The Medical and Surgical Reporter, October 29,1892.] [Reprinted from AN EDUCATIONAL NEED. JOSEPH PRICE, M. D. PHILADELPHIA AN EDUCATIONAL NEED. Editor o/Med. and Sued. Reporter : Certain epochs have taken the lead in cer- tain lines of progression—in greatly im- proving of literature and advancing par- ticular sciences and arts nearer perfection. There are periods in which there is some- thing more than natural or historical growth—where there are evidences of great leaps. Medically and surgically we acknowl- edge our great debt to the genius of the generations that have preceded ours. We have no disposition to decry or quarrel with our inheritance. We cherish the lessons of many great problems solved for us. But from these problems new corol- laries have been evolved to be worked out by our better light. Many of the old systems have had their day. With the advance of civilization, the increase of populations and the change of modes of life, new modifications are needed to meet new or better understood conditions. 2 When we consider the progress that has been made—what generations have done— the problems mastered, the lessons learned, which we have no need of unlearning, we have reason for the hope that we can do better than has yet been done. We are not ready to accept as fact that the pro- cessess of development and evolution in the medical and surgical profession have been worked out—that our science and art have reached completeness. The gratify- ing truth is that there has never been a time in the history of the profession when there was more vigor and intellectual ac- tivity than now, a very flood tide of high effort swells the veins of the profession. The question present and urgent is what lines can we adopt to hurry along our ad- vances. The majority of the active and strong brained practitioners of every sec- tion of our country, of cities, rural towns and districts spend some time each year at some of our centres of medical and sur- gical education endeavoring to enlarge their professional knowledge in the clinics of our public and private hospitals. 3 The spirit of inquiry and research is wide- spread. Only the diluted mediocrity of the profession is content with what is known. The desire pervades nearly the entire pro- fession to gain more and better knowledge, familiarity with the more simple and ac- curate methods. By some cooperation, some organized plan, of our college and hospital authorities and our widely known clinicians and teachers, our visitors of the general profession would find much to tempt them into our midst. It is not possible to measure the great benefits that would accrue to post-graduates, to the general practitioners who visit the city for the purpose of improving their knowledge in general or in some specific line of prac- tice, if the wards of our general and private hospitals were thrown open to them and they could be given the benefit of the bed- side lessons and clinical teaching of our eminent teachers. We will not attempt to sketch a plan or mark out lines to be pursued; we will leave that to more compe- tent hands. From the fact that the carry- ing out of some such idea as we have sug- 4 gested would be in the interest of the en- tire profession and certainly in the interest of our medical colleges, the matter should command the attention of the profession. The men who visit us are not dull, but bright and earnest men, who come with an earnest purpose, and the only way we can perfect some plan to give them general and hospitable welcome and aid in promot- ing their educational plans is to begin. Some plan certainly is possible in a great city famed for hospitality, philanthropic and educational systems. If a distinct institution could he so organized as to best serve the purpose that could be established. The enterprise would also have a com- mercial as well as a professional value, and thence be of interest to the general business public. ISTor are the social features, the widening of the fellowships of the pro- fession, to be left out of consideration. The encouragements, strength gained by pro- fessional association, and the great benefits growing out of comparison of methods and results are not appreciated to the extent they should be. The interested association which 5 promotes intimate acquaintance, softens professional antagonism and does much to drive out those vulgar jealousies which de- tract from the dignity of the profession. Such an institution in all its appointments and in its general management could he so conducted as to furnish an excellent theatre where could be brought into fellowship men of high character, talents and good work, many of national repute, both as specialists and general practition- ers ; where could be discussed those dis- eases which lie peculiarly within the field of medicine and as well those which by their very nature are without its domain and which require surgical means of inves- tigation and surgical treatment. And there could be taught valuable lessons of guidance for those thrown in the narrower lines of professional life. One of the very certain and patent tendencies of such an institution would be to improve the teach- ing in our schools and draw to them the best talent of the country. As a rule the sons of our eminent physicians and sur- geons and their students enter the medical school where their preceptors received their best lessons, they go where they are directed. If we would make Philadelphia a great center of medical and surgical education we must look to the influence of the gen- eral practitioners of the country. We must convince them that it is here that the best work is done and the best lessons taught. Then this free educational insti- tution, blending with its work home and professional hospitalities would become a feeder for our best medical colleges. It would not draw from the schools but put better material in them, would have the healthful effect of relegating to the .museums for stuffed animals the dudes who would enter the profession, and put work- ers within their walls. It would he auxiliary to and contribute largely to elevate the standard of our organized sys- tem of medical education. Aside from its specific educational features, to such an institution there would be a home side ap- pealing directly to home pride. So manifold are the details of our medi- cal science, so rich and varied its literature that the inviting and welcoming of general practitioners and specialists visiting our city into such an institution could not be otherwise than fruitful of much good. We would get the facts of many active and rich experiences, the history of new de- partures from old traditions and methods. Our period has impressed its characteristics upon our current medical literature; there is little of the ancient in its lines; it has in it the research, energy and noble genius of the living. With the old we are linked only by the tested truths of science and ex- perience. Give to them who make our literature an arena in which they can dis- cuss the results of their work. It is only those who never hnew much who are tired of learning. There is a growing, vigorous life in the American physician and surgeon no matter what his location whether coun- try side, barracks or prairie and he is will- ing to wTork hard and make many sacrifices to keep in the front rank of his profession. He has the good practical business sense to go where the best facilities are offered him to obtain what he feels that he needs. Joseph Peioe, M. D. Preston Ketreat,