The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-04-02
Anbersoll JnteQllgellfer>
Doctors-A Witty Defense Of the Profession.

Doctors-A witty Defense Of the Profession.
prossssor N. r. Smith, the famous surgeon
.,,d nhvs;c;an. lectured on DOCTORS" few
Sevs 400 at the Masonic Temple in Baltimore
We quote as follows from the Suns report:
Being introduced by Mr.. w. d. Sadler, the
Professor said he needed no introduction, as he
knew those present, or was known to them, II
not professionally, as semi -centenarlan cltl-
zen of Baltimore. He was not present to ira
duce that profession, so many OF whose mem
hers he himself had taught; for in so doing
he would traduce himself. His friend, Gov
Pratt. had asked him, some time ago, II doc
tors at large did not dc more harm than good,
and he bad replied that, taking. the legitimate
members, they did not, but II quacks IN ana
out of the profession, and patent medlclne
were included, he must answer IN the a1nrma-
tive It was the same with reilglon, no one
will deny that the Christian faith is productive
Of GOOD Int take all beliefs and the result is
bad.
There is empiricism in every profession;
there is much Of it in religion, and very much
in the Jaw; but not so much IN medicine as
law. because there is less chance for humoug.
! EIaughter.1 There is no profession so much
maligned as the medical profession. 1t doc
tor is put on the stage he is invariably made
ridiculous. and even children are taught to
dresd doctors. Ma says, "Be 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 Incl
dent where q boy had an abscess, and when
Prof. Smith was mentioned the boy SAID ne
would not have him.
Something had to be done that, while not
according to moral principles, was necessary.
He fthe Professor) was introduced as Uncle
John, of California, and talked with the boy
about his disease. The surrounding parts had
to be shaved of hair, apd the boy wanted to do
II himself. While he was doing it the PROT
said he was working awkwardly and asked the
bow to let him have the razor. The boy did so,
eheerfulIy. and in an instant the abscess was
opened, but the boy cried out, "You dew!
you're not Uncle John; your names Smith i
Laughter. :.
Great men, as we'll as small, maligned doc
tors. Napoleon did not like doctors, but ia
vored a certain surgeon. This inconsistency
was plain in view of the fact that no one can
be good surgeon without knowledge OF
medicine. Frederick the Great was also 1ncon-
sistent in sending for the great physician, DR..
Zimmerman. The King said, II presume
doctor, you have put great many souls out ut OF
the world" to which the doctor replied, Not
so many as your majesty, nor with such glory
to myself"
IF the medical profession have done nothing
else they have at least benefited humanity. In
She matter of small pox particularly look what
it has done. Here the professor detailed the
progress made by the profession in the treat
ment of that disease. During his remarks on
this subject he said the prevailing impression
that Job had the small pox is mistake, Tor 1t
is related that his comforters sat by him seven
DAYS and nights, whereas if JOB had broke
cut" tnere is not the slightest doubt but that
his comforters would have taken quick leave.
ELaughter:
Another benefaction given by doctors is that
of such medicines as guard against malarlous
influences. Some sixty years ago vessel went
ND the Nile some three hundred miles, and
after while she came floating back with every
soul that had been on board lying dead on the
deck. Now vessels visit that place regularly
without any effect, and all on account OF
euinine OF late England has gained victory
over Ashantee, not by improved cannon or
vell-drilled armies, but because quinine has
enabled them to brave the insidious miasma OF
the place. Quinine will gain another victory.
When, as it surely will be-, the Darlen ship
channel will be built, it will be done as much
By the sovereign power of quinine as by enter
prise and industry.
It is estimated that there are 2,4OO distinct
diseases, out of which 1900 are spontaneous
Scarlet fever is often spontaneous, and 1t IS
question if any treatment is good for it except
natures own. The belief that diseases cannot
be cured or broken up without Herculean med
icines is a great mistake. Even pulmonary
consumption has been cured ere now by nature
herself, and in this connection DIR. Smith relat-
ed q great many very interesting circumstances
attending wonderful cures.
He once prescribed for sick girl, and after
ward met her mother, who said the girl got
well from home cure, and not from the medl-
cine. The Professor was anxious to know
what it was, and the woman was dithdent IN
telling. At last she said it was simply the
burned ashes of seven hairs cut from the ears
of a black cat Laaghter.] The force of
Imagination is certainly very great, but much
of the good attributed to the results OF imag-
ination come from natures law.
Professor Smith stated it as fact that whis-
kew and tobacco bring more diseases than all
other causes in the world. Even the proper
tion of accidents are mainly owing to nervous
ness or intemperance produced by these articles.
They did more harm than the entire 2,4OO
remedies of materia meaica did good. They
were also mainly instrumental IN shortening
the average life of people generally. He be-
Eeyed that nature intended man to live one
hundred years, and invariably when dying be-
fore that age it was owing to causes brought
about by the individual. he argued that all
domesticated animals live to FIVE times the age
of their maturity, whereas man matured at z!
and died according to the average in civilized
countries at 33 years. The Professor closed
abruptly Just when the audience were warmed
with interest in the subject Rising from his
chair, he expressed his thanks to the audience
and bade them good night.
PLows AND PLoUeH1Ne-Now lay it down
as a fact, that successful farming is impossible
without good plows and good and thorough
ploughing being DONE Too many farmers
there are, must say, that do not know what
rood nloughinp is or what kind of ploughing