Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-07-17

this town yesterday, and proceeded to
organize the institution. 1t is under
stood that the bank will be put into i'm
mediate operation.
| FOR THE SPECTATOR.
| UNLICENSED DOCTORS, alias QUACKS.
| 1t is one of the severest curses TO a
new settlement that quacks of every de-
scription find refuge there, but none do
more mischief to society than the self
dubbed doctors, who in numerous herds
deal death and destruction in the shape
of pills, powders, tinctures, &c. In all
| the old and respectable states, the wis
dom of legislators has greatly prevented
these poisonous insects from spreading
their ravages among the inhabitants; in
many by SeUere penalties; in all by for
| .Jeiture Of services when the practitioner
cannot exhibit the diploma of respecta-
bic college, or the license of the medical
society In the state Of his residence
Very few are willing to incur the penal
ty, the forfeiture and the degradation, and
therefore when goaded by want, the raw
student--the illegal, irregular practition-
er--the rashly unqualified pretender,
takes up his lancet, some tartar-emetic
and calomel, and walks. He chooses
new settlement for the theatre of his ex-
ertions, because it is either wholly un-
provided with who lesome regulations for
the practice Of medicine, or, if the out
liz. of such exist, because public OPT
Mon has not yet given them steady and
decisive character. In the iatter case,
he studiously avoids stibjecting himself
to the inspection of "a medical association
by whom test of his qualifications, Ell
Their in examination or in credentials
may be required; and while he is coun-
tcnanced by the sratuitous title of doc
tor, and by calls to practice, he never
Willie is now ready to become the
pest of regular practitioners, the tool of
knaves, and the bane of society.
Conscious of his want OF professional
skill, and fearful of it's being fairly
known; willing, as his requirements cost
him little or nothing and are worth less,
to subsist on the slender pittance which
we'll educated and regular physicians
would despise, he seizes The opportunity
of creeping into part OF their practice
which Is afforded, when by the collection
of debts or fearless independence OF con-
duct, they have made enemies of dis
honest men or arrogant upstairs.
To the prejudices ofsuch he appeals
to the enmity of such he becomes tool,
and receives in return the commenda-
ton of smart and sktJui, from meh who
hardly know the meaning Of the terms;
who are incapable of estimating the DIFF
ference between the requirements of a
Rush and a jack-ass; nay, who even be-
lieve the commentator, TO be a falsehood
when they utter it, but are willing to lie
for their tool to injnre their enemy.
None of that manly intrepidity belongs
to the quack which characlcrizes the Ii
beral aighminded physician, who, sensi-
bic OF his professional worth, feels not
the fear of detection or invidious COM
parison; but crouching and fawning and
bending to the humors and whims of the
populace for the sake of a pitfal morsel,
is the picture ola professional pretender.
He scarcely whispers a hint Of crcden-
tials or respectable reference for fear that
they may be requested, but speaks loud
ly and confidently of bis skill to all who
are unqualified to Judge; he condemns
the practice of every respectable physi-
clan in every unfortunate case, and init
mates or boldly asserts, that if he had
been called the result would have been
different; he seizes ON every unfavora-
bic impression concerning general traits
IN the character or conduct of such men,
to detract from their professional merit
he sympathizes with their unwilling or
dishonest creditors when dec,aiming
against eXtortion or extravaganza in
charges, and o6ers his o7un SUPERIOR SER
Oices at AaLfthe regular trices--an in.
valuable evidence OF their worth, and OF
his character who offers them.
1t IS with characters of this kind that
the nominal villages ofthe north western
market are overstocked; and it is because
possessing such character that every
insignificant ycleped village can boast OF
having doctor.
1t few spectators wish to draw
county seat to some particular spot, they
can whistle up doctor as easily as doy
or oobler. The doctor is glad of the
chance for stopping; the Spectators
want the benefit of a professional name !;
no inquiries are made, and both parties
are tors short time satisfied, The pre-