Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-10-28
AN AMHERST DEMOCRAT.
ia he Editors ofihs Lnnnirer

Genlemen-ln The Enquirer of the s9h Sep
TENDER, read with considerable satisfaction, the
remarks Of CELSIUS" Long since, made an ei-
fort 10 call the attention of The medical profession
TO the subject embraced in The short remarks OF
'Celsus and rejoice thai the profession is now
likely TO see the importance Of making an
effort 10 place her sons in more elevated altitude
in the State Of Virginia.
While highly approve OF The call thus made
for Medical Convention OF The physicians
throughout Virginia, 10 assemble in Richmond
some time in November" yet think many
subjects should claim their attention, far mJre I'M
porlant than the tariff Of fees, &c.-l AIN in favor
of raising the medical standard, and would be
for the passage of a law requiring every MEN,
Der OF The medical profession 10 undergo an e5-
animation once in five years by a medical board
10 be established by law, in each Senatorial
district Of The State. ] think il important, also,
that we should have all our fees regulated by act
of Assembly; and that some law prohbiory of
charatanism, should be passed for our benefit.
These suggestions have long since operated on
my mind, from having often 10 consult with breh-
rem, whose age in The practice has iettered them
down TO the dosmas Of olden times, and who
have not kept pace with the great Improvements
Of the age in which we live: indeed, YOU will
find many OF Them SO welded 10 the peculiar lheo-
ries taught in The days Of their youth, that they
practise from an Old routine system. and follow
out errors which must ever attend blind devotees
OF Nosoogy. "Namea are nothing in disease
symptoms every thing" and until this principle
is fully recognized by my medical brethren. We
Shall not have that "honor which is our DUE" /
have not thought it a matter of much importance
10 effect The object Of "Celsus," or any other
friend Of the profession, that fees should be 50
much matter OF consideration, because The man
who employs a physician, must be well acquaint.
ed with The many hardships his physician has 10
encounter, especially in the country he rides at
night through rain and snow, the severity OF cold
winter and The still more Distressing heal OF July,
August and September. Added 10 these form
dable sources OF distress, he has often 10 ride all
dav without food, and very often 10 watch all night
at The bed side; lie has (if man really intending
the good OF the community in which he lives) 10
purchase annually The late works on medicine
and The collateral sciences, and 10 lake medical
periodicals; these things require money.
In 1920, commenced The practice OF medicine,
and have never, in all that time, found leisure
10 visit my old Alma Mater The University OF
Pennsylvania. find on my diploma, the names
OF physick, Chapman, James Coke, Gibson and
Hare, together with President Bcaziey and Vice
Presiden, K. NJ. Patterson. Dorsey-Ihe elegant
Dorsey-died the first year OF M medical alien
dance in Philadelphia. He had been but recent
" elevated 10 the ProfessoIship Of Anatomy, va
cant by The death Of the lamcnled Wistar; over
anxious 10 make an impression in his INTRODUCED
~, he applied himself TO much study; The night
before the delivery Of this Introductory his fire
went down, while busily engaged in writing, and
il was supposed he took cold, in the severe win
ter OF 1918. would not tell you, Messrs. Edi
tors, of The many hard.hips wepoor sons Of Es-
culapius have to encounter in this lower part of
Virginia, for my narrative would fill up your en-
tire paper suffice il 10 say, that we ride all night
fight mosquitoes often drink bad water, annually
have bilious fever, and 10 the cod winters are
seldom lei of without peurisy-and all Ibis
waste OF youth and constitution IS ccompensed
but poorly indeed.
| wish TO have better understanding with my
medical brethren, and therefore hope The assem-
blage OF the Faculty at Richmond may be very
general; let all Doctors of Medicine consider
themselves as delegates, and, as Solomon pro-
noubccd that there was wisdom in the multitude,
so hope it will be with Us.
have recently seen table OF the relative ages
and it reads thus:
"Of 1000 members OF The medical profession,
GOO died before their siyty-sccond yea; whilst Of
persons leading quiet life, such as agricultural
lists or lheolosians, the mortality is only al
II we take 100 individuals of each oflhese class
es, d3 theoogians, 40 agriculuralists, IS clerks
and 30 soldiers will reach their seventeen year;
of 100 professors Of the healing art, d only reach
that age. Physicians are The sign posts OF health
they show the road TO old age, but rarely tread
it themselves" These remarks | have taken
from DR.. Gaspsr's Table OF Morality, published
in the British Revew-and will now ask, for all
our losses o! comfort and absence from our lami-
lies, often under ncculiar circumstances. should
not our dear old Stale pass some laws for our be-
nefll She taxes our profession. and, at the same
time, gives us nolthe covering Of her Mantle. |,
in conclusion, extend to CELSIUS my warm greet
ings and wish his proposed plan overlooking
success GALEN
P.S. would prefer The Convention TO meet
the | lth OF December