The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-23
rn !, s,oc.ory-Again.
fror The DGspaHh.l

- fEDf t1be beS5AsSAis5 ss-E q
i. The article 10 the Dispatch OF yesIsrosyg
headed ga Suggestion 10 Doctors seeass w w
demand aN answer from tne psoaessen. La
all er pdrte statements, u 70 very plsusao'e, =.
and appears 10 place us 10 tne poslti9h "
aysricions .barpies, leading luxurious i We
and faatnfpg upon the necessities ., oui
fello w.citizsns, while we mercitessiy Gom nIs
ssepn to be charitable against their VIII. Ice
..riser of ehe article above mentioned ssys
o,,r yrats,iso,,s practice would be commend.
sh;e ifor1r fYayfr,g pstrons were not virtcaasy
oE,IIpea 20 pap for u Ia enhanced psicess
Evi6en,Iv this writer has no idea OF the ea''
fenS of the cbsrities Of the physicians o. TINS
citv m he snpposes they are "psid ior py
any. one, The writer Of this article, az =
rnafter OF curiosity, kept an account one
vear of The amount Of grstuitoas service
rendered by him, charged at sariu rates: ~
amounted 10 the sam Of tsco tkossana satee
h,,adred dollars. Another physician OF TINS
catv gives away ia practice at least dou9ie
Chic. Does any other class Of our cltMens
contribute 20 the public charities 10 angsnsffS
like such 4 proportion as this!
: How many times do we hear. MOs you
doctors make yoUr money easily. Do
wenS Strange that we cannot ses IT. 1t
seey,a very little trouble to think q rnonent
and then write prescription, but whst u IN
voIyed therein? Money must have peen
frpely sexpenaed 10 time past, and @any
seary hours spent In intense study 70 make
that few moments thinking worth anytnipg
so the patient. Moreover, every prescrsp'
zion given by she physician lays upon hsN
weight of responsibility which - IN many
cases no. trihipg load, and 10 every ease
amounts to an appreciabie addtion 70 nls
burthen. What IL 1t that makes doctsfs
VIGOROUSLY the most short-ltved CLASS Oh eae.
in civilized communities There nas'
be some reason for a iacs WHICH, .,..
heats itself everywhere. tbs H Iue
reason: Otber men have tneis umes y,
labor and their seasons OF rest. a uoc.eI
work Is never done. Every physician lie
upon his patients the necessity tor fegualn5
in habits OF living. Every senslote uas
Ennws the importance of the advice, and
aUerv nhysIcian knows it is absolutely i'm
>oss;hie for him to follow 1t himself. lrreg.
Ilar meals. snatched 10 haste, when Inc
mind is intensely active, are only partiaiiy
digested, and il be bad time to give way 10
IL every doctor would be miserable dys-
peptic. Broken rest, night after nign',
breaks down the nervous system, anu Tue
aid OF that dangerous friend, Summation
must be called in to keep the brain up 10 its
work. :, :,
about his pay? AS a general thing De nae
to wait for bus money until every one else Is
served. The most of the community MAKE
no arrangements whatever to meet sneye
penses OF sickness. House-rent, marketing,
fuel, clothes, the annual trip to the country.
are all provided for, but the doctors bill must
take its chances. 1.-THE doctor duns incessaot'
" he will get his money, perhaps; II be does
not, he certainly will get nothing. There are
notable exceptions to the above, but include
in the statement large majority Of the PEG.
ple of this community. The doctor cannot
be too prompt In obeyipg the calls OF his pa
tients; he cannot be 800 slow in demanding
his hard.earned fee.
There Is this to be said about tariff OF fees
binding upon all physicians do not con.
slider ii fair, but the unfairness works agalns'
the physicisns themselves. 1t seeps desery'
ing young men out OF practice. When
man has the experience of fifteen or twenty
years bis services should be worth more thar
those of youpgster just graduated. IL
msny cases they are not, but that does not al
ter The fact that they should be. To fbe
really lust, the young, inexperienced physi'
. clan should be allowed to charge less than
his more experienced ueigbbor. Then, II
man wanted first-rate treatment, be wou.e
have to pay firstrate price, and less pro.
portionally to the reputation of the ply siciar
employed. ..
allow me to make suggestion: Let oul
suggestive friend insure that we doctors
,shali receive ante.bellum prices for say nine
tepths Of the work we do Qen per cent. of
for charity, and we will take his suggestion
into consideration. Finally, allow me t.
ask who pays the grocer for the sugar, -four
and bacon deyoured by people who 60 into
debt for these matters (as much necessor1e'
as the doctors yisits) and never pay fol
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