

profession in Iowa, introduced the following report and resolution!, 

 which were unanimously adopted : 



REPORT: 



Your committee deem it incumbent upon them, before they proceed 

 to discuss the subject more particularly connected with this report, to 

 allude briefly to the state of the profession in Iowa at the present time, 

 by saying, that the defects which it is our duty to point out, are by no 

 means peculiar to this portion of the west, but exist to an equal ex- 

 tent in almost every State in the American Union ; from an intercourse 

 with the profession of different portions of the Union during the past 

 few years, your committee can see no disparagement to the profession 

 of Iowa; but as medical men should every where zealously labor to 

 augment the moral power, and increase the usefulness of the profes- 

 sion, it is right that the obstacles to scientific progress should be clear- 

 ly presented. If this is done, the influence of Medical Associations 

 may contribute to their removal. 



The want of a proper preliminary education in those who have en- 

 tered the profession, is, perhaps, the most influential cause of the de- 

 pressed state of medical science amongst us. This evil has been 

 brought upon the profession of this State, by the course of physicians 

 and Colleges in the Eastern and Middle States. A very small propor- 

 tion of the medical population of the State have been admitted as stu- 

 dents since their emigration to the West ; they have been admitted 

 destitute of the necessary qualifications into the offices of our Eastern 

 brethren, and have received, with the same facility, the honors of the 

 doctorate from the Eastern Schools. This being the case, and much 

 of the evil being beyond the control of this Society, the committee do 

 not deem it necessary to enter into an extended argument upon the im- 

 portance of this subject, but will content themselves with a few sug- 

 gestions as to the policy which this Society should earnestly recom- 

 mend to its members, premising two reasons, cogent in their charac- 

 ter, why the recommendation should be faithfully carried out. 



The first is, that every community must form its estimate of medic- 

 al men, from their proficiency in a knowledge of things adapted to 

 popular comprehension, or their acquaintance with departments of 

 learning which may be made familiar to the popular mind. 



The adoption of this criterion by the public is not only right, but it 

 is a tribute of respect to the true character of our science ; besides ac- 

 knowledging its legitimate connection with other branches of scien<< 

 and human accomplishments, assigning to those latter their true im 

 portance in the rm-irulum of study pertaining to a lenrned profession. 



