Evening star., 1937-09-11
By Mdry-Carfer Roberts,
THE CITADEL. By A. J.. Cronin.


is very definitely a novel will
thesis. AS such, it is reasonably
convincing Those who want to know
shout the less savoury aspects of the
medical profession in England-that
being the aforementioned theme
can read 1t with delectat ton and i'm
provement. For its revelations or
that subject are sensational anc
somewhat beyond the knowledge oi
the ordinary laymsn. AS a move
with thesis, indeed, THE Citadel
Is sound work But considered in
the light of the novel rs an art form?
Well, that is another matter.
Another matter-yes. For, while
the novel with a thesis can be, and
has been sometimes great work of
srt too, the hand of an artist is
obviously necessary to produce the
smalgamation. A social conscience is
not enough; neither is an impressive
technical knowledge of the subject un-
der exposition. Excellent thesis
novels" to be sure, have been pro-
duced out of no greater attainments
on the authors part than these. In
the case of the most effective of all
such novels-that is, "Uncle Toms
Cabin"-it may be said that the
author possessed social conscience
alone and based her presentation of
her theme on impressions which
were more than slightly inaccurate:
technical knowledge aSsuredly, she
did not have. Yet, when true
literary artist has been imbued with
social passion, he has in times past
produced works which bore their puny
timely message" and contrived stimuli
taneously to be of permanent signific-
snce. Dickens was such one. Tolstoy
was another. Mr.. A. j. Cronin, it is to
be feared, is neither a Dickens nor
Tolstoy.
The reader who finishes his pres
ent work will know several interest
ing things about the practice of medi-
cine in the British Isles. He will
know that the training in certain
medical schools is inadequate; he
will know that the system of med
ical assistants is liable to abuse and
to the exploiting of the assistant by
his superior; he will know that un-
scrupulous practitioners operate in
the great cities and gain large fees
for illegal activities; he will know
that the path of the conscientious
man of medicine who regards his
profession as an opportunity to serve
humanity Is difficult and even dan
gerous. He will know also that the
British medical profession apparent
ly resists the discoveries of men of
science and that London hospitals
are badly over-crowded. More than
anything, he will be aware that Mr..
A. J. Cronin has a fine professional
vocabulary. But he will have learned
al these valuable pieces Of knowledge
as from text. THE Citadel" has
no living quality Plainly it has been
written as demonstration of certain
conditions about which the author
feels deeply. Beyond that, Mr. Cro-
min seems to have lacked either the
ability or the inclination to 60.
His expose of the scandals apper-
tanning TO the medical profession has
been made through the medium of
the story of one doctors experience.
This ooctor-Andrew Manson-is in
troduced as fiedgling physician, Just
graduated from a Scottish Univer-
sity. He takes job as assistant to
the physician of a Welsh coal COM
pany. He spends several years among
the miners, during which he learns
great deal about the ignorance of the
ordinary practitioner and the corrup-
tion and inefficiency of public health
of1cers. He also comes to the realiza-
zion, in this time. that his own medical
education is antiquated and unscien-
tn1c. He leaps into attempted reforms
and TO wider study The reforms are
unsuccessful and force him out of his
fob. The study, however, has better
results
He takes some additional degrees
and buys London practice. There
ne runs into acquaintance with the
consultation and fee-splitting rackets,
and sees other aspects of his pro-
fesslon which are even less pleasing.
An old school friend Of his is working
In cooperation with a high priced
soortionist and another physician
who IS characterized as drug
peddler." All these men are RAPIDLY
getting rich and Andrew, the one
time ldealist. falls victim to the
temptation to earn easy money. He
reaches out for practice among
rich hypochondriacS. As he is a
handsome young man, he has no trou-
ole IN succeeding, rich women, old
and young bring their fancied all
rnents TO him. One of them comes
between him and his wife. Then,
suddenly, the scales fall from his
eyes. He sees the errors into which
be has fallen and refromS.
II will be seen that from this that
The Citadel" has a plot which. as
the document of human soul, could
be devised by high school boy and
worse-probably would be. All of
the passages Of the work which have
genuine interest derive that interest
from the authors knowledge of the
facts Of the medical profession, which
material, lacking a great welding
heat of human significance, would
seem 10 be better suited to text books
or TO articles. Any way, that is this
critics opinion in which she finds
herself in agreement with Aristotle
but she rather expects, III disagree
ment with such weekly discoveries OF
genius as Mr.. Burton RascOe.
For the hero of this book, Andrew
Manson, never lives. He is stock
character, perfect for Hollywood. He
h the pure, young idealist, setting
out to minister TO his fellows, finding
the unlooked-fo for forces of corruption
falling victim TO the Seducing
temptations Of wealth, and only re-
covering his honor when calamity
threatens him. Leslie Howard woulC
be natural for the role. And seriou:
critics would call the offering. nC
doubt, a magnificent performance.
For. While even 50 Stork careel