St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-04-30
Communications.
For the Intelligencer
Hygiene.

AA.SiNAt'
Under this head it is proposed to Of
fer few suggestions from time to
time upon the laws of Life and Health
and subjects relating to them--their
observance and the fruits of their vio-
lations; and, especially to the expo
sure of the frequent abuses and impo-
sitions practiced upon confding and
unsuspecting patients by some who
lay claim to the title Of Physicians.
That the Profession of Medicine is
high aud noble calling, Improperly un-
derstood and practiced, no one can
doubt. That it requires the highest
kind of physical, mental and moral
qualities, and those we'll cultivated, to
adorn the responsible if not sacred Of
fee of the Physician, and to benefit
suffering humanity to the greatest de-
gree possible, is equally certain. Of
the Profession in it's highest significa-
ton AS the guardian or CONSERVATION
of the Public Health-it has been we'll
remarked, that cit is worthy of the
attention Of a lifetime" Perhaps in
no calling in life does an individual
have greater or more frequent oppor.
tunities for doing acts of real benevo-
lence, of which he may well be proud,
but which arc mostly performed SO as
never to meet the public gaze, or even
the pnblic ear. This is particularly
true during the life time of every ply
stefan possessed of fair share Of
modesty AID real worth. TO herald
his own, and often his best actions
would be utterly repugnant to his
sense of propriety, and often destroy
the confidence of people of good sense
in his professional capacity. Unlike
many other callings, real ability, and
even professional success, may go long
unappreciated, and never give to the
individual the publicity which less
degree of talents would in the Clerical
or Legal professions.
Upon the closest scrutiny it will
commonly be found, in the Medical pro-
fession as in other occupations, that
those possessing the highest qualifica'
tions are modest and unassuming
while it is equally true that large
class of pseudo, hybrid OF selfstyled
Physicians depend more upon the
"game of brag," noisy pretension, sly
insinuation, working upon the fears
and the ignorance of their patients,
than upon real merit for success. Eve
ry day occurrences in nearly all COM
munities, force upon thinking minds
the sad and unwelcome truth, that if
the Profession Of Medicine is a noble
calling, that it is also awfully degra-
ded by some of its professed members.
Most persons will not be at loss to
point out such specimens, and while it
is not expected to make such "sce
themselves as others see them," they
can rest assured that they are already
marked by the virtuous and Intelligent
public, that their "sins of omission
and commission" will surely "ind them
ont" and that if forbearance ceases,
as it may, to be virtue, there are
those who will not shrink from apply
ing the scalpel to the public dissection
of all such subjects-though the game
is seldom worth the ammunition OK
cept to remove public imposition or
nuisance.
Attention to such cases, and "a brief
inquiry as to who are responsible for
this state of things, may call for a
separate chapter. MEDlcus.