The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-04-05
FOR THE ENQUIRER.

Feelings which may be more easily inaei-
ned than expressed, induce me, Physician.
not eminent, and therefore subject in the
eyes OF the public, to the imputation cast upon
Us by DIR. Trent, TO come forth, with a view
OF making some remarks, relative to his late
publication. Inc charges made against the
members OF our profession, are Of sHch ma
ture, as must ever be considered, IN all en-
lightened communities, as horrible and oajops
Envy, malice, and little-mindedness, go so far
towards the formation of the most Complete
defornity, of which the human mind i; sus
ceptlble, as should unquestionably render all
VINO make such charges cautious, lest some
might be urdeservedly exposed 70 the impu-
tation- Members Of the medical profession
are least exCusable for such omission. since
by the very nature of their pursuit. they have
the most ample opportunity Of estimating
the full value OF character ], with Others,
AN acqutted of these charges, only by nv
own conscience The Doctor has himself
made some acqu,ttais though in doing this
ne does an act OF shpererogation.-- is first
proper to be Just and then generous. He
should have exempted all whom ne believed
deserved it, so that we might have been con-
s0ied under the disadvantage of not being
consdere1 eminent, by the reflection that We
were not considered unamiable II cannot he
considered as an excuse that the remarks
applied alone TO the guilty because. in a
partial way, it is said who are not guilty as
if he was aware, that by dividing the odium
among many, it would fall the lighter upon
individual shoulders.-He has left us, then.
the younger members Of the profession, to
share the weight of the charges for as well
might the Doctor alone expect to strike the
object he may wish to select among US, ex-
pressing himself as he has done, rs to shoot at
a flock CT birds, with the supposition that ne
is only to Kill the one leveiled at. The Doc
tors publications upon the subject Of tine Ep-
idemlc, would never have called forth cav re-
marks from me, as long as they were confin-
cd to that oblect--Upon the present occasion,
however, l will not omit 70 remark, that in
the limited practice enjoyed Nv myself, it has
pppc9red TO me, that if they have done good,
they haze done harm tOo--Fhey had the
effect o. eHci'ing alarm anong the people; &
also, of exciting tistrust 81 want Of confidence
10 other Physicians, who W r. silent upon the
So Jcct The last publication proves this
ne Doctor states that he prescribed for pa
tients whom he could not See Now. he
prescribed without seeing his patient. III an
acute ciseass ard ! appeal TO all Physicians
whether 1t is not a misplaced confidence IN
any Que, under such circumstances, when The
presence of another competent Physician
could be procu ed. For proof, thouzfi. that
tlese publications have been attended viii e.
vii, ] appeal to such as have been. eyan in
the most trivial way, indIsDose1 during the
winter, whethe~ they were not under the In .
huence OF needless and grievous alarm 10
announce TO the public the existence of an en-
idemic disease, has always been consider ed
an aet Of great responsibility. Popular fears