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They read over those worthless bits of paper, called testimonials, as if they were "true patents of nobility," whereas they are, as every doctor knows, just so much trash. How many certificates of" very diligent attendance" upon lectures have been given to men who never attended one solitary lecture!

Let us inquire why such great efforts are made to secure for young men our public appointments? We know that charities are excellent schools for practice, but what makes them so? Is it not that poverty cannot be a chooser? Or is it that the poor and wretched are so indifferent to life that they will readily submit to be practised on by inexperience? I must leave those to judge who, like myself, have heard poverty tell its own tale. My own opinion is, that the reason such great efforts are made to get young surgeons into public offices is simply the difficulty they experience in getting into practice. There is an old saying, “ No reputation, no patients,—No patients, no reputation:” it is one of those quaint sayings which we were accustomed to hear in what we now call our happy childhood,-one of the same category as "Not going into the water till you can swim."

Now, it is seldom that a young man begins with a reputation—he must begin with patients,

and reputation will follow: but how is he to get patients? for the public do not go, like alchemists, in search of the unknown; and professional etiquette distinctly says that the unknown shall not go in search of patients—so that all he can do is to put his name upon a brass plate, and then the name of his profession under it, and fix the same upon his door, hoping by its glitter to attract patients! But then the said brass plate only tells the public that a certain young man is a surgeon, or a surgeon et cætera; and the public, not knowing what cætera means, and not disposed to go in quest of the unknown, walks by and takes no notice. Common sense would indicate that our young surgeon should make the public aware of his intentions and pretensions, i. e. of his desire to practise upon them. But etiquette, that especial law of established men, says No. Thus, while the established man is driving about everywhere in a carriage, which serves as a brass plate upon wheels," or as an advertising van," the young man is compelled by etiquette to sit behind that brazen barrier, which serves only as a barricade to professional advancement.

But what is the effect of this unequal law? Does it not lead to all kinds of underhand artifices? Does it not suggest to the young doctor, who has all the world before him, and perhaps

little left to begin it with, sundry little tricks and subterfuges which he would otherwise avoid?

I have always thought that the young aspirant to practice should be permitted to send his card to any and to every house—but without comment. How much better this would be, in every way, than pushing along in the dark-now getting to the wrong door—now into the wrong passage

but rarely into the right house- for as nearly every house is pre-occupied, an attempt upon it might be misinterpreted or misrepresented, which would enable his senior competitor to traduce his character.

Those who have not had the treat of reading Albert Smith's description of the election of Rawkins and Coops, will do well to purchase that inimitable antibilious production, "The Adventures of Mr. Ledbury." The description of Rawkins' election may be considered a type of all charity elections, except the union doctor's election-which is a strange exception to every thing else in this world-a thing sui generis, as doctors say. It is a farce in which merit, talent, and experience often stand pitted against money, friends, family connexions, and the influence of clique. The arbiters are men of every length, breadth, and thickness-of every shade of complexion and capacity, from the rubicund butcher

to the aristocratic country squire. They sit in solemn conclave in what is called a board-room, and call each candidate before them in propriâ persona, take a brief survey of him, and a lengthy one of his testimonials, and then decide to elect the very man whom they had made up their minds to elect weeks before. Thus are all the other candidates put to unnecessary inconvenience to give a colouring of fairness to one of the most ridiculous farces ever enacted. But blame not the dramatis persona, they are but players in the farce of life. Is not Cleaver the butcher quite justified in voting for the most hungrylooking doctor? Is not Whackstraw the farmer equally justified in voting for the doctor who keeps the most horses? And is not the guardian saint and pastor justified in voting for the doctor who most frequently calls for his " blessing before meat?" And why, again, should not the squire vote for the doctor who can give a vote in return?

Are we not all influenced by selfish or interested motives? Does not the farce really consist in placing the election of doctors in the hands of men who are by nature and habit more fit to judge of prize-oxen, oil-cake, or mangel wurtzel? and who form their estimate of doctors as they would do of the above prizeable commodities?

Do they not go through a similar ceremony? Do they not inspect that black biped animal, the doctor-inquire where he was bred and fedexamine the certificates of the kind and quality of his (mental) food-how it was ground and crammed into him-and when, where, and by whom? Its effect upon him, and its results? Of course they do! and I firmly believe that they would elect the biggest, fattest, and sleekest doctor, were they not influenced by the abovementioned self-interest!! So much for our old English system of election.

It is an admitted fact, that at these parish elections practical advantages will weigh as nothing in the balance against the influence of money and the huge roll of certificates and testimonials which are handed about, "in smart tin-cases," from butcher to baker-from farmer to tailor-from parson to squire-exciting in their minds a feeling of wonderment and admiration, but which would only draw a smile of pity from a professional man.

Young, inexperienced men, fresh from the schools, are always thrust forward as medical prodigies by their infatuated parents, relations, and friends, whenever a hospital or dispensary vacancy occurs. Every influence which money can bring into play is put to work to secure their

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