MEDICAL SCIENCE IN ONTARIO. 207 



ON THE STATE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE IN THE 

 PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. 



BY J. N. AGNE"W, M. D., 



Secretary of the Medical Section of the Canadian Institute, and Meiiiber of the Medical Council of 

 Ontario, for the Division of Midland and York. 



In making a few observations on the present state, and future pros- 

 pects, of Medical Science in Ontario, it may be as well to premise that, 

 it is not my intention, nor, indeed, is it in my power, to give a summary 

 of the contributions, to which the science is indebted to the learning 

 and research of the Ontario Profession. I must confine myself to a 

 very general view of the subject, and, yet, I trust to be able to show 

 that, in this fair Province of ours, the science of Medicine is no laggard 

 in the way, but that, it is pursued with the same devotion to the great 

 end of alleviating human suffering, as in the most favored lands. It is 

 true that in a new country, such as Canada, where the duties of the 

 physician are more laborious, and the rewards greatly less, than in older 

 and wealthier communities, it is impossible to find so large a class of 

 medical men, who can devote the same leisure to the pursuit of original 

 research, as those older communities furnish; still, we claim for the 

 profession here that it embraces many men who would take high rank, 

 as men of culture and ability, in any part of the world; while the 

 great body of the profession would not suffer in comparison with any 

 other country. I am not unconscious of the fact that exception may be 

 taken to so strong a claim. It may be urged, not altogether without 

 truth, that many of the young men of the country enter upon the study 

 of medicine somewhat late in life, and with, perhaps, rather limited 

 education, and that, as in the mother country, the standard of prelimi- 

 nary training, up to which students must come, is higher than here ; 

 therefore, they must be the more scientific body. I would not, for one 

 moment, be supposed to ignore, or undervalue the great advantage of a 

 thorough education, preliminary to entering upon the study of medicine. 

 At the same time, I do not hesitate to say that, the development of a 

 high literary taste, within university walls, is often not found to conduce 

 so beneficially, as many suppose, to the study of a science, which, in 

 many of its details, is rather shocking to the refined sensibilities of the 

 student, who has given up some of his best years, to the enjoyment of 



