May 19, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



705 



may look forward with reasonable cer- 

 tainty, however, is that the reorganization 

 of hospital and university clinics accord- 

 ing to this general plan, the essential fea- 

 ture of which is the establishment of a 

 large nucleus of salaried men who give the 

 greater part of their time to the activities 

 of their service, will provide for univer- 

 sity, hospital and public a body of men 

 better trained, and with richer experience 

 than has been offered in times past. 



There is one point in connection with 

 the reorganization of the clinic upon what 

 I have called a university basis which 

 seems to me of real importance. This has 

 been touched upon especially by Dr. 

 Meltzer.^ I refer to the desirability of 

 ample provision for voluntary assistant- 

 ships. This is a matter which touches espe- 

 cially hospital organization. The work of 

 a modern hospital clinic has changed 

 greatly. A well-organized medical or surg- 

 ical clinic is as truly a scientific department 

 as are the university departments of anat- 

 omy, physiology and chemistry, and in 

 every hospital there is a constant demand 

 for more and more students to assist in the 

 researches which are being conducted by 

 the various subdepartments, and inciden- 

 tally in the care of the patients. The great 

 advantage to a hospital of the presence of 

 students in its wards has often been pointed 

 out. Such students form a corps of extra 

 assistants who enable us to study and care 

 for our patients much more intelligently. 



But where can one find the director of 

 a medical clinic who is not longing for the 

 services of more young men, recent gradu- 

 ates with scientific aspirations, to assist 

 him in the study of a variety of different 

 problems ? As it is to-day, only those men 

 who can obtain salaried positions upon the 

 staff or are of independent means can af- 

 ford to give the time required for such 

 studies. But many a student, upon his 



2 Science, 1914, XL., 620-628. 



graduation, and during the several years 

 that follow, would be more than willing to 

 accept a position as voluntary assistant if 

 he might be given a room and his lodging 

 in the hospital. Every modern medical or 

 surgical clinic should have a number of 

 these positions open to such men as the pro- 

 fessor may see fit to select. There could 

 be no better investment for the hospital. 

 Eesearch assistants should be considered as 

 essential to the welfare of the hospital as 

 are the regular internes. 



These are the considerations that I have 

 wished to bring before you to-day. They 

 have to do with matters which are not 

 without public significance. 



The relations of the medical sciences to 

 the commonwealth are of great intimacy 

 and of vital importance. 



Time was when the physician was called 

 upon only to minister to his ill or wounded 

 fellow. To-day he is something more than 

 the healer and the binder of wounds. The 

 advice of the medical scientist is sought in 

 every sphere of human activity. It is he 

 who is called upon to outline and direct 

 those measures which protect our homes 

 from epidemic, our cities from pestilence. 

 It is he who has opened the wealth of the 

 tropics to the safe exploitation of man; to 

 him we must look for that counsel which 

 shall preserve the efficiency of our armies 

 in the field and of our cohorts of industry 

 at home ; which shall lessen the horrors of 

 war and the dangers of peace. 



No effort can be too great; no sacrifice 

 too costly that may afford to the student of 

 the medical sciences the most active stim- 

 uli, the best opportunities for training and 

 for research. For in the training of the 

 student of medicine is involved more closely 

 than is generally realized, the prosperity 

 and safety of our country. 



William Sydney Thayee 



406 Cathedral St., 

 Baltimobe 



