The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1874-06-20
Professional Morals.

courage personal vice in those whom
he serves, or wrong-doing towards
individuals and the community. This
is very simple proposion, to which
no respectable man in any profession
will presume to make objection. If
there ever lived Il professional viii
lain Of whom 4 professional vilitier
could say: "'rhis is he who made it
safe to murder, aud of whose health
thieves asked before they began to
steal," he could only be saved from
universal execation by q natural
doubt of the justice of the sarcasm
and the candor Of its author. The
oretically, there arc no differences
among decent men on this subject,
when it is placed before the mind in
this way. 1t is one of those simple,
self-evident propositions. about which
no man would think Of arguing for
al instant. Up to the bar of this
proposition one can bring every act
of his professional life, and decide
for himself whether it he legitimate
and morally good. We repeat it,
No man has q right to practice his
profession, in such Il way as to eacoar.
age personal picc IN those whom he
series, or 'crong-doing torards indi-
uiduats and the community.
The great cities are full Of men
who have achieved remarkable skill
in the treatment Of a certain class Of
diseases, and other dangerous or iu.
convenient consequences of a bestial
social vice. No matter how often
their patients may approach, them,
or how vile they may be, or how sue
cessfully they may scheme against
the peace aud purity Of society, OF
what form the consequences of their
sin may assume, these professional
men take their fee, and do what they
can to shield the sinners from the Ct.
feet of their crimes. Whatever they
may be able to do professionally t.
make it safe for men and women tc
tramp'e upon the laws Of social pu.
rity, they do and constantly stand
ready to do. Yet these men have 9
defense of themselves which enables
them to hold their heads up. The,
are physicians. 1t is their bushes,
to treat disease in whatever form i
may present itself. 1t would be i'm
pertinent in them to inquire into tn,
: lite of those who come to them fo
advice. They are not the keepers o
other mems conscicnces. They ar
men Of science and not of morals:
is their business to cure disease b
the speediest and best methods the
know, and not to inquire Unto char
acter, or be curious about the indi
rect results of their skill. Sue
would be their defense; or the line g
their defense; yet, if it can be see
or shown that their professional lii
encourages vice in the community, b
the constant shield which it ofe,
against the consequences of vice, tn
defence amounts to nothing. If
debauchee or a sensualist of any sol
finds impunity for his excesses in til
professional skill of his physical,
and relies upon that skill to shiel
him from the consequences of his sil
be they what they may, his phys
clan becomes the partner of his gui
for gold, and Il professional pander ,
his appetites. He may find profe
sional brethren to defend him, b.
before the unsophisticated moral sem
of the world he will be degrad,
man, and stand condemned.
; There are such men in the world
professional pardoners Of sin. The
are men in priestly robes who, /,
II the confession of q penitent, or o,
who assumes the position Of a pen
tent, release him professionally fro
a. the Consequences of his misdeed
Unless History has lied, there ha,
been men among these to whom q
vicious have gone for shrift and pa
b don for a consideration, aud receiv
IL what they went for; on every occasi,
Of overt crime when the voice
conscience in their superstitious sol
wou11 mt II, sk;Ij onI ,rt,.> have,