The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-02-04
BELMONT Co, Jan. 9th. lS53

| Mr. HowARD-Sir:-The nature of DR..
EsTEP's communication" in your paper of
last week, renders some notice of it, on nv
part unvoidable. If he had distinctly declined
to accept my proposition, and then frankly
and maniully refused to accede to my terms
in accepting his, Germs the perfect fairness
of which no impartial man can denvA
should have claimed no farther indulgence.
Leaving community" to 'judge" the whole
matter, should, at least, have admired his
tardy discretion. But after declining nv
"challenge," giving reason that he would
not "spend time for naught," he in turn made
proposition, fixing the premium,-statng
the test,-and declaring his readiness for the
trlal,-"provided we can come to TERMS" His
proposition ] accepted on the broadest and
fullest of all "terms." l agreed to any
premium he might wish, and to "ANY test"
that "dny impartial committee of Judges"
might require. What more could any
honorable man ask! We shall see in due
time. But in his last letter the Dr., while
"backing out' from his own proposition,
which had accepted on the fairest possible
"terms,' attempts to stigmatize Mr.. Dawson,
and then, with an effrontery which is often
the best resort--the fororn hope-of de-
sperate cause endeavors to throw on me the
charge of changing "position," and then to
force "the matter to a close'' of his own
dictaton from. first to last, and underjudges of
his own choosing. Of such course | will
not write down any word that would be
descriptive. In the Doctors own language
-"Of this community may judge"
81 thank thee, -, for teaching me that
word.'
But it is not only as to the main question
at issue that the Doctor has changed his "po.
stion." A strange revolution has happened
among his ideas as to what constitutes
propriety. He is seized with a sudden par
oxysm of speechcss dignity. He says, 81
shall reply to but few of his remarks. His
criticisms and personal insinuatons | shall
pass with SILENT CONTEMPT" To the first
promise of not replying to what I said he
wisely adheres. So much so, that it is quite
discoverable even without the aid of his pre-
vious declaration. But for the author of the
Loydsville letter Of "Dec. llth" suddenly
to affect the dignfied to get up SILENT
for anything for which he had any
other answer, is certainly an idea infinitely,
brilliantly, ridiculous. Then, my little note
Of some dozen lines called down volleys,
torrents, of scurrilty and supposed sarcasm.
Not even content with this, not satisfied to
speak as we plain farmers could easily un-
ierstand, he threatened me, in technical
orgon, with the terrors of anatomy, as nurses
sometimes frighten children by threatening
that "the Doctor shall bleed" them.
A 'bloody dissector, worse than Mon
rocs;
They hack to teach, he mangles 10 erpose,'1
rhe Doctor cruelty bung up before my ,ac-
righted eyes all the dread implements of
surgical torture. All! as he says of some-
hing else, 'this was, to say the least, vero
lnkiad," 1t was positively cruel. Naturally
lined as to surgical operations my terrified
ancy saw fearful visions by day, & in NV
roken "sleep what dreams did come" of
- Of - savage-looking set of knives
nd saws displayed to the awestruck people
I our Co. FAIR, as a part of DR.. Estep's
rmory of torture. Is 1t strange that | was
omewhat nervous! This was at first. But
fter, witnessing one operation, as l have
card it said, it is often the case with
luucutsb p'c" uioie dHu "m0fOld"
uriosity seized me to witness another.
udge of my disappointment in reading the
'octor's last letter to find that he had aban.
oned his profession. That bis scalpel ain
GLORIOUS ease" and that his brilliant class.
I'm 1nstrations are no more to be listened to
admiring hearers. am the more dis.
,poiuted, as have been induslrouslv
udying the " Domestic Medicine" of even
gs, in order that might be able to COM
ehend what he should say. But he ha.
utterly abandoned his former professional
vie that | almost hesitate to call him 'doctor.s
asst it should revive unpleasant associations.
he is still in practice shall conclude that
considers the last patient Isent not to be-