San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28
THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT

Many assertions of interest to 1aymen
were made by physicians and surgeons
who contributed addresses to the cere-
monies which signalized the LAYING of
the cornerstone of the John B. Murphy
Memorial Building. in Chicago. The
various speeches differed widely as to
literal details, but were broadly similar
in spirit. Perhaps that spirit could best
be defined in a negative way.
There was no Boosting. no sef-scekinc,
no indication of any kind that the speak
ers were stuck on" themselves or that
they believed their profession had a
monopoly of knowledge Rather was
there a discounting of their own great
ness.
One of the most famous surgeons in
the country said. in substance. that the
profession had Just begun to place it
self on scientific basis but had much
to do before it could fully accomplish
the task. Such an assertion contrasts
sharply with the cure-al claims of
schools that condemn both surgery and
medicine.
Every now and then one reads in the
newsr apers about the successful per-
Torrance of some highly delicate opera
ton. and to the lavman it NAV seem
little short of a miracle. One of the sur
gcons who participated in tic ceremonies
referred to spoke OF this as a means of
illustrating his point that surgc-v is
making advances despite. the handicap
which needs Of the moment impose
upon it. If surgery were an absolute
science. many men who are now per-
forming operations would not be per-
mitted to wicld the scalpcl until they
had been more thoroughly trained Rut
so long as surgery is not an exact
science, emcrgencv surgical cases will
have to be treated from the standpoint
of availability; if "thc best surgeon in
the world" is not available. then the
patient has a choice only bctsccn call
ing in a lesser authority and trusting
to blind fate to save his lifc-unIcss. per-
chance. he is persuaded to RELY upon
the r1inistrations of some doctor" who
practices neither medicine nor surgery.
1t is truc, and inevitably so, that some
patients are unncccssarilv onerated
upon. But why expect infallibilitv OF
surgeons any more than of men engaged
in any other work? However it is an
avowed purpose of American surgeons
to eliminate IGNORANCE and incompetence
from their own profession. Just as it is
the determination Of American phvsi-
clans to put quack electors" out OF bust
ness.
In other words, the greatest object Of
these two allied observation-disclosures
medicine md surgcrv-is to protect the
public, and they arc moving toward that
end even when they have to discredit
some Of their own members in the eyes
OF prospective patients as a means OF
attaining it.
Certain operations which were re-
garded as miraculous a few years ago
are now being performed by surgeons
whose work does not attract wide no.
tice. And operations which are now
regarded as extremely difficult even for
the best Of surgeons will Re co~'monlv
performed by men OF comparatively little
experience a few years hence. Thus
slow but sure progress has been made,
is being made and will continue to be
made. And in the meantime the most
competent surgeons are not only inn
parting their knowledge TO Younger and
less experienced men. but irving to raise
the standards Of their profession as a
whole by initiating against ignorance,
incompetence. unscrurulousncss an d
other undesirable qualities wherever they
approximation outside or inside their
own profession.