Medical bibliography and medical education : Dr. Robert Watt's library for his medical students in 1812 / by James Finlayson.

  • Finlayson, James, 1840-1906.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical bibliography and medical education : Dr. Robert Watt's library for his medical students in 1812 / by James Finlayson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    is coinplGted. It has bsen stated, indeed, tliat tliis classification, by authors and subjects, of Jus own medical liJjrary suggested the idea of ids great “ 13iI)liotlieca Lritannica.” Altliougli referring to a somewhat different matter, it may lilcewise be (luoted liere, that “Dr. Watt has also made some progress in forming a museum for illustrating the different parts of the animal economy in liealtii and disease ” ; and he announces tliat in tlie meantime, Ijy tlie kindness of his friend and neighljour, Mr. Allan Hums, lie could sliow from his museum “ specimens of many of tlie most remarkable organic affections.” Ibis method of medical teacliing, |jy tlie use of a library, does not seem to have been entirely new in Glasgow. When the celelirated Cullen was an apprentice to Mr. Paisley, a Glasgow surgeon, he found the library of his master very useful for himself, as it was unusually good ; and when Cullen began his distinguished career as a teacher of medicine in Glasgow, he was able to arrange for his pupils having access to this collection of books. Mr. Paisley, as “ Bibliothecarius ” to the Faculty of Physicians and burgeons in Glasgow, was no doubt imjiressed with Ihe value of having direct access to authoritative books, and with rare generosity he laid his library open to Cullen’s students. The (piestion arises, l\Iight not motlern teachers of medicine <lo well to imitate Watt’s method ? Xo doubt, since Watt’s time, a great imj)rovement has occurred as regards text-books, which are now produced, at but little cost to the student, by tliose of high standing and great practical experience; but now, as then, reference to cyclopa-dic works, to original memoirs, and to special articles in journals, is constantly required for any adequate l)resentation of certain subjects. Of course, some teachers may say that they ])resent as much of this as is good for the student’s stage of education, and some even bring before the students for their inspection copies of great works which have left their impress on medicine. In such matters, however, just as in clinical work, it is of the utmost importance that a student should learn how to go about these inquiries himself; a little found out for himself, as to the literature or history of a disease, counts for more than a great deal told him by a teacher. By the former method, what is supplied is information; by the latter, the student obtains education. How seldom has a young practitioner even a remote idea of how to prosecute an inquiry into the literature of any subject in which he may be interested, and how apt he is, through such ignorance, to think his case “ unique,” or his observation original! Xo doubt these difficulties might be lessened by some regular demonstrations in a fairly good medical library, in which the practical use of catalogues, indexes, and books of reference could be shown. Such demonstrations, just as clinical demonstrations, would have their value; but personal investigation (carried on, it