THE SOCIAL POSITION OF THE PROFESSION OF MEDICINE. It is the custom in Madras,
on
occasion of
a
Convocation of
for the purpose of conferring degrees, that one of the Fellows is selected to deliver an address. And it is the
the
University
a very commendable one we Faculties of the University in turn is
practice,
orator of the
public
think, that each of permitted to provide
the the
day.
At the last Convocation of the University, held on the 5th of April 187S, the choice fell upon the Faculty of Medicine and upon Surgeon-Major Furnell, M.D., Principal of the Medical College as its spokesman. Dr. Furnell selected as the theme of his discourse the high social estimation in which the profession of medicine was held in early Hindoo days, the exalted position which medicine and its professors then occupied, the eagerness and success with which the healing art was then he dwelt upon the backwardness ; and, in contrast, which the natives of Southern India, more particularly the
cultivated
castes among them, now evince in pursuing the study of medicine and the very inferior position which the profession holds in public estimation, and as an object of state recognition.
higher
These
positions
were
and illustrated.
ably expounded
It is
very remarkable that the study of medicine has presented so " In twenty few attractions to the natives of Southern India.
years,"
Dr. Furnell states "the
three Doctors, half
a
faculty
of medicine has
dozen Bachelors, and
one
produced
Licentiate in
a
po-
pulation numbering some 50 millions of people!" This is a very meagre and depressing result doubtless, but there must be some other reason for it than the absence of public recognition of the profession ; for in Bengal and Bombay, where the position of the profession differs in no material respect from Madras, the success of medical education has been signal. Even in Madras, medical education is not so backward as the records of the University would indicate, for the statistics of the medical school prove that numbers of youths qualify themselves there for occupying humble but useful posts in the public medical service. It is certainly a matter of regret that the opportunities of a higher medical education are not more largely utilized, but the institution is as yet young and there is ground of hope for a brightDr. Furnell expands his dejected picture of medicine er future. in Madras into a gloomy view of the position of the profession of medicine generally. Medicine," he says, is not an honoured There is no use blinking the fact. Englishmen. calling amongst It is the Cinderella among the professions. It wears the poor clothing and does the drudgery while its sisters Law, and Divinity, and in this country Arms and the Civil Service, are clad in purple and "
"
linen and obtain all the honours."
fine
relation
to
the
state of
Law, Divinity,
Most true, but the Arms and Civil Ad-
ministration has differed hitherto very essentially from that It is in recognition of services done for of medicine. the State
a
as
professions.
body corporate Arms and
the vitality of the State
that honours are bestowed
Administration
unit,
and State
are
on
these
essential elements of
rights and
a
State religion
must possess high office-bearers who are distinguished and ennobled in consequence of their relation to and services for tho' State a
healing
public.
as a
State.
art
is more
The position personal and
of the medical
profession
as
domestic than communal or
Doctors obtain their reward for the valuable service# to individuals and families in the shape
which they render of
gratitude
and social esteem.
The aggregate of these
aer-
REVIEWS.
June 1, 1878.]
vices represents doubtless an immense public benefit conferred by the profession, but there is no administrative body associated with or engrafted on the State which represents the profession as a large organization of members conferring -vital public benefits. The General Medical Council ought to hold this position, but it has not as yet asserted its place as an essential institution in State organization?a vital member of the body politic. So it happens that such public recognition as has been conferred of their
on
individuals has been
talent and skill
so
conferred because
individuals, rather than on the score of their representative position or public utility. In its domestic or social capacity we fear that medicine must continue to draw reward and hope from the domestic and social recognition which it most assuredly obtains. But the profession of medicine has another phase and function which bring it into more prominent relation with the State and entitle it more clearly to State favour and reward. We allude to the large conspicuous
as
field of State medicine in which medical
as
men
individuals
organization confer immense public benefits on the State, as a State, in capacities civil and military. It is on the public development of this aspect of the profession that the claim of medicine to public recognition and honour will eventually mainly rest. Meantime, while we agree with Dr. Furnell in deploring the absence of recognition and encouragement implied in the poverty and paucity of honours" conferred on medical men we deprecate a too great sensitiveness on this score and incline to agree with Sir Benjamin Brodie, when, in addressing an assemblage of medical men and students of medicine he exclaimed: "I will not do you the injustice of supposing that there is any one among you who would not prefer the reputation of Harvey or the Hunters to that of nineteentwentieths of the courtiers and politicians of the period in which they lived." A knighthood, a baronetcy or a peerage are good things in their way ; but fame, the esteem of discerning contemporaries and the plaudits of a grateful posterity for worthy and
as
an
"
work done in the field of science and substantial services rendered to
humanity
are a
great deal better.
on
occasion of
a
Convocation of
for the purpose of conferring degrees, that one of the Fellows is selected to deliver an address. And it is the
the
University
a very commendable one we Faculties of the University in turn is
practice,
orator of the
public
think, that each of permitted to provide
the the
day.
At the last Convocation of the University, held on the 5th of April 187S, the choice fell upon the Faculty of Medicine and upon Surgeon-Major Furnell, M.D., Principal of the Medical College as its spokesman. Dr. Furnell selected as the theme of his discourse the high social estimation in which the profession of medicine was held in early Hindoo days, the exalted position which medicine and its professors then occupied, the eagerness and success with which the healing art was then he dwelt upon the backwardness ; and, in contrast, which the natives of Southern India, more particularly the
cultivated
castes among them, now evince in pursuing the study of medicine and the very inferior position which the profession holds in public estimation, and as an object of state recognition.
higher
These
positions
were
and illustrated.
ably expounded
It is
very remarkable that the study of medicine has presented so " In twenty few attractions to the natives of Southern India.
years,"
Dr. Furnell states "the
three Doctors, half
a
faculty
of medicine has
dozen Bachelors, and
one
produced
Licentiate in
a
po-
pulation numbering some 50 millions of people!" This is a very meagre and depressing result doubtless, but there must be some other reason for it than the absence of public recognition of the profession ; for in Bengal and Bombay, where the position of the profession differs in no material respect from Madras, the success of medical education has been signal. Even in Madras, medical education is not so backward as the records of the University would indicate, for the statistics of the medical school prove that numbers of youths qualify themselves there for occupying humble but useful posts in the public medical service. It is certainly a matter of regret that the opportunities of a higher medical education are not more largely utilized, but the institution is as yet young and there is ground of hope for a brightDr. Furnell expands his dejected picture of medicine er future. in Madras into a gloomy view of the position of the profession of medicine generally. Medicine," he says, is not an honoured There is no use blinking the fact. Englishmen. calling amongst It is the Cinderella among the professions. It wears the poor clothing and does the drudgery while its sisters Law, and Divinity, and in this country Arms and the Civil Service, are clad in purple and "
"
linen and obtain all the honours."
fine
relation
to
the
state of
Law, Divinity,
Most true, but the Arms and Civil Ad-
ministration has differed hitherto very essentially from that It is in recognition of services done for of medicine. the State
a
as
professions.
body corporate Arms and
the vitality of the State
that honours are bestowed
Administration
unit,
and State
are
on
these
essential elements of
rights and
a
State religion
must possess high office-bearers who are distinguished and ennobled in consequence of their relation to and services for tho' State a
healing
public.
as a
State.
art
is more
The position personal and
of the medical
profession
as
domestic than communal or
Doctors obtain their reward for the valuable service# to individuals and families in the shape
which they render of
gratitude
and social esteem.
The aggregate of these
aer-
REVIEWS.
June 1, 1878.]
vices represents doubtless an immense public benefit conferred by the profession, but there is no administrative body associated with or engrafted on the State which represents the profession as a large organization of members conferring -vital public benefits. The General Medical Council ought to hold this position, but it has not as yet asserted its place as an essential institution in State organization?a vital member of the body politic. So it happens that such public recognition as has been conferred of their
on
individuals has been
talent and skill
so
conferred because
individuals, rather than on the score of their representative position or public utility. In its domestic or social capacity we fear that medicine must continue to draw reward and hope from the domestic and social recognition which it most assuredly obtains. But the profession of medicine has another phase and function which bring it into more prominent relation with the State and entitle it more clearly to State favour and reward. We allude to the large conspicuous
as
field of State medicine in which medical
as
men
individuals
organization confer immense public benefits on the State, as a State, in capacities civil and military. It is on the public development of this aspect of the profession that the claim of medicine to public recognition and honour will eventually mainly rest. Meantime, while we agree with Dr. Furnell in deploring the absence of recognition and encouragement implied in the poverty and paucity of honours" conferred on medical men we deprecate a too great sensitiveness on this score and incline to agree with Sir Benjamin Brodie, when, in addressing an assemblage of medical men and students of medicine he exclaimed: "I will not do you the injustice of supposing that there is any one among you who would not prefer the reputation of Harvey or the Hunters to that of nineteentwentieths of the courtiers and politicians of the period in which they lived." A knighthood, a baronetcy or a peerage are good things in their way ; but fame, the esteem of discerning contemporaries and the plaudits of a grateful posterity for worthy and
as
an
"
work done in the field of science and substantial services rendered to
humanity
are a
great deal better.
