The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-04-23
DOCTORS.
a witty Defense of the Profession.

A Witty Defense of tG,e Pre- fession.
Prof n. r. Smith, the famous surgeon
and physician, lectured on Doctors a
few days ago, at the Masonic Temple in
Baltimore. Wequote as follows from the
Suns report:
being introduced by Mr. w. II. Sad
! ler the Professor said be needed no intro
duction, as he knew those present, or was
known to them, if not professionally, as a
| semi-centenarian citizen Of Baltimore.
/ He was not present to traduce that pro
| fession, so many of whose members he
! himself had taught; for in 50 doing, he
would traiuce himself His friend, Gov.
Pratt, had asked him, some time ago, if
doctors at large did not do more harm
than good and he had replied that, tax
ing the legitimate members, they did not;
! but if quacks in and out of the profession,
and patent medicine were included, he
must answer in the affirmative. 1t WAS the
same with religion; no one viii deny
! that the Christian faith is productive Of
good, but take all beliefs and the result is
! bad.
There Is empiricism IN every profes-
sion; there is much of il in religion, and
very much in the law; but not so much in
medicine as in law, because there Is less
chance for humbug. Laughter. There
is no profession 50 much malignei as the
medical profession If doctor is put on
thestage, he Is invariably made ridiculous,
and even children are taught to dread
doctors. Ma says, BE u good boy,
Willie, or / viii send for the doctor, and
Willie IS afraid, as he knows the doctor
will come for fee. Laughter He
told an incident where q boy bad an
abscess, and when Prof. Smith was men
toned the boy slid he would not have
him.
Something had to be done which was
not, according to moral principles, nee
essary. He (the Professor was intro
duced rs 'Uncle John. Of California,
and talked with the boy about his disease.
The surrounding parts had t. be shaved
of hair, and the boy wanted h do it him
self While he was doing it the Profes
sor said he was working awkwardly, and
asked the boy TO let him have the razor ?
The boy did SO cheerfulIy, and in an in
slant the abscess was opened. but the boy
cried out, "You devil you're not I'm
Gle John; your names Smilh." Laugh
ter
Great men. as we'll rs small maligne1
doctors. Napoleon did not like doctors.
but favored certain surgeon This III
consistency was plain in view Of the fact
that no one can be 4 good surgeon without
a knowledge of medicine. Frederick the
Great was also inconsistent in sending for
the great physician, Dr.. Zimmerman.
The King said, 81 presume doctor, you
have put great many souls out of the
world, to which the doctor replied, Not
SO many as your Majesty, uor with such
glory to myself"
Ii the medical profession have done
nothing else they have at last benefited
humanity In the matter OF smallpox
particularly, look what il has done. Here
the professor detailed the progress made
by the treatment of that disease. During
his remarks on this subject he said the
prevailing impression that JOB had the
smallpox is mistake, for ii IS related
that his comforters sat by him seven days
and nights, whereas if Job had ''bro&f
: out" there is not the slightest doubt but
5 that his com forters would nave taken qui X
leave. Laughter.
Another benefaction given by doctors
is that of such medicines as guard agains'
e ago a vessel went up the Nile some tire,
hundred miles aud after Il while she came
floating back with every soul that haC
been on board living dead on the deck
Now vessels visit that place regularly
without any effect, and all on account o
quinine. OF late England has gained
, victory over AshaDtee, not by improved
| cannon or well drilled armies, but becaus
l. Al l. 81
d insidious miasma Of the place. Quinn
i will gain another victory When, as j
! surely will be, the Darien ship channa
e will be built, it will be done as much ID
e the sovereign power of quiniue As by enter
L prise and industry
j 1t is estimated that there are 2, 400 III,
l. tinct diseases, out of which l 800 are spor
Y taneous. Scarlet fever is often spoutant
IF Gus, and it is question if any tres tmen
At is good for it except natures own. Th
D. belief that diseases cannot be cured c
lie broken up without Herculean medicine
E. is a great mistake Even pulmonary cor
De sumption has been cured ere now hy Ne
III ture herself, and in this connection Dr.
in Smith related great many very interes
at ing circumstances attending wonderfi
IL cures.
r He once prescribed for sick girl, ar
= afterward met her mother, who said ii
y girl got well from a home cure, and n
y from the medicine. The professor W
q anxious to know what it was, and the W
man was difident in telling At last 81
said it was simply the burned ashes
=" seven hairs cut from the ears of blac
cat Laughter The force of imagi
of alton is certainly very great, but mu,
ed of the good attributed TO the resu
of of imagination come from Natures la
he He argued thatall domesticated animi
ID live to FIVE times the age of their matu
ed ty, whereas man matured at q and di
Is, according to the average in civilized cou
use tries at 80 years. The professor clos
raj abruptly just when the audience We
ON warmed with interest in the subje
ain Rising from his chair, he expressed
the thanks to the audience and babe them &c
ca night va