The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-06-08

While III feeling. often engendered by jealousy
and misconceiYed sefnterest. is by far too preva.
lent among the Medical profession trust You VIII
bear me witness that many of the asperIues mere
tofore existing have rapidly disappeared since the
oroanizaIion OF this society and have given pace
10 mutual confidence and kindly co-operation the
lestirate result OF our friendly intercourse at these
IN view of what has already been accomplished
through the instrumentaty OF this society, are we
not prepared to renew our vows OF consecratlon,
at this our 4lh animal ql, raa tho Tnd Object we
had in view in It's organization Our oDJect Is py
no means selfish one-
the best interests society, intimately Connect
ed with the prosperity. happiness and weIoelnS OF
our part 10 fuly qualify ourselves for the delicate
and fearflly responsible duties of our profession
shoud be thoroughly ve-sed the various sciences
pertaining his profession, but those moral quail
tiles so essential TO the successful meoieai pfacu
toner should not be neglected
compensated as the faithful physician. OF necess-
ity a life Of servitude and pr1Vauon, whose oaiy
esses = and while tb. necuniary reward IS small
in comparison to the tolls. prlVatlons ana anxiety
endured: yet, nevertheless. how grand the s9H-
pensation, how rich the reward, none but they
who have been instrumental III renewing the phfs-
ica suffering Of mankind can form any IN con-
scioHsness of doing good IN anevlalng the aies
ed and unfortunate By far too oiten' seii-sa'siac
ton is our only recompense.
How can We best promote the interests OF our
profession. how best elevate the standard OF meoi-
cal requirements, are important questions ior US
The great obstacle to the progress of any science
is ignorance Superstition Is born OF lgnoi.ahce.
| With these two obstacles to progress. legitimate
medicine has ever had constant warfare and ever
must. Since man first had an existence, ne ns.s
been subiect 10 physical ailments and think it
fair TO presume that since he arrived at tnat condl
ton of mental Development whereby ne t form
Judgment, efforts have peen made 10 miugase hu-
man suffering, ,>oe,.o
science had thrown any light upon the physlolog1,
cal condition of the animal economy, there coulo
have been no rational method or system oi
All win readily admit that the human organ
ism whether in savage civilized state, Is suo
stantially the same subject to the same physical
laws, and amenable to the same remedial agents
Thar specific diseases affect both alike PAIN ana
suffsring being opposed to the comfort and enjoy
ment of man, reason would teacn MN 10 Hake
The various means employed since mans primi-
tive condition, in all ages to the present, Wouio
form most interesting history. anu yes Sor oon
ess that it might not be more surprising nor more
amusing the intelligent, thinking mind tnan
condensed history OF the means employed Tor lke
purposes even in this lnteilgent, cnrlsuan ahu u
ours in this the eve of the 18th century. 1t might
present sad, if not most amusing commentary
upon our boasled progress.
There might have been a time when there was
an apology for the wand of the magician, or the
incantati0ns of the juggler, supposed useful
means in the healing art Is there q reasonable
!. excuse for 1t to-day
dant light upon mans physical constitution, before
anatomy, chemistry and physiology had Demon
strated the material that compose the human OF
was some justification in using every ehort not
| criminal, with view to ward of disease and mlt
| gate human suffering, however strange and IRA
| tional it may appear to US.
We can see no good and sufficient reason why
| a large portion of men and women in this 1nteiiI
gent land OF ours are to-day the victims Oh the ma
gcian the juggler, the mere medical pretender and
unscrupuous charlltan, and yet, brethren, sucn Is
unfortunately true, in this and every community
with which we are acquainted
| have said that ignorance and superstition are
the great obstacles the progress of any science.
This peculiarly with reference to rational med
icine. 1t has had continual warfare with lgnor-
ance superstition, blind prejudice and the machin-
ations OF evil designing men, while Its slow Dut
sure progress has been attended by most brilliant
achievements, its conquests many and hard, thefe
has been sacrificed upon its altar many OF the most
eminent minds in the worlds history.
Notwithstanding all this, there exists to-day an
objectionable ignorance among the masses. in re-
gard to correct medical treatment
What is most surprisingly true is the fact that
large class of people who generally intelligent
| on other subjects the firm adherents. and sup
porters of the verriest quacks in our country. An
unWarrantable creduliIy leads Them 10 embrace the
marvellous and new, aud so blinds their Judgment
that whatever is offered as mysterious ana strange,
however false and injurious, is taken with an as
tonishing avidity 10 them 1t Is certain evidence
of progress.
ayocations of men are so diversified that while
physical culture is generally neglected that any
| system of education can be devised whereby each
person can become his own physician. If this
were even desirable, it would, from necessity, be
|
But it is ali important that there should exist
among the masses general intelligence that will
inspire confidence. and enable them to form correct
Judgment in matters pertaining to the laws Of
health and correct medical treatment.
The unpardonable ignorance that exists among
the American people, arises from our false system
of education. The American mind is becoming
in studies, Or in other words, finished educa-
ton. There seems to be a great desire to know
Of the dead past than IA tbe Of the Mvng
than the useful. Students in our schools and col
leges quite willing, and are often urged on by
rfcing health, comfort and happiness in violation
of every law of physical development, dementing
hardly realizing that they have brains, stomach,
lungs or liver much less the function of each in the
animal economy, and the proper means OF preserV-
The great study of man should be himself He
should be studied physically as well as morally
An intimate knowledge of himself would correct
the physical and moral degeneracy that is becom-
in Aithongh fearfuly and wonderfully made the hu-
man organism is not SO difficult and complex that
Ii cannot be understood.
l. One.half the time spent in acquiring knowl-
edge OF what is generally understood as ornamen-
tai studies tina. oen only m fenq 70 M is w0uld
life, true knowledge OF which is so essential TO
his well being.
would be considered vulgar and disrcputable to
introduce into our common schools the study OF
Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene. Instead Of
obeying the injunctIon know thyself,' strenu-
Gus efforts are made to know little of self as
tends to give the required information.
| The demands of our most perniciOus fashions
require a remouldlng OF the human BODY. Not
satisfied with the natural form, a depraved
mind and vtiated taste requires a change of
structure however prejudicial to health, COM
| The longe Jity of the American people is ma
terially lessened by yielding to the lmperious
i demands of fashion. The early decline of
| American women is almost wholly traceable to
vain and unseemly fashion. They yield most
willing obedience to its mandates, sacrificing
health, happiness and life, willing victims upon
The old adage AS well out of the world as
ont of fashion, has become to most American
women a yeritable living realty Gold heads,
with most excrutiating pain, are cheerfully en-
dured simply to be in style. Their little babe.
if unfortunately they have one, must be subject
/ ed to the same torture or it will be unfit for
fashionable society. The Hygienic demands
are nothing when compared with the require
ments of fashion. Unless these nefariOus prac-
tices SO common can be arrested, it requires no
prophet to toretel generation mel, % Of pig pigm%ies; %
of self-abuse cannot long be indulged in with
impunity. L firmly belleye that the present
abuse of female attire, is doing more to degen-
crate the race physically, mentally and moral
Iy than nearly all other causes combined. "A
large majority of chronic diseases of females
| are caused by their manner OF dress, and what
is true of women. is largely true OF children. =
is sure ere long to bring its certain reward OF
misery. What a most fearful responsibility
rests upon the mothers of our children.
mention these things here, because hold
| that it comes within the legitimate province OF
the medical practitioner, to aid In correcting
| these most pernicious evils. We are quite too apt
| 10 prescribe medicine to correct all the evils
flesh is heir to, when q little timely advice TO
, how the human body should be clothed, how
| supported by proper nourishment, would result
in most substantial benefits to our patients. The
fear of being called a fogy, deters too many OF
us from discnarging our whole duty as physi-
| clans.
I admit that it is much easier to float along
with the mass, than to stem the current of pub
!, lie opinion, by suggesting reforms, however
| conducive to health II they shall be regarded
| as innovations established customs. But
this does not relieve us from the responsibility
that attaches to us as medical advisers. We
| are or should be, the guardians OF the health OF
our patients and hence must be public educa-
tors in all things pertaining to the health and
| ply 1Or aid.
An intimate knowledge of mans capacity fol
| endurance n uhOrOu Oh