Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Chicago Medical Center Reopening [PAGE 17]

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Of course we must not lose sight of the fact that Chicago, has hud, and has today, some of the most eminent physicians in the world. It has some of the ablest, most skillful and most learned surgeons. We must not forget that able, self sacrificing, industrious physicians and surgeons of all schools have put forth very earnest efforts to improve the conditions which we inherited. All honor to them. But friends it is for us in this day and generation, now that we are facing the possibility of accomplishing larger things, to insist not only that we shall have a few able physicians and able surgeons; they will come anyhow; they will come no matter how poor our schools are; but that we shall create the opportunity here in this city and in this state for any man who wishes it to secure absolutely the best medical training which the world can possibly afford, and thus raise the level of medical theory and practice throughout the community. In this enterprise the assistance of the state is absolutely essential. Let no man underestimate the sacrifice and public spirit which have led men, physicians and non-physicians alike, to donate, large sums of money and unwearied efforts to the advance of medical education in the city of Chicago. I hope they will give still larger sums and put forth still greater efforts. It is hard to conceive of getting too much money or energy for this purpose if it be wisely spent. But after everything has been done which private citizens are willing to do, there will still remain a great unoccupied field from the unoccupation of which the commonwealth will continually and bitterly suffer unless it itself advances into and occupies this field and lends its moral and its financial support to adequate training in medical education and medical research in this great metropolis of the western world. If the legislature will grant the fund we ask for, we shall within the coming biennium set the requirements for admission at the standard now generally accepted by our sister state institutions,—Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. We shall further organise the work of the first two years in the fundamental sciences of medicine, anatomy, pathology, etc., on a thoroughly scientific basis with adequately equipped and properly manned laboratories—each one a center of scientific research as well as efficient teaching. We shall further proceed as far as possible with the reorganization of the clinical work—not resting until each student shall have ample opportunity for thorough dispensary and hospital instruction under the most capable clinical instructors; and until, instead of appointing men to university positions because they have hospital.con* nections, hospital boards will select men for their medical staff because they are on the medical faculty. We shall furthermore organize a public health laboratory where practicing physicians may obtain the special additional instruction necessary to prepare them to perform efficiently the duties of public health officers and thus lay the foundations for a reasonable and effective policy of public sanitation and preventive medicine. In this public health laboratory we shall furthermore make a point of offering facilities for all the teachers in our high schools and colleges to get that general and special knowledge of hygiene neces16