Medical education for the people and the profession : an introductory lecture / delivered by W. Sherwood before the Eclectic Medical class, in Greenwood Hall, Nov. 10, 1852.

  • Sherwood, Wm. (William)
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical education for the people and the profession : an introductory lecture / delivered by W. Sherwood before the Eclectic Medical class, in Greenwood Hall, Nov. 10, 1852. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    scientfiic medicine. Let us reflect from these a blaze of well attested truth upon the length and breadth of our land, so that they who have heretofore sat in darkness, to borrow a passage from holy writ, may see a great light, exposing all professional and popular errors, inconsistencies, and falsehoods ; and demon- trating the beneficent tendency and spirit of our glorious reform. I do not claim this as an original suggestion by any means. Our predecessors have been pursuing this course to some ex- tent, and let us enter into their labors and improve on their ex- ample. Individual enterprise is now doing much in this way and should be seconded by the efforts of all, for all should bear a share of the burden in carrying forward the triumphs of our glorious cause. 4. But there is another enterprise to which I desire to call special attention, and upon which I would, if possible, concentrate the entire influence of the true friends of medical science. J refer to the project of placing a thorough collegiate medical education within the reach of all. You, gentlemen, are now enjoying the benefit of an experiment for this purpose. I said experiment—1 recall the term. The enterprise is already on the full tide of triumphant success, with a decided majority of ail the medical students in Cincinnati, crowding the halls of our institution. This enterprise may not be fully comprehended, and I shall here take occasion to explain its nature ; and first, permit me to refer to the ordinary plan of conducting medical colleges, especially in this meridian and latitude. The students in some of these colleges are composed of at least three classes. 1st. Gratuitous students, or one from each judicial district to whom the professors tickets are issued without fee. 2d. Trusted students, or those whose attendance has been^secured by a slow note, which frequently as experience has shown, amounts to about the same as a gratutity. 3d. Paying students, or those whose ready cash sustains the institution ; that is pays expenses, interest on debts and bonds, and salaries of professors. This system all must see at once is both unequal and unjust. A second principle which obtains in the fashionable colleges of Uie day is, that high fees though merely nominal as to some of the students, add dignity to the institution, and confer respectability upon her graduates; and a proposition for a more liberal system is treated with a sneer. Our enterprise is based upon principles entirely different from these. First, our students all come in on the same terms, and those terms are cash. We have none of what are tersely denominated dead heads in our school. Secondly, we rely upon the results of our instructions, upon the proficiency of our graduates, and the success of their prac- tice when they shall go out from our halls, to secure a respectable