Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-08-07
Advertising Doctors.

The expulsion OF doctor OF long
standing in general practice from the
Medical Society of Evansville, Indi-
ana, for advertising that he would
give special attention to particular dis
eases, has brought to public notice the
multitude of indirect infractions of
this part of the code of medical ethics.
Z There are many ways by which doc
tors advertise themselves indirectly
with more effect than they could do by
regular advertisement. The trader
who can get an editorial or reporto-
rial notice Of his business, or of some
special transaction, thinks it much
more valuable to him than an open ad-
vertisement, and if money can procure
it he will pay . much higher price for
it. Il -L
So the doctor who gets one If his
operations reported in the papers, or
the circumstance that he is called in
some sensational case, gets an adver-
tisement Of more value to him that his
standing card iu the paper for year
would be. Doctors appreciate this,
and there are many who do not keep
their light under bushel when such
opportunities turn up.
~ The forming of a medical college
contrives way by which a corterie of
doctors can keep standing an adver-
tisement of themselves in connection
with the college, and of themselves
also as specialists. This convenience
is too great TO be confined TO one col
lege faculty in town; so we have
multiplication of medical colleges.
making doctors very cheap, and indif-
ferent to all but the number of gradu-
ates ground out each year.
Yet the numbers of these faculties,
with standing advertisements of them
selves as professors of special diseases,
would unite to expel from a medical
society a doctor who should insert his
professional card in newspaper. They
who cannot by hook or crook get hold
of professorship in faculty must be
kept in obscurity by professional eth
les, while the professors advertise
themselves all over the country. The
doctor who was expelled at Evansville
charged that medical colleges are set
up where they are uncalled for, and
which the promoters know cannot
offer as good medical education as
can be had elsewhere, to multiply half
bred doctors in n profession greatly
over-crowded. for no other purpose
than to advertise the professors.
Ifany but doctor had said this we
should hardly venture to repeate it !;
but is the Evansville school solitary
case? .
Another mode of advertising is to
start a medical journal. This keeps
the editors continually advertised, and
naturally they give special prominence
TO their particular set in their medical
news, their reports of cases, discus
sions at the academy, and discussions
and papers read at the medical con-
ventions. One would suppose that
medical journalism. like medical col
leges, should have all the talent which
a metropolitan position and National
circulation can support. But we see
medical journals, like medical colleges,
starting up everywhere without any in
dicstions of n special call to journal
ism, aud which seem to have no aim
save TO advertise the editors or some
special coterie.
Places on the staff of the public
hospitals are also sought Cor, because
they advertise the doctors who hold
them. Indeed, those doctors who have
the disposition to push themselves
into prominence before the public,
have so many ways of advertising them
selves. which are more effectual than
to keep their professional cards stand
ing in the newspapers, that the code of
medical ethics which disciplines this
seems like tithing of mint, annis and
cummin. while emitting the weighty
matter of the law.
The medical profession would have.
a healthier atmosphere If open and
square advertising were introduced.
This would give fair play TO all, in
stead of those indirect, intriguing and
unfair ways by which doctors of hon
orable dispositions, who will not resort
10 these cunning advertising devices,
are placed at disadvantage CiaciH-
matt Gazette.