The influence of human progress on medical education. An introductory lecture delivered at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, on commencing the twenty-fourth session of the Army Medical School, April 1, 1872.

  • Aitken, William, 1825-1892.
Date:
1872
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The influence of human progress on medical education. An introductory lecture delivered at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, on commencing the twenty-fourth session of the Army Medical School, April 1, 1872. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    found to require a better education, a greater compass and energy of mind for its efficient prosecution, than heretofore, because the Physician works in a much wider field. lie also uses many more physical aids in detecting diseases and in determining their causes; and therefore he has more numerous and more delicate instru- ments and methods of investigation to learn the use of, than the Physician of fifty years ago. There never was a time when greater necessity existed than now for strengthening the judgment, by the discipline of a more lengthened clinical and practically technical instruction, in what will be the future daily duties of the “ general 'practitioner in civil life, and of “ the ai'my and navy surgeon# . Under the. influence, then, of abetter and of a greatly more extended field of education than men ever had when similarly situated, you commence here at Netley a life-long competition, in which the man who continues to educate himself, the best is sure to come to the front. But if we take a still wider survey of our position, we cannot fail to perceive that these grea/t changes, in relation to Medical Science and the education of the Physician, are only a few of the many changes which go to make up the sum of human advance- ment in the march of civilization. The changes in the world at large which have come about during the past, and comparatively short period, of fifty years have not been equalled in any other like period of the world’s history. Scarcely a year of that time has passed without leaving its obvious and ineffaceable mark behind. It has been common to characterize such periods by certain epithets,—such, for example, that this century commenced a period of transition; and while it has markedly differed from the previous half century ending fifty years ago, it is reasonable to believe that the years to come will contrast advantageously with the years that are now passing away. I believe in no limit to the onwaid march of Human Progress in the coming time; not “till charity itself shall fail, till tongues shall cease, and till all knowledge shall have vanished away The blessings which the period of peace brought to Europe, from 1815 to 1853, are scarcely yet sufficiently appreciated, espe- cially as to the influence of that period on civilization; and