The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-05-06
Il Fashionable poefor.

In the full swing Of medical practice
the pace IS tremendous. When once
the lndehnable stamp Of fashion = set
upon q doctor every orc wants 20 en-
gage his services. You may 20 to the
mans house again and again, and the
great -z1an viii not be able to see you.
You may write TO his secretary, and the
secretary may make an appointment for
the week after next, but IL by no means
follows that be Will be abIe to keen the
appointment. as soon as the clock
strikes two he makes z dash from the
consulting room, swallows an apology
Tor lnnch, and you presently observe
him driving past the windows. In vain
the uupunctualiiy Is notorious, In vain
the consulting fee is doubled. People
are determined to have the great man,
and the great RAN they accordingly get
. Ihey VII bring him down 200 miles.
though they have to pay 200 gufneas
for the journey. They will have him,
though the patient may be IN aTticlll1
Ulortts. For there are circumstances
under which some rich men think that
no consultation Is too costly. They
Will have him and no one else. although
the case, scientifically considered. NAV
be IS simple as a cut fin ger. Some
times they resort to him because the
case has really bafied the average skill
Of the average practitioner, and it not
untrequently happens that the cele-
DRAFTED physician makes q diagnosis and
suggests remedy that sets his brethren
70 rights. On the other hand the aver
age practitioner has his own revenge in
repeating stories Of extraordinary
bluHders perpetrated by fashionable
physiclans. But when the fashionable
physician has really obtained this in
meuse practice. the charm Of the prac-
tioe must depart. The great physician
becomes great slave. He lives IN a
state Of giided captivity. He cannot
call his house his own, or his family his
own. he Is at the cali and beck Of the
public. He takes his meals with his
lolns glrded or, rather, he may be
Obliged 70 exist On LiebIgs extract for
want OF time 70 partake of solid food
When the tide Of fashion steadily sets
II he Is almost submerged beneath the
wave. He bids farewell 10 leisure.
friend, private lif6-ali that makes ez-
lsteDce endurable. The fees accumu-
lato--plethoric investments, lordIy
income. Bot a mans income for all
purposes Of enjoyment Is not what he
gets, but what he spends. Many men
VINO imagine that they are IN the en-
ployment OF a stately income are often.
ike children, playing with little bits Of
paper that come in and little bits Of
paper that 80 out. There Is not so very
much use IN man getting 500, 600
year If he can hardly spend SO. 900.
But as rule We acquit great physicians
OF cny mean love Of filthy l1cre. They
hardly know the sums which roll ont
out OF their pockets when worn ont
and harsssed, they tumble into the
uncertain bed from which the night
bell may arouse them. They would
willingly take less Of lucre for
more of leisure. This was a strong
idea Of the late Sir Henry Hollands, an
eminent practitioner. de early fxed
the modest limits OF his professional
income at So, 600, and wouid allow no
professional business r. interfere with
his three month"; holiday. He had his
reward In living 20 a HISTORIAN age,
With all the reputation Of NestOr's wis
dom. The fashionable physician who
reaprOcates the firm belief which the
trusting public have In him with a cor
responding belief in himself, is voatled
on by two considerations OF supreme
weight. In the first place, he believes
that he IS comforting great amount Of
good on suffering humanity which no
other physician could render equally
well with himself. In the next place,
he believes that he is steadily enlarging
the limits of medical science. Each
patient is book, and his practice rep
resents the library of medical knowl-
edge. He is willing, therefore, to en-
dure any toll, although he knows how
dangerous Is such toll when carried
beyond the endurable limit. Such a
course Is especially likely il he is q
believer in the bouUdless future Of
medicine, N ueE methods of diagnosis,
Ia new systems Of therapeutics, and has
the " enthusiasm Of humanity" in his
soul