Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1856-11-15
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T6E EAED1CALEhUEESO1ON AND QUACkERY.
In all arts and sciences progress and
success are dependent, to a great ex-
tent, upon what is technically termed
the "profession." If the men who
devote themselves to the promotion of
any branch of science, or the practice
Of any art, are men Of education,
honor and integrity, and imbued with
the true spirit of their calling, the arts
and sciences to which they have de-
voted their. attention will be elevated
in public estimation, and exercise q
beneficial influence upon the social
interests Of the community. If they
be ignorant, unprincipled, and profit
gate, whatever may be the intrinsic
merits Of their profession, it must in
evitably suffer damage at their hands.
These principles apply with consid-
cradle emphasis to the medical profess
sion. 1t is amoog the most noble,
honorable, and useful of the profess
sions. 1t is highly encouraging to
find in our city, the metropolis that
must give tone and character to the
Northwest, that our medical men are
fully alive to their responsibilities, and
are putting forth strenuous efforts to
place themselves in right relation to
the public, SO as to guard against the
quackers always so prevalent in new
country. We have been led to pen a
few remarks upon this subject by
reading Of the Medical and Surgical
Journal, edited by Doctor N. S. Davis
and H. A. johnson. This publication
is well worthy the attention, not only
of the profession, but of eqery man
that is anxious to obtain sufficient
amount of knowledge of the art of
medicine to enable him to form pro-
per judgment as to the qualifications
of the practitioner he may call to his
aid.
! We are among the number that are
, of opinion that the law should inter
pose its authority to protect the COM
munity from the nostrums of unquali-
fed practitioners. If it be deemed
necessary to demand qualifications for
the bar--qualifcations tested by ex-
amination-it must certainly be ad-
mitted that the sacredness of life is
! of much more Importance than the
!; rights of property. re take proper
). ! diagnosis of disease, and to treat it
!, efficiently, requires clear perception
= and intimate knowledge of the various
functions of the animal economy, the
numerous maladies with which human
nature is afflicted, combined with a
thorough understanding of "materia
medical How in the name of COM
mon sense is a man to obtain knowl-
edge without long course of study
observation, and experience, conducted
T under the eye of practiced professors
and physicians? It is true, a man
may pick up smattering of knowl
edge by superficial course of study
but what will be the result? He vii
!, be ignorant of the inductive principles
Z, of reasoning, upon which the science
is based. He will never be able tt
:, take a comprehensive view of the symp
. toms Of a patient, so as to draw hi
conclusions as to the nature of diseast
). from sufficient number of certain
: facts. He will not be prepared totak,
fully into consideration thepeculiaritie
I. of constitution, temperament, climate
employment, and habits, and regulat
his treatment accordingly. All tha
ed he can do will be to deal in palliatives
He cannot strike at the root and re
move the effects by annihilating tn
". cause. He simply deals with symp
/. toms, and goes to his books and pre-
scribes accordingly. Being defectiv
in a proper medical education, he ha
ed M. resources within himself, no sell
s. reliance, and it is great mercy fo
the public when such a man has knowl
edge sufficient to teach him his ignC
rance, so as to induce little caution
IT 1t saves him from committing a gres
many murders.
e The profession of medicine is veile
in so much mystery that the uneduca
ed are led to regard it with kind
superstitious reverence and in IL
case of dangerous illness, if the
/ only can secure man that bears ii
}. name of doctor, they think that he
invested with mysterious power /
H,ll 'ins deal with disease, and give death
!, We marching orders, and deprive him, f
= the time being, of his prey. Whc
u the physician enters the family whe-
some loved object of affection is Ia
upon the bed of affliction, with VIII
intense. soicitude do the members
I'm that family watch his every movemer
read has eountenance, narrowly SCI
ling every look, analyze every word. !
.ions such times, the we'll educated man
calm, dignifed, and self-possessel. I
= has that discipline of1nind that enabl
him to conceal, in the greatest
s emerqflppia bic o,,rn +boT,-b+- =,