The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-16

Sir James Paget. London physi- clan who first described osteitis de. formans. nearly sixty years ago, when he was 65 years old, was a pretty fair doctor in his day, learn ing the doctoring trade as appren- tice to an established surgeon from Paget's 18th year of age to his 2lst!' when he obtained an appointment as intern in 8 hospital, and after two years of internship passed the College of Surgeons examination Equivalent to the young intern pas sing the state board examination in thls country) and received the diploma of the College which en- titled him to enter practice (equiva- lent to the License issued by the state in this country). But Paget did not begin practice then. He did what I believe I should have done at that point in my medical career he taught anatomy and physiology for IS years. Still as I say, Sir James enjoyed great success in prac- tice, any way you look at 1t, for his income soon exceeded $50,000 year, working IS hour day.
 All these details I cite for the purpose of reminding thoughtful readers that, if a good doctor could be turned out after two short years in medical school and two years of internship in 8 hospital in Paget's time. surely four long years in medical school and a year or two of internship ought to be sufficient to qualify doctor to carry on general practice today-leaving the addition al four or five years of dawdling and fancywork for those graduate M. D's who ,elect to practice as specialists. The idea, you see, is that the fancywork now required of the man who merely aims to do general practice makes his training so ex- pensive that it contributes consid- erably to the high cost of medical service today.
 Sir James Paget was the type of doctor, conspicuous by its rarity nowadays, that evolved from the apprentice system of medical train- ing. Later this apprenticeship be- came preceptorship-that is. the prospective student of medicine hac to be be sponsored by a physician of good standing who took tn, young student under his tutelag, and introduced him to the funda. mentals of the science and art. Blu even preceptorsnip expired whel the highbrows contrived to expans the medical school course from thre, to four years. In fact I am one Q the last of the medical student who had the advantage of @ pre- ceptor's tutelage. I'm not boastine but I sincerely believe that if ther are any points or features In m. medical character that good doc tor should have they were instille' primarily by my preceptor, Dl Daniel A. Eiseline, who gained an still enjoys the distinction of havin served as an elective officer in ths medical society for more successiv terms than any other physician il the country has ever done, so far a I can learn. I am sure that som of the first principle imparted b my preceptor in the short period Q my apprenticeship with him con tributed as much to the building Q the doctor in me as did the addet year of medical school attendauct preceptorship ought Co be restores and three or four years of f0l-de-ro discarded from the present absurdi! long course required of the sudden of medicine. That is. if people wan real doctors, and not high price specialists" for everything. ~
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 Hernia Cured
 am grateful for your advocac of the injection treatment oe hernia Our doctor declared the method he lhsen tried and discarded @ useics