Practical medicine and medical diagnosis / by Byrom Bramwell.

  • Byrom Bramwell
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical medicine and medical diagnosis / by Byrom Bramwell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    rRACTICAL MEDICINE AND MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS. ]D'eseiit devoted to medici/ie (clinical and systematic) is far too short, and T think I have said enongh to show yon that you have no light task before you. It is essential, therefore, that you should lay down tor yourselves a M'ell considered plan of .study ; and that you should ^PP^y .yourselves to the work with the diligence and perseverance which have always cliaracterised the students of tins great school, and which are specially characteristic of the Kdinhurgh student of to-day. And this leads me to speak of the circumstance wliich induced me to give this course of lectures, and of the kind of instruction which you will derive trom it. I well reniemlier the feeling of bewilderment and uncertainty with which T commenced the study of medicine (medicine as distinguished tVoni surgery) in the wards of our Royal Infirmary, now a considerable time am); and although 1 had the in- estimable advantage of attending the diniejiu.c of one of the most dis- tinguished clinical teachers of that day—I refer to the late Professor Sanders—it was some time before I could fully profit by his instruction. I often thought, at that time, how useful to me a course of medicine, such as 1 propose to give you during the present session, would have been. On coming back to Edinburgh, I put my student notion into practice, and I am glad to know, from the large number of students who are present here to-day, that the course is appreciated by yon. Let me add, that no effort on my part shall be wanting to make the lectures a thorough and complete success. It is a serious thing to be a teacher, and as each year comes round, I feel more deeply sensible of my responsibility. The primary object of a teacher of medicine is, of course, to impart sound instruction to his students, to convey to them such knowledge as vdll be of real use to them in their future career as practitioners of medicine, not forgetting altogether^—though this, in my opinion, is a matter of very secondary importance, for 1 consider that the grand subject of medicine is prostituted, if lectures are allowed to de- generate into a mere ‘ cram ’ course—their present needs and the require- ments of the Examining Bodies. But while this is his main object, that teacher would, in my opinion, fail in his duty to his profession, and would fall far short of what my ideal of a teacher ought to be, who did not endeavour, both by precept and example, to arouse the enthusiasm of his students, and to send them forth into the world, not only able, but ardently desirous of making original observations, and of adding to the common stock of knowledge. I earnestly hope that I may succeed in arousing ijour enthusiasm, that I may number among my class some, at least, who will attain to future distinction, and that all of you may look back upon this course of lectures as not the least profitable and pleasur- able part of your curricula.