St. Edward's Echo (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 2, Ed. 1, November 1922 Page: 9 of 20
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ST. EDWARD’S ECHO
7
AN OUTLINE OF MEDICAL HISTORY
Newton C. Wall
Since the days of Hammurabi and the unification of
Babylonia the medical profession has been in constant
progress. Along the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers the
first physicians, or healers as they were generally known,
practiced their faith. Strictly speaking there are five very
important periods in the history of medicine, namely the
a prehistoric, the Greek and Roman, the mediaeval, the philo-
sophical, the Pasteur, and the scientific period which includes
A the present day. The numerous epidemics which scourged
a Europe and Asia during the middle ages to some extent
helped in the development of the medical profession. During
the nineteenth century the Black Plague, one of the most
* deadly diseases known to humanity, swept through Russia
and left thousands upon thousands of deaths in its wake.
This frightful calamity proved to the horror-stricken world
*5 the need of skilled physicians.
In some form or other medicine has been practiced since
the earliest times. In the beginning herbs and roots of
various kinds were used to cure the sick and afflicted, and
,, the native Indians of this country still employ the remedies
of their forefathers. But civilization has no longer any use
4 for these primitive methods unless their efficaciousness can
a be proved from a scientific standpoint. The organized bodies
of our most eminent physicians have been the most important
factors in the progress and betterment of the medical pro-
fession. The American Society of Medicine, founded in 1847,
meets annually to discuss the many problems that arise dur-
A ing the year; to formulate rules governing the medical
♦ colleges of the country; and to supervise the examinations
held by the state medical boards for those seeking license
to practice medicine. The practicing physician and surgeon
of today must, before attaining his goal, spend many years
in preparation at an authorized school of medicine. In
addition to this he must have had at least two years of study
* in a course for general culture, for as in other professions
the doctor cannot be narrow-minded. Finally the medical
student must serve for a stated period of time as an interne
in some hospital of recognized standing before he receives
the degree of Doctor of Medicine. A good physician and
* surgeon has a spiritual as well as professional vocation, for
> next to the priest a good physician does more good for
mankind than any other professional man, and a community
without a good Christian doctor suffers a distinct loss.
Surgery is a comparatively recent discovery to science,
v 'but it has already proved its value throughout the civilized
world. Beyond a doubt surgery would have lessened the
appalling mortality among our ancestors. Surgery was first
a practiced in this country during the Civil War, but it was
not until the latter part of the nineteenth century that any
considerable progress was made in the new science. The
removal of the appendix marked its greatest step forward,
for up until that time many people died from causes that
were unknown to the medical world.
The trained nurse plays an important role in the advance-
j ment of the medical profession. Like soldiers, nurses respond
immediately to the call of duty, and tend the sick with
untiring hands and constant cheerfulness. Since the organi-
zation of the Red Cross by Florence Nightingale, girls and
young women have devoted themselves unselfishly to the
alleviation of suffering. During the recent war women
without number sacrificed everything to serve in the hos-
pitals and on the battlefields of Europe. In their devotion
to the cause many so distinguished themselves for heroism
that governments were proud to bestow upon them medals
and honors of all kinds. Edith Cavell died rather than
betray the charge entrusted to her.
A fight is now being waged throughout the country to
oust the quacks who, by means of publicity in the news-
papers and magazines, destroy the good repute of the pro-
fession. A reputable physician does not advertise his worth,
nor does he guarantee a speedy cure for incurable diseases.
These so-called quacks are a menace to humanity. Fortu-
nately, however, the stiff examinations of the state medical
boards will soon free the country of all such false practi-
tioners, and only men of high moral character and proven
ability will be permitted to administer to the sick and
afflicted.
-O-
ABUSED
I am a little handbag
My mistress treats me rough;
Last night she stuck her hand in me
And showed up all my stuff.
-Q-
Wise Soph: Why is the flats like the U. S. Congress?
Fish: I dunno.
Wise Soph: Because new laws are made every day.
—--Q-
Stuessy: Don’t get wise with me, or I’ll pull the 10
o’clock on you.
John: Come again.
Stuessy: I ’ll put your lights out.
-©-
Hampe: My girl is just like Eve.
Zappe: Say it.
Hampe: The first thing she says is “Let’s eat.”
-©-
Early to bed and early to rise
Makes man healthy, wealthy and wise
Is a theory vaunted by certain wise guys.
Think of the “stude” with lead weighted eyes
On a hard bed of straw his tired body lies,
Must he hop up at six when the reveille sighs ?
-O-
Wuxtry! Wuxtry! Big Accident!
Three men in a boat. Horse ran away! Nobody hurt!
-©-
Man hurt below the water works—Headline.
A very bad place indeed to hit a person. The poor man
must have been tanked.
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St. Edward's Echo (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 2, Ed. 1, November 1922, newspaper, November 1922; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth891786/m1/9/?q=%22United+States+-+Texas+-+Travis+County+-+Austin%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting St. Edward’s University.