20th century Quote by Abraham Flexner
“A patient had a 50-50 chance of benefiting from visiting a physician as of 1910. Medicine was more like voodoo than science until the 20th Century.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Flexner Report, 1910, United States medical education reform
Early 20th‑century medicine lacked scientific rigor, resembling superstition more than evidence‑based practice.
In simple terms: Medicine was unscientific then.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the importance of scientific standards in healthcare.
Themes
medicine
science
history
education
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
historical
educational
When to use this quote
- medical school curricula
- patient care
- policy making
- public health advocacy
Key Concepts
evidence based practice
medical reform
Questions to Reflect On
- How did the Flexner Report change medical training?
- What modern practices lack strong evidence?
A Different Perspective
Even after reforms, some practices remain unproven.
![“At no period of [Michael Faraday's] unmatched career was he interested in utility. He was absorbed in disentangling the riddles of the universe, at first chemical riddles, in later periods, physical riddles. As far as he cared, the question of utility was never raised. Any suspicion of utility…” quote by Abraham Flexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/127/abraham-flexner-29762_careers_at-no-period-of-michael-faraday-s-unmatc_2311712.jpg)
