rural telephones, we have measurably attained some of the practical consequences of homogeneity. The experience of older countries is therefore suggestive, even if not altogether conclusive.
Professor Paulsen, describing in his book on the German Universities the increased importance of the medical profession, reports with some astonishment that "the number of physicians has increased with great rapidity so that now there is, in Germany, one doctor for every 2000 souls, and in the large cities one for every 1000."[1] What would the amazed philosopher have said had he known that in the entire United States there is already on the average one doctor for every 568 persons, that in our large cities there is frequently one doctor for every 400[2] or less, that many small towns with less than 200 inhabitants each have two or three physicians apiece![3]
Over-production is stamped on the face of these facts; and if, in its despite, there are localities without a physician, it is clear that even long-continued over-production of cheaply made doctors cannot force distribution beyond a well marked point. In our towns health is as good and physicians probably as alert as in Prussia; there is, then, no reason to fear an unheeded call or a too tardy response, if urban communities support one doctor for every 2000 inhabitants. On that showing, the towns have now four or more doctors for every one that they actually require,—something worse than waste, for the superfluous doctor is usually a poor doctor. So enormous an overcrowding with low-grade material both relatively and absolutely decreases the number of well trained men who can count on the profession for a livelihood. According to Gresham's law, which, as has been shrewdly remarked, is as valid in education as in finance, the inferior medium tends to displace the superior. If then, by having in cities one doctor for every 2000 persons, we got four times as good a doctor as now when we provide one doctor for every 500 or less, the apothecaries would find time hanging somewhat more heavily on their hands. Clearly, low standards and poor training are not now needed in order to supply physicians to the towns.
- ↑ Thilly's translation, p. 400.
- ↑ New York, 1: 460; Chicago, 1: 580; Washington, 1: 270; San Francisco, 1: 370. These ratios are calculated on the basis of figures obtained from Polk's Medical Register, the American Medical Directory, and estimates prepared by the U. S. Census Bureau. The force of the figures as to the number of physicians cannot be broken by urging that many physicians no longer practise. Such have been carefully excluded by the compilers of the American Medical Directory. Figures used throughout this report were obtained from these sources.
- ↑ Examples may be cited at random from every section of the country in proof of the fact that overcrowding is general, not merely local or exceptional, e.g.:
Ohio: Killbrook, population 307 has three doctors Texas: Houston
Wellington
Whitt
Whitney"
"
"
"227
87
378
765"
"
"
""
five
four
six"
"
"
"Massachusetts: Colerain
Harding"
"80
100"
"two
""
"Nebraska: Eustin
Crofton"
"232
46"
""
""
"Oregon: Fossil
Gaston"
"370
132"
""
""
"(From the American Medical Directory. 1909.)
