History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

2 go History of Medical Practice in Illinois111. State Med. Soc, 1871.) These men were ever alert for things that werenew.An interesting report was contained in the Transactions of the IllinoisState Medical Society in 1872. T. D. Washburn of Hillsboro (Report onPractical Medicine) stated, "That the practice of medicine has improved50 percent in the last score of years, no one will deny; the facilities toexamine the cadaver, the steady advance in pathology and physiology, thechemical analyses, the microscopic researches, and the multiplied andvaried instrumental appliances for the examination and cure of disease, asseen by laryngoscopy (devised in 1854), the ophthalmoscope (devised in1849), the endoscope (1806), urinometer, and test tubes, the use of thethermometer, the local anesthetic, and spray producing apparatus of thethroat, larynx, and nasal passages, the hypodermic use of remedies, andthe purer and more concentrated elements of materia medica, have allhelped to elevate and improve both the diagnosis and treatment of diseasein a wonderful degree." He further commented, "In this fast age(it was theyear 1872), when originality, sensation and immediate power and resultsare demanded, and must be shown, let us modestly suggest that they willnot be gained by the old or young practitioner, by hastily seizing every newremedy that comes to the surface, or adopting every new instrumentality,or accepting every new theory of disease or cure for same, from some medicalluminary who has recently shot above the horizon." Then further: "Thetardy growth of reputation, the necessity of a livelihood, the short road tocompetency and affluence which many others travel, these and other demoralizinginfluences require no ordinary nerve and moral stamina to resist."In offering a report on progress of otology at the 1873 meeting of theIllinois State Medical Society (pp. 247-255), Samuel J.Jones stated, "Thefirst American work on 'Diseases of the Ear,' at all worthy of the subject,appeared last year, of which Dr. Laurence Trumbull is the author. It is awork of great value, not only to the aural surgeon, but to the generalpractitioner as well. Another work, entitled 'On Aural Catarrh and CurableDeafness' by Dr. P. Allen comes to us from England, and is a valuablecontribution in its restricted department of aural practice."In the 1874 Transactions of the Illinois State Medical Society (page 165)Samuel J. Jones, in giving a report on otology said "it has seemed desirableto devote a portion of it to the ear, in health, before proceeding to considerits diseases. The physician is often asked, by the laity, what care is necessaryfor the ear in health; in general terms, the proper answer is, none. The ear,like the other organs of the body, is so organized that, in health, it willtake care of itself. When any of its functions are so performed as to attractspecial attention, it is fair to assume that some abnormal condition exists,which renders it advisable that careful examination of the organ be made."