact
III standard and grade, Offering clin,-
cal courses and sending men into
practice. Hence II Ircnter number of
men. wishing To go straight into
practice. rcsorted there and from
there went To the country. Condi-
lions now have entirely changed. and
the future. not the past. is our prob
lem. High standards are obligatory
In Richmond as we'll as at the uni
HcrSity. Under the operation of these
standards. the Medical College of Nir-
Sinia IL today sending Il negligible
number of physicians into rural prnc-
ttcc. The site OF the school has
literally nothing 20 do with this scri-
Gus question which all of us want to
remedy and which can be remedied,
as have said, in only two possible
ways: CD by increasing the total
proving and cnriching rural life.
NUMBER OF graduates. and (2) by i'm
Certain statistics obtained by a
straw vote carried forward by the
proponents Of removal and showing
II prepondcrancc Of opinion by doe
tors. dentists. pharmacists in vir-
Siain and North Carolina. are set
iorth and relied, upon to demonstrates
the wisdom Of rcmovai. Tile weight
OF these statistics as argument In
influence Judgment in so grave n
matter depends upon their value and
validity. and as to that, these facts
ana conditions should be taken into
consideration. AS to North Carolina
the value of the figures is nuiliflnd
by the fact that the University has
not preSentef its case To the pcople
oil mat State in the slightest way
Any straw vote result mas been oh
tanned entirely ON EEK pnrte" evidence
ana is without value. enc vote is
manircstly an expression or alumni
loyalty on the part of former stu
dents and graduates OF the Medical
College of Virginia. suppose no
one viii deny that large number
or these gentlemen. however ell
cient rs practitioners. would not
claim authority To decide large uues-
tons of medical education for mod
cin needs and future conditions As
TO the figures set forth for Virginia.
their value may be Justly questioned
for these reasons:
|. The Medical College OF Virginia
alone carried forward this straw vote
project. One does not question the
fairness and integrity of the count
OF votes. OF course. but a one sided
primary or popular vote Is not IN
ideal way To reach conclusions even
in politics much less in the field of
science and education.
=. II was launched before the uni
versitys side of this contention was
brought before the people, and.
therefore, was Essentially "eX partc"
also.
3. y large number Of doctors made
no reply to il whatever for these
and other reasons. and we have rca-
son TO believe that n number who
did reply on basis OF the then eX-
'''''o i'tSiS nave changed their
minds.
4. Owing to the fact that the uni
rersity has not maintained schools of
dentistry and pharmacy. and for
other reasons hitherto touched upon,
the alumni of the Medical College of
Virginia are largely in excess of
those OF the university, and naturally
reacted Ito able and persistent and
urgent propaganda
.. An analysis of the action of the
Medical Society OF Virginia reveals
the situation in AN illuminating way.
n recorded vote was taken on the
question OF an expression of the
opinion of that body on the problem
OF location. iI6 votes were east IN
favor of declaring for Richmond To-
cation; rs voted against il. or the
l'6 favoring the resolution for Rich
mond location. 60 were residents OF
the city Of Richmond: OF the re-
mhindcr 81 were Medical College OF
virginia alumni. There were - men
voting on this occasion who were
graduates OF neither the Medical Col
lcEe of virginia nor Of the university.
ana were also residents Of neithcr'
charlottesville nor Richmond These
1t may he fairly assumed, were an
entirely impartial grouO OF these