Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-10-21

This society adjourned Thursday after
noon after a pleasant session Of two days
The papers and discussions were valuable,
and some Of them were especially useful con
tributions to medical science. There is,
perhaps no class Of professional men who
have 50 little social and professional inter
course and TO whom comparison Of ideas,
experience and practice is SO beneficial.
This society meets a necessity Of the pro-
fcssion in very important particular, and
It's tendency will constantly be toward a
higher professional culture and attainment.
The standard of skill and eminence in the
medical fraternity is rapidly advancing. and
Il is partly owing to these societies that this
is so.
We have a good deal Of faith in doctors,
especially in well-read, scientific, and
withal, practical and humane man, whose
presence in a sick chamber brings both help
and sunshine The family physician, with
his hopeful and earnest look, with his ready
adaptation Of skillful means, with his brave
self-reliance shaded 10y his dependence on a
higher power, is one Of the most welcome of
guests in our houses. lie comes oftcnest
when we want to see him most, and he is
associated with the hours Of our dependence
aud trial and necessity
The people. generally, do not think much
of systems Of practice, but a good deal Of
physicians. They donot believe in alopathy
or homeopathy or hydropathy, but in the intel
ligent capable and sympathetic physicians,
whose medicines are equal to the occasion,
and whose words are equal to their medicines.
They like physicians rather than systems,
the concrete man rather than the abstract
science. Medical association develops in
physicians the qualities which win the con
fidence Of patients. They help him to sci
entifo culture and to social JopLommic, both
admirable in a doctor.
We wish it were possible to make dis
tinction so wide that people would see it, be-
tween a well-bred physician who practices
conscientiously and humauey. and an i'll
bred quack, who practices for money, and
has no respect for his work.
1t is the abomination y the day that so
many charlatans put on the garb Of the
healing art and cheat the people out Of
their money and their health, and their lives
too, by their proffers Of help and remedy in
their times of trouble and necessity. I'M
pertinent intruders into our communities,
they are listened to for a moment only be-
cause they assume TO bring men aid in
their direst need. They have no qualification
for tho hinh oT;es chg undertake. Ihey
are utterly ignorant Of anatomy, physiology
and the maierid medical They rely for sue
cess on impudence and charlatanry. They
play with the hopes and fears of ignorant
people, and deceive them to their own undo
ing. They care only for their wages, and
never for their work and as Ruskin says of
all such men, they are the DEVILS work
men, Society should be protected by law
from such invaders Of the lives and health
of the people.
They are worse than any disease they pre-
tend to cure, and infict upon the bodies Of
men worse evils than they remedy. They
destroy more lives than the small pox, and
are themselves, the acrid pustules of the so
cial body. Why should not law protect ig-
norance and simplicity in the people from
such ravaging pest as quack medicines and
quack doctors? We admit no right of sui
eide, and why should we allow men to en-
ploy mere medical pretenders to ruin their
health, or kill outright their bodies? Is it
one of the inalienable rights of the Ameri-
can freeman to die by the hand of a medical
charlatan, who intermediates with the deli
cate and sensitive functions of living hui
man body, about which he knows nothing at
all2 Is it a privilege Of liberty to cultivate
asps and rattlesnakes in a community? For
theirpoison, unscientifically dealt, is no more
certain TO kill, than the unscientifc, uncon-
scientious practice of those outhangers on the
medical profession, who have no local habit
alton and name. They are the peripatetiC
vagabonds Of an art which they do not pos
sess, coming into our communities to stay
only long enough to secure the money OF
their dupes, but never long enough to effect
their cue. Society ought to be clear of them
We were glad to see that the Medical So
ciety received so cordially to its membership
Miss DIR. Calender, of Middlebury. She i
a graduate of the New England Medca
College, was Professor of Medicine in Noun
lIolyoke Seminary, for four years then in
vited 10 the medical care of Vassar College
but for personal reasons, returned to he
home in Mddlebury, where she is now en-
gagged in the active duties of her profession
She is lady of fine appearance, of great in
telligence, of varied culture, of easy grac
and dignity, and has already won laurels il
her chosen vocation. We give honor to tn
society that makes no other distinction il it
membership than that which arises iron
professional culture and excellence.