An enquiry into the present system of medical education, in the State of New-York : respectfully submitted to the consideration of the members of the legislature / by an observer.

  • McNaughton, James, 1796-1874.
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An enquiry into the present system of medical education, in the State of New-York : respectfully submitted to the consideration of the members of the legislature / by an observer. 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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    We cannot however all at once, adopt such regulations as ara enforced in most European countries ; but wc have made gradual nta ; and if left undisturbed for a few years longer, the medical profession in this state, will be as well educated, and as well qualified in all respects, as that of any other country. Of this improved state the public at large would reap the benefit, without any additional expense. For it is a mistaken notion, generally prevailing, that if the profession is to become more learned, fees would become higher. The most ignorant, generally charge as much as the more liberally educated. There is no proportion be- tween qualification and compensation. The fees of physicians are not higher now than they were twenty years ago, when very few medical men had any other professional education than that ac- quired at the ofiice of some private practitioner; which was no education at all, compared to what is now acquired by most stu- dents of medicine. If then the medical profession is every year becoming better and belter educated, and the public has the benefit of the services of better qualified practitioners, without incurring additional expense, would it not be both imprudent and improper to disturb the pre- sent system ? and would this not be more obviously so, if it should appear that the changes asked for, would, agreeably to past expe- rience, tend to send the medical profession back to where it stood twenty years ago ? We presume that it is unnecessary at the present day to prove, that the safety of the public requires, that medical men should receive some professional education ; and should be required to go through some course of study, and give some evidence of their proficiency, before they ought to be entrusted with the care of the lives of our citizens. We all know that to become a good watch- maker, a good carpenter, a good tailor or shoemaker, requires years of application and practice. Can we for a moment suppose that an equal length of time is not required to understand the me- chanism of the human body, and the manner of remedying its disorders ? Such is the business of the medical man. Wc know that watchmakers and other mechanics of the present day are a great deal more skilful than those of former ages. From what has this arisen ?—From this simplo cause; that every year, some-