Expediency and utility of teaching the several branches of physic and surgery, by lectures, at the London Hospital : and for erecting theatres for that purpose, with the resolutions of the General Courts relative thereto.

  • Maddocks, James.
Date:
[1783]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Expediency and utility of teaching the several branches of physic and surgery, by lectures, at the London Hospital : and for erecting theatres for that purpose, with the resolutions of the General Courts relative thereto. 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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    fo the experience of learned menfor ages paft has evinced, that the moft effedtual method of conveying this knowledge is by ledlures. Hence this method has been adopted in every part of Europe, and in America. In Great Britain, in particular, it is employed in the Univerfities, at the College of Phyftcians, at the Surgeons’ Theatre, &c. It follows, therefore, that ftudents who attend an hofpital for the ftudy of medicine, fhould be taught the different branches of knowledge relating to it, by means of lectures. But the Ledtures fhould be . read in the hofpital which they attend, for, by this mean the inftrudtion conveyed will be more efficacious, as the teacher will have continual opportunities of exemplifying and confirming by pradlice the principles he teaches ; it will alfo be much more convenient, and fave a great deal of valuable time to the ftudents; befides, if they are under the neceflity of going to a diftant place for neceflary ififtradtion, their due attention to their bufinefs at the hofpital muft be diminiffied, and the patients under their care he more or lefs neglefted. And further, much of the executive part of the bufinefs of hofpitals necefla- rily refts on the pupils: to fit them therefore for the proper performance of their duties, as early as poffible after their ad million, muft be very defirable. But this end can no other way be fo effectually accompliffied as by the means under confideration. From what has been already obferved, the importance and expediency of inftituting Lectures on the different branches of knowledge appertaining to Phyfic and Surgery, at the London Hospital, muft be very obvious.* But we may add that the fituation and circumftances of this hofpital are fiich as render it peculiarly adapted for this purpofe; for befides the advantages it poflefles in common with every other hofpital, it is remote from places of difli- patioo, which might draw off the attention of ftudents from what ought to be their proper objects. And, were the different branches of knowledge be- longing to medicine properly taught in the hofpital, it would be a mean of railing its credit and reputation, as the want of this, and the neceflity the ftudents are now under of going daily to other places for that inftrudtion which is required, are well known to have had an oppofite effedt, that is, to leflen it in the eftimation of many. i ■ ' * The Governors of Hofpitak of the highefhVeputation juflly confkler teaching as naturally conne&ed with curing, and of the greateft importance to the interefts of mankind, and have accordingly provided the mod: ample, and ibme of them magnificent conveniences for the purpofe.