John Birchard Rice Civil War Letters

              [corresponds to page 1 of John B. Rice Letter to Robert Rice, Apr. 19, 1863] 
Young's Point, La. Apr 19 th [superscript] 1863. 
Dear Brother:- 
I take the present opportunity to an- 
swer yours of March 30 th [superscript] which came to hand yes- 
terday.  You will accept my sincere congratulations 
at your having completed the course of study of 
the medical schools.  It is just six years since I 
was graduated from the same excellent college. 
May your course be marked by a thorough pur [crossed out] 
purpose to follow up the studies you have thus laid 
the groundwork of; - may you become an accurate 
anatomist, thorough chemist, and learn what little 
we know [underlined] of physiology.  The physician and surgeon 
should be master of those things: and the other 
branches.  He should learn / the most practically im- 
portant of all/ the methods of treatment [underlined] of the 
most successful and renowned practitioners - not 
theorists - their manners [s crossed out] among their patients & 
patients' friends. - Their way of conducting business: 
their favorite remedies.  These things are very hard 
to get at.  Something is gained by reading the various 
works on practice, and the monographs: - also by 
catching something fo [crossed out] by [crossed out] through [written above] observing the practice of 
the best practitioners, when you have a chance 
to see them at the bedside: and in conversation. 
A young practitioner should be very modest [underlined] in 
consulting with, and in conversation with experienced 
ones of eminence.  All these things I regard