Negative diagnosis of surgical lesions of the stomach and cap / by Lewis Gregory Cole, M.D. Professor of Roentgenology in Cornell University Medical College.

  • Cole, Lewis Gregory, 1874-1954
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Negative diagnosis of surgical lesions of the stomach and cap / by Lewis Gregory Cole, M.D. Professor of Roentgenology in Cornell University Medical College. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    these observations was fully acknowledged by Prout1 the contemporary authority on urinary diseases, and according to Dr. (afterwards Sir George) Burrows2 the use of alkalis in urinary affections was an original and definite advance. He was most anxious to improve the professional attainments and position of naval surgeons, to whom his name is now chiefly familiar in connexion with the two gold medals originally awarded every two years for the best journals kept by them when afloat, but since 1913 given annually to the surgeon who obtains the highest aggregate marks at the examination for promotion to the rank of staff surgeon. These he founded in 1829 by an endowment of £300, the first award being in 1832, the only occasion on which he adjudicated. The great importance he attached to note-taking set an example to naval surgeons, and stimulated Trotter3 “ to imitate Dr. Blane in calling upon the surgeons for occasional remarks.” The question whether or not naval surgeons should engage in private practice was discussed by him in 1824.4 In 1802 the Board of Admiralty ordained that all medical officers of naval hospitals, whether in war or peace, should abstain from civil practice. But only seven years before, in 1795, the Governors of Naval Hospitals had been directed to allow private practice in times of peace ; so that abuses, as stated by Trotter,5 would appear to have crept in very rapidly. Blane, however, argued that, as long as their official duties did not suffer, naval surgeons would advantageously occupy their spare time by increasing their pro¬ fessional experience, and stated that during his seven years’ service on the Medical Board of the Navy two instances only of abuse had come before him. As an argument against the “ whole time ” system he stated that “ if any candidate for a vacant situation in the great Metropolitan hospitals were to try to recommend himself by declaring that he would devote his whole time and attention to the duties of the hospital, he would to a certainty be rejected; for the governors as men of good sense would be well aware that he could not find employment to occupy him¬ self the whole day within its walls.” This is interesting in connexion with the recent report of the Royal Commission on University Education in London, which contains evidence advocating and condemning the principle of whole-time teachers of clinical medicine. It may be noted that, by an order of November 28,1913, private practice by naval surgeons is now permitted. That Blane was appreciated by the naval surgeons is shown by their presentation of plate to him in 1821. A strong man, however, can hardly fail to make some enemies, and reading between the lines of Trotter’s “ Medicina Nautica ” it is clear that this less successful reformer of Naval medicine was far from a kindly critic of Sir Gilbert. Many honours were bestowed on Blane ; he was a Fellow of the Royal Societies of London, Edinburgh, and Gottingen, a Corresponding 1 “ Nature and Treatment of Urinary Diseases,” second edition, 1825, pp. 115> 144. 2 Gulstonian Lectures, London Med. Gaz., 1834, vol. xiv, p. 55. 3 “ Medicina Nautica,” 1797, vol. i, p. 2. 4 “ Select Dissertations on Several Subjects of Medical Science,” 1833, vol. ii, p. 295. 5 “ Medicina Nautica,” 1803, vol. iii, p. 18.