The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-08-18
NO sICKNFsS m RICHMOND.

From the numerous rnmofs pun s1so C'io1
lat.sn shrou ghout the country. pylgnorsnt
.,.rm;.,. 81 interested parties. i = the COM
mon \. lief abroad that Richmond is infected
v;th mueh disease, and that It 10 somewhat
r;stv to come here. We have been inform
al hv !. medical fIiend-a practifioner. OF !
,h;. CITY and native--that ne sss MADE y .
!, .,ter If business to ascertain the trne state
cf the public health ut this time lie mas
been informed by his brother physicians
doing the largest practice, that they have
rarely ever known SO few people sick at any
season of the year as there are at present.
Our friend went to the principal druggists
and examined their file of prescriptions
The principal prescription house. one which
supplies chiefly large and populous district
of the city, had put up sixteen the day be-
fore. Three other large prescription houses
had averaged four each on the same day.
Their ordinary average is above twenty,
There is no more conclusive evidence OF
the utter want of foundation for the injurious
and stupid rumors about the sickness OF
Richmond than such as we have given.
!. gsee 3 g PHYSICIANS. =
We have always thought that about the
last profession which man could choose for
ease and social enjoyment is that of ply
stefan. Even, in ordinary times, if physicians
have much practice, they have no rest day
nor night. But, in periods of ,pestilence'
their exertions are superhuman. Whst hero
ism displayed on the battle field ever sur
| passed, or equalled that of this noble pro-
fession. in it's conflicts with the plague, the
yellow fever, and the cholera? The soldier
who marches up to q battery, is inspired by
the companionship and common ardor Of .
mighty host, is surrounded by the pomp and
circumstance of war, and has the eyes OF Q
world fixed admiringly on his progress. i
Is the stern province of the physician, soli'
tary and uucheered by popular applause, to
grapple with the pestilence that walketh in
darkness and the sickness that destroyeth in
MONDAY. They have no trumpet blast to
cheer them on, no worldly enthusiasm to
excite them, but calmly and fercely, they
come in close contact with death from day
to day and hour to hour, and never shrink
from the peril. 1t is absurd and ungenerous
to say that these men receive pecunjary
reward and therefore deserve no particular
credit for their courage. Are not the soldier
and the ,ilor also paid for their services !?
Did not Wellington and Nelson receive gold
as we'll as gloryl Certainly they did, but
that did not prevent them from deserving
the renown of heroism. The truth is, how
ever, that physicians, unlike all other pro-
LESSONS, often labor for nothing, especially
in times of pestilence, iu which the greatest
| number of victims are often those who are
unable to offer their medical attendant any
earthly reward. But this produces no relax
alton of the attentions and vigilance of these
courageous, compassionate and devoted men.
| They enter without hesitation an atmosphere
| reekiDg with death, be the patient poor as
Lazarus or rich as Cresus, that they may
achieve victory for humanity and science.
They have ties binding them to the world
as strong as those Of other men; they have
dearly loved wives and darling children.
whose happiness is dependent on the preser.
walton of an existence hourly exposed to the
arrows OF the destroyer; yet they permit no
obligation to interfere with the duty imposed
by their profession. They fulfil in letter and
Ia spirit every jot and little of their profess
sional obligations and often, alas perish
martyr-like, in the performance of their duty.
A physician no more thinks of leaving his
post in the hour of pestilence, than a soldier
OF deserving the camp on the eve of battle.
Whilst children of small and larger
growth run frantic after the plumed popinn.
jays of war, let justice be done to class of
men superior to mere warriors even 10 hero
ISM and whose noble and almost divine
mission it is to heal instead of harm, to save
life instead of taking it, to scatter around
them the roses of health and sunshine of hap.
piness, instead of the thorns of bereavement
and the red glare that lights the battle field
with reflection of the blazing gulf of per.
dition.
VIRGINIA CENTRAL RAILROAD
This grand State Improvement is now com