The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-06-18

physician is the noblest work of God. Med
icine offers more temptations than any 9TH
er profession or calling, to 'imposture, to
quackery, to snobbishness; in a word, to
dishonesty. He who resists all these temp.
tations is an honest and conscientious man.
To the great public, medicine is sealed
book, an unsolved problem; yet medicine
concerns the highest interests of humanity.
The Father of Lies uttered an incontrovert-
ible truth when he said, "yea, all that man
hath he will give for his life.n Because the
people are ignorant in regard to medicine
they are superstilious in their estimate of
its powers; they are superstitious in their
estimate of the qualifications of its practi-
TONERS; they follow the dictates of com.
mon sense in regard 10 every other interest;
they judge well of the best blacksmith, the
best builder, the best steamboat pilot, the
best engineer. They know how to Judge
accurately in regard to commercial and po-
litical interests. They even show remarka-
BILE acumen in the discussion of me,aphys-
les; but OF medical men and medical sci
ence they are mainly ignorant. Men learn
ed in all things else, are fools in medicine.
Men 10 whom all things else in heaven and
on earth appear familiar, seem but babes
in the knowledge ofmedical men and things.
Hence, the eminent jurist, the successful
merchant, the distinguished politician, the
eloquent divine, employ as their physician
the ignorant and designing quack: they
have an idea that some persons are born to
be doctors-that medical skill is an inspira-
ton rather than the result of patient obser-
vation and profound study-a gift rather
than the acquisition of labor and thought.
The people are profoundly ignorant of
medical science; hence, the ignorant pre-
tender successfully competes with the hon
est man of sciences for their patronage and
favor. With them medicine is sort of the
ology wrapt in mystery beyond the reach
of the intellectual grasp. Man is creature
of hope-he never dies. The post.mortem
dream succeeds the day dream of life, and
even when he is in his grave he hardly re-
alizes that he is dead at last. He still hspes
on. Life on earth, with It's refreshing air
and its bright suns, and stars, and flowers,
and friends, is sweet, very sweet He die !!
no; he will yet live-there are so many
medicines-so many doctors There is yet
a remedy. Was not such an one, just with
the same disease, cured by such a doctor,
or such nostruma Why should he not be
cured as we'll as others? The ignorance
and the hope of mankind-thess are the two
great facts on which the vultures of charla-
tanry have feasted and fattened. These are
the foundations on which have arisen the
ducal palaces of therapeutical knaves.
pass over the Townsends, the Moffats, the
Perkinses, and such like-nothing better
was expected Of them. pass by homeo-
palhy, and hydropathy-some of the follow
ers of these isms may even he honest |
come directly TO the regular old school, and
ask myself, are we guitless? Can we say
to suffering humanity, ''shake not thy grey
locks at us, for we have always acted in
good faith" Alas, l fear that we are not by
any means Immaculate. "It is easier for
camel to pass through the eye of needle
than for rich man TO enter the kingdom of
heaven" l hope that honest doctors will
not be found so rare as rich saints. doubt
not that many may be found but the igno-
rance, and the hope of the afflicted-their
prejudices and their whims, and the natural
cupidity of man, are strong temptations to
imposture. Why not give the patient lit.
tie medicines He thinks that he needs it.
If do not prescribe drug, he will apply
to another. will prescribe medieina men;
lis, medicine for the mind. Why not use
the speculum vagina? The patient has
heard of it, and thinks her case calls for
that very instrument. I will use it every
three days: it will do no harm, and its fire.
quent use will justify large fee. Though
can see only the os uteri, she will believe
that understand all the mysteries of her
disease, when have 'looked through the
speculum." The patient has chronic and
acute dysentery--it will inspire him with a
remarkable degree of confidence if the phys
ician employ the speculum ami. He is dull
of hearing-perhaps has been deaf for a
iquarter of century-have at him twice q