The young man who has just squeezed through a medical college, and come
out with his "sheepskin," who thinks all he then has to do is to put up
his sign, and forthwith he will have a crowd of respectable patients, is
to be pitied for his verdancy. The great Professor John Eberle "blessed
his stars" when, after graduating as "Doctor of Medicine" in the
University of Pennsylvania, and making several unsuccessful attempts at
practice in Lancaster County, he received the appointment as physician of
the "out-door poor" of Philadelphia. After that, his writings, attracting
public attention, were mostly contributive to his success and advancement.
Energy and determination are better property than even scholastic lore and
a medical diploma, for unless you possess the former, talent and education
fall to the earth.
Dr. William P. Dewees, formerly Professor of Obstetrics in the University
of Pennsylvania, the celebrated author, physician, and surgeon, practised
seventeen years before he obtained a diploma. He was of Swedish descent on
his father's side, and Irish on his mother's. His father died in very
limited circumstances, when William was a boy; hence he received no
collegiate education until such time as he could earn means, by his own
efforts, to pay for that coveted desideratum. We find him, with an
ordinary school education, serving as an apothecary's clerk, a student of
medicine, and at the early age of twenty-one years trying to practise
medicine in a country town fourteen miles from Philadelphia. Young Dewees
possessed great talent and energy, but his personal appearance was
scarcely such, at that early age, as to inspire the stoical country folks
with the requisite confidence to speedily intrust him with their precious
lives and more cherished coppers!
"He was scarcely of medium stature, florid complexion, brown hair, and was
remarkably youthful in his appearance," says Professor Hodge, M. D.
I have before me an excellent likeness "of the embryo professor," which
admirably corresponds with the description given above; but though
"youthful," yea, bordering on "greenness," I can read in that frank,
intelligent countenance the lines of deep thought, and a soul burning with
desire for greater knowledge. The too florid countenance and narrow
nostrils are sure indications of a consumptive predisposition. Dr. Dewees
died May 30, 1841. He was well read in French and Latin, and also various
sciences.