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


import. and ut the same time OF
grave social and material Significance.
IL Is the sort OF problem that ought
not and. I'm fact. seldom comes up
to the General Assemblies. being Of
the type generally determined by uni
versity authorities themselves. The
unity and the capacity for useful-
ness Of u great University are at
stake. and as we'll some OF the most
practical ana vital interests of the
commonwealth at large. appear
before you TO discuss II. first. az the
executive of the institution most
deeply concerned. and. secondly. as
student OF the problem for a quar-
ter of century. and. thirdly, az n
citizen OF Virginia primarily Inter
ested In It's welfare and willing to
approve Of any policy that seems
wise for tho promotion Of it's hes,
interests. l approach the discussion
with conviction OF the wisdom and
Justice OF the position hold. but
with respect for the opinion and mo.
tiHcs OF those who hold contrary
Judgments. have never in long
me OF public discuysion found IL
necessary to question the high mind
edness Of those who did not see eve
10 eye with men on public matters
hasumc that there is room for ar.
icrcnccs OF opinion here, and thu, an
Oh us are trying to arrive at wise
permanent conclusions. / desire to
AVOID All personalities and side is
sues that always arise to confus.
ana bccloud clear Judgment, ANA
straight think Ing. The Fundamental
problem presented by this medical
situation thus Undertake. 10 state
10" can the Commonwealth OF Vir-
H'"'h III 'hc wisest and most pcrna.
h.ht way enable It's university to DO.
Eeiop and operate It's crn;uryo,,
medical school. now a, the summit,
OF It's efficiency. so that !, will hay.
continuing and increasing power Ia
provide able physicians for the stint.
ANA country. promote public h.,I{b
ana advance medica! science? /, is
c'e"r 'hat such a problem Is not TO
bc determined by temporary or Inca,
considerations. IT Is. as 1 have ia
fundamental problem. and must be
rounded upon the broadcast and sound
est educational bases. i, canno, u.
dohc chcaply and II must be dan. D.,
"'''''S''S' mis- is not new aucs.
'''''' nor IL ~. IN It's larger aspects
tangled question. hut rather ono of
tremendous simplicity as 10 It's r.in
issue. though. perhaps. owing Tn tho
'"'"itiohs. Incapable Of ideal so,u.
ton. IL Thomas Jefferson hal Io
Gated the entire University I'm R;,h
mona. this question would never Inv.
"''se"' II inc actual location O! the
university had been within the limits
oil any large city, this question ,ynu,1
never have arisen. II the st.,. NJ
virginia had appreciated propcrlv ,bo
'Aort necessary To create "a rr.,,
medical school, and had given rc,so,
'"'e support To that school. especially
!" 'hc period beginning in 1905. this
question would never have arisen for
by THIS time the school M IN. IN,
'crSity would have so clearly proven
us capacity t2 furnish clinical mate
r!ai ana otherwise 10 tiemonsiro,. A..
strength that to suggest its rc,,ov,,
would nave been gro,csauc ~ w.,I
az Hiosicai. None of these things
however. was done, and this thing
was done. y group OF eminent nr;.
waite practitioners three generutjons
ago ihauSurated an independent mod
lcai school here In Richmond In duo
'iihe IL was adopted BY the State. not
as Tue states medical school for that
was located at the university. but as
useful agent in medical servic. 10
The State. y nominal approximation
OF $4,000 was given TO II i'm re,urn
Tor certain concrete services. In ver,r
recent times. this school. know, ..
the Medical College of yirr;,i,
coaicsccd with another school ,,so
privately founded, retained lis olJ
name, fell upon more fortunate ti,ues
as to legislative support, and grew :,
numbers and resources. do no,
wish TO deny. but rather TO conccic
TO this school Il long. honorable and
useful career, but do wish to record
my SoHH ittioH tnit tnlS question of
transfer of the university school has
arisen five times and been discussed
with moro or less heat and- light
since 1891. because able and infiuen
tial gentlemen connected with the
Medical College of Virginia. or medi-
cal schools of Richmond, have held
and propagated the belief that an ef-
fectivo medical school must be To-
Gated In large city. This convic-
ton was natural. because medical
schools historically arose i'm largo
cities, because social conditions then
made large cities the only reservoir
of clinical material and facilities, and
bccaus II is undeniablc that access
10 Il considerable population is neces-
sary to the complete success of a
medical school, but 1t is not the only
or the chiefest requisite. and modern
experience has demonstrated that the
necessary access can be accomplished
without location within the limits OF
IL largo city. and that the cduca-
H..