The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-28
roo MUCH DocroRIsa.
tho Hiiseries and Dangers Of nm Ua.
employed Life.

employed Life.
MON Raipds Weakly.
Every candid physician Of large pri.
vhte practice will confess that nine.
tenths OF the cases 10 which he II called
to ndminlster are such as REQUIRE
neither the advice OF the doctor nor the
use Of drug. Most ofsuch voluntary
patients, eager 10 display their tongues
10 the inspection and 10 submit their
pulses to the tltillRtlon OF the faShion-
able Sangrado Of town or village, and
70 reveal 70 him the mysteries OF their
digestion and other functions, are wo.
men. OF these there are many, doubt
leAs, who are afflicted with what NAV
be considered real malady-hypo.
chondriA. Such believe themselves 10
be Ill, and In fact are SO, and REQ qulre,
u not q doctor or drug, both physical
and moral treatment. lE
There are many more, however, who
know that they are well, and yot pre-
tend 10 be Ill. II seems strange that
any one should be 30 fond or being
drenched with draughts and scorched
with bliRterB as to eject disease that
does not exist. A celebrated divine, in
making an eloquent appeal in behalf
ofa city dIspensary, assured hiB listen.
ers that they might bestow their money
without fear Of lis being wasted upon
imposters, Tor where, he asked, could
you find q human being who would lie
for taste OF castor.oil or the sensation
OF an active dose OF EPSON saltsP
Such impoaters probably are not fire.
quent among, the poor who are forced
70 resort to the unsophlsticated drug
cling and rude handling OF the Dlspen-
sary doctor. They abound, however,
among the rich and delicate females
who compose the larger portion Of
the patients OF the sympathetic phyBl-
clan OF fashion. : =.
The fact, astounding as 1t may an.
pear, 10 no less q fact, and confirmed by
the writings and experience OF the most
intelligent medical observers. There
Is one remarkable case OF undoubted
authenticacy, recorded by a famous
physician Of Dublin. A young girl be-
longing to family OF wealth and dis
tinction complained of a pain In her
elbow. Medical counsel was sought,
and medical advice given. Treatment
Of the severest kind was submitted to
year after year, without apparent re.
suit, until finally physicians and sur
geons, finding that they could not cure
the arm, determined to get rid OF II BY
cutting It oil. Amputation was per.
formed, and then upon dissection ofthe
limb the secret was discovered. The
elbow was stuck full as a pIn.cushion
with pins. The young girl, for no 9TH
er motive than TO put herself In the in.
teresting position Of sick patient, and
thus to awaken the sympathy OF her
family and friends, had for years tor
tured herself, and finally submitted
TO the agony of mutilation.
II Is seldom, perhaps, that such heroic
examples OF imposition are found, but
the same morbid desire Of sympathy
Is filling every where the lists Of the
doctors with patients and their pockets
with fees. Spinisters and young Wild
ows form by far the most numerous
portion Of these cases. Tho former,
either from want of personal charms
or some other obvious cause, despair.
ing, and the latter by accident being
suddenly bereft OF that great source of
human sympathy, marriage, are ant 10
seek what they desire elsewhere, This
desire for sympathy, like all other de.
sires, when not gratlhed naturally. be.
comes excessive as well as peryerse In
It's manifestation; and one or the most
frequent forms 1t assumes is the atfeota-
tlon OF disease, for no other purpose
than TO obtain the visit Of the good
looking and favotite doctor, to provoke
his tdctttS eTrnditiIS-his ''skilled touchV
and to awaken the interest that The
sick never fail TO do among friends and
acquaintances. The obvious -conRe.
quences are, the useless expenditure of
u great deal OF money, and much unne-
cessary Inconvenience TO every one
brought into relation with the pretend.
ed patient. More serious results NAV
follow, and indeed have followed, This
yielding TO morbid desire for sympa.
thy Is in itself moral debauchery.
which unstrlngs the nerves and units
the female mind for every duty In life.
A woman thus places herself more.
over at the mercy Of the first unprin.
clpled medical attendant she NAV call
10 act as u confederate In her llnpos.
ture.
The causes OF the evil are easily
traced TO the senseless training OF wo-
men. Their superficial education de.
prives them OF those resources which
alone can supply the serious interests,
mental, moral, and physical, which dl.
vert from unhealthy sentiment and
lead to iudlcious views and right con-
duct OF life. Girls are brought up with
too exclusive view to the mere act of
matrimony, without regard To the
performance OF Its duties, The prac.
lices Of fashionable life, too, seem
to be established for no other purpose
than to bring the two sexes In close
proximity for pairing. Balls and par.
ties, 1t Is well known, are the matrimo.
nial markets OF fashion. II u health.
ful tone were given to female emotion
by more substantial education and
less free indulgence in social excite.
ment, there would be no such morbid
desire for sympathy, and the physician
would not be called in until his pres.
ence was absolutely necessary. Then,
with less Of the doctor, there would not
beso great reason TO complain OF "Too
much Doctorlng." tI