The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-01-14

SOME THE DUTIES OF PHysIcIANs.-Section LIST, Of
Art Chapter III, o. the Code Of Ethics Of the Ameri
| can Medical Association, reads as follows:
"As good citizens 1t Is the duty Of physicians to be
viglan for the welfare Of the community and to
bear their part in sustaining its institutions and bur-
dens; they should also be ready to give counsel
to the public in relation to matters especially apper-
tanning to their profession, subjects Of medical
police public HYGIENE and legal medicine. It is their
province to enlighten the public in regrd to quaran-
tine regulationsthe location, arrangement, and d.
etaries of hospitals asylums schools and similar in
stuons lin relation to the medical police Of towns,
drainage ventilation, &c.-and in regard to
ures for the prevention of epidemic and contagious
Diseases and when pestilence prevails 1t is their duty
face the danger and to connne their abors for the
alienation of the suffering, at the jeopardy of
| their own lives" RI. a.f
Prof Chas D. Meigs, Of the jefferson Medical Col
lege in Letters to his class, says: eff could give
the best piece of advice in my power, think should
give you this advce namely In all your dealings with
mankind as physicians, and in all your lifedoings,
strive, rst increase the boundaries of your knowl.
edge; and, second strive to make that knowledge
vulgar, popular possible" Wherever you place
yourself be to have conceament, no mystery,
pretence; but endeavor in the cearest manner not
to assert but to show your claims superior powers
in that great unitarian avocation of curing the sick
and wounded. That which you do know, would have
you conscious of knowing that you may be enabled
to speak with due boldness and decision all proper
occasions. modern physician is or ought to be, a
modern gentleman or man ofhonor and such, above
all false pretences-open, candid, and manly"
Such the teachings of high medical authorities;
in the spirit Of which, the physician should give his pa
ent "a reasonable and plain statement Of the facts
Of his case the probabilities to its course, Duration
and end; with enumeration of the safest, most
venient, and certain processes of cure" and he will
probably gain the confidence Of patients and friends
He should give the benefit Of his knowledge counsel
advice matters regarding the public health to those
in authority especially, II called on to do emay
in the same spirit, communicate through the public
press, matters ofimpotance to the public health in
regard to measures for the prevention of contagious
diseases. To such communications it is but honorable
and manly that he should sign his name in fun that
the public may know who is responsible for what is
therein stated or maintained
The above quotations and remarks made because
several communications have appeared of late in this
paper, fictitious signatures, evidently with the
design of crtcising my professional conduct touching
matters above referred to; and making nsinuations
and differences in regard to my motives, as void OF
truth as they are of sense and honor. When man
only sordid and selfish motives in Others It is
generally safe to conclude that he is very much gov
erned by similar motives himself Littleness and petty
Jealousy have stuck out" very plainly in the COM
muneations referred to, and it is to be hoped that
when the author writes again, he will do so over his
own proper name, that innocent persons will not
liable to be suspected of having lowered themselves
| Ottumwa, Jan. 10, 1858. L. d. MORSE.