Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-30

ASSOCIATION, the NaClOnal ACADEMY OF
Sciences and the American Social Fly
giene Association.
He is fellow of the American Acade-
my of Arts and Science, the College of
Physicians and of three English aSSocia-
tions-the Royal Society of Medicine;
the Royal Sanitary Institute in London
and the Royal College of Physicians in
Edinburgh In addition, he belongs to
honorary societies in Germany, France,
Belgium and Italy.
Describing the American medical
schools of his youth, DIR. WEIGH said:
Everything was lectures, and nothing
was taught practically except anatomy.
Although we had some examples of men
with great native ability, who, despite
the bad American training, succeeded,
he majority who became leaders studied
abroad.
"This was because American schools
were attuned to the pioneer conditions
of the country. With the rapid growth
of population and communities, due to
immigration and the pressing OF civtli-
cation westward, there came great
need for doctors, and more doctors,
which had to be supplied quickly. In
dependent medical schools grew up in
profusion, unconnected with universe
ties and for the most part giving miser-
able instruction.
1.-THE remedy consisted in forcing doc.
tors to have practicing licenses. In my
day anybody who received a so-called
medical degree from any school, repu-
table or otherwise, could attempt to cure
the sick. But when prospective doctors
faced the necessity of passing examinas
tons for a practicing license, they had
to study in a school with standards
high enough to get them by. AS result,
the total number of medical schools has
been cut in two during a period when
the law schools doubled"
But the legal necessity for good medi-
cal schools did not create them. 1t was
the privilege of Johns Hopkins, under
the leadership of DR.. WEIGH, to show
the way.
WHEN, in 1878, DR.. WEIGH returned
from his two years study abroad
he was offered position at the College
Of Physicians and Surgeons, then prob
ably the leading medical school and
therefore a great opportunity for so
young man. But he refused in order
to go to the Bellevue Hospital Medical
School, which, although more obscure
institution, allowed him freedom to set
up pathological laboratory, the first
of its kind connected with an American
school. His method of letting the stu
dent find out for himself by experiment
was SO Immediately successful that very
soon the College of Physicians and Sur
geons capitulated and set up labora-
tory, too.
Six years later DR.. WEIGH was called
n RQlti0nnrp
pital was approaching completion and
the thoughts of President Gilman and
the trustees of the university were turn
ing toward the establishment of the
medical school provided for in MIR. Hop
kinS' original gift. Seeking leader to
guide the new enterprise, they invited
DR.. WEIGH to become professor of pa
thology in the university and pathologiSt
to the hospital Having studied for an
other year in Germany, DR.. WEIGH ar
rived at Johns Hopkins in 1885. AS soon
as the new medical school was eStab-
lished he became dean.
ical education when the Johns Hopkins
started" DR.. WEIGH modestly explained.
to the development of such a school as
early as 1880 there had been efforts to
schools of this country. BY then the
d Medical School, the school at Ann
and few other medical schools had al
taken steps to improve the standard.
was consequently an eagerness on the
the medical profession to see the es-
ment of school of a higher order than
lich existed at that time. We felt that to
lie more similar medical school to the
those already existing would be of little
to the community or to the country or to
lSe of medicine