New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-26
What is Medical Reforms

~ "s< koitoT 81 Ih< ~. n. Irtt4rB<:
SIR have observed lately two communi-
cations in The Tyssae relating TO medicine one under
the head Of Modern Practice Of Medicine the other
Medical Reform" am always glad 70 see medical
fubtects discussed in newspapers. but every party
should have tts champion, else the contest IL
quail, and likely enough to lead popular error rather
than public good
II h not my intention 10 appear as champion Of our
proiesson but would say few words Of il. prinei-
pes, and defend them far possible from the
attacks by which they be sorely beset By men
who fad somehow 20 make them serve their purpose.
The " manifesto" purpors 20 be from quarry e1u-
essed medical men TnH may be, but they mus, have
sadly wandered from regular since for
spectacle party would belle honorable profession.
In the fret place the quotations from the sayings Of
neDt aufbors are not gwen Ia Their literal sense and Il
best the trek Of giving three or four lines from an
thoft writings " prove al else be msy have sat or
done 70 be wrong H. b say the least oft very shabby
one. james Johnson did believe that more evil was
done with medicine, than good, and 90 do many mem
bers OF profession but this i'm plies necessity
for ply sicsns, and intended Argument
against them. The profession give u-h ess medicine
than the people take Of their own accord 20 we leave
THE head.
"Erssmus" sadly misrepresents E.culspias and his
descendants in saying that they only prescribed for
wounds and epdernca diseases" No fact in history
better known than that number Of temples ded-
icsted 70 Ksculspus, among which those Of Cos. Of
CBidOs and II Rhodes the most celebraset Care
taken that these temples were situstet IN healthy
places and they were made not only schools Of me1i-
cnes but hoe pitas where patents and sub
jecied TO strict rules o; cleanliness diet and other
ssry for the restoration Of those suffer from
chrome disesses. Each remarkable Of disease
recorded tsbles for that purpose with the remedies
used In the treatment
The man IL most truly to be pted Who, wishing 20
rase charges against the medical profession, il obliged
% 20 back thou and year. D. rake up bundle
Of sbsuTdiies, when II requires but small compliment
OF brains ard not more than half eye % discover
good many ggs full going about NewYork.
We with your correspondent would hurry up those
"souhd prime ples that will enable every proceed
with safety Ia the treatment Of his ailmeDts.' the
world has been promised al this greot many times
since the days of those ancient authorities he 80
literally quoted az examples Of the medical profession
OF the present day.
This question q Health, is most important one for
the consideration Of leading minds at the present tune
sDd there is class who feel deeply interested IN
the public good than physicians Notwithstanding the
selfshness imputed TO them. Degeneracy has become
the law Of civil hte where developed instead
Of brsDs and were 1t that inellects IN like
produce from the country which seems 20 be essen
tia tor the growth OF the a. the other should
soon be destitute OF the main element Of great people
The great cry Is Tor reform yet almost every one
offers IN opinion ~ 10 Whist would constitute reform
in medicine Here is ours: Let the people paw some
little attention the laws OF life part Of education,
snd let the doctors do the practice among the sick.
This would be reform calculated 10 deter dests call
70 later day In many instance and make doctors less
numerous, which have no doubt would be a great
consolaton TO many middlng good people who
crying out against them all the time
II often affords small degree Of Amusement 10 the
physician when called into the presence OF IN ,se people
ss he Is very to be when grows serious to
Observe the manner in which he u regHrded-hrst
through the spectaCes, and then with them Of-un'n
finally, vent will be given to an expression OF surprise
that he does not appear In the shape OF an enormous
eech, and fix AZ once upon blood vessel instead OF
man, and a very humane one ~ that The medical
profession constantly charged with the neglect 10
provide for the intelligence OF the public, and there
occasion for IL but we must remember that few
interest themselves much in the matter of health,
until they find declining, and then they ask TOO much
they require g know how 10 cure themselves. The
most the worlds people can dG-as they cay from the
church-is TO provide against the causes Of sickness
and while this Is shanefully neglected Is IL not
absurd 10 require that which only De learned after
wards, OF any rse3 Think Of the thousand monstrous
abuses about NewYoTk dat foster disease aud death,
vet passed by the other side with the hope ~
being individually escaped, entirely unheeded The
evils which we would avert are not 90 much In the
principles Of medical practice, Ia the violations Of
natural laws in habits OF life and the want Of properly
enforced sanitory laws.
The unihinking public do not sufficiently regard these
causes of disease for the that they not pro-
PEI Nv appreciated understood There is great and
good work be done in this field, and earnestly feel
desire to aid H. and that end have ventured upon
the appropriation OF tune and money in the effort 20
establish monthly psper for the people through which,
with very moderate encouragement, vast amount OF
useful intelligence may be commune sed in year, aud
II ia for the pubic to decide whether desires OF not
The risk 10 individuals IL but dollar year in the
amount of good they may get out OF H. while mine IA for
hundreds know no better test than THE of the sin
certify ofthe appeal frequently made, give " light
TINT we may see" C. ID GRIswoLD, NJ. d.