The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-08
ADVICE TO YOUNG DOCTORS.

ADVICE TO YOUNG DOCTORS.
An Old Physician Gives the Young Mem
bers Some Healthy Advice.
Never betray the confidence of a pa
tient, said DR.. Crosby to the members
of the Bellevue College curse. It may
happen that you will be called into the
courts to testify, but I think our secrets
should be kept rs secret as those of the
confessional. I should never testify
except under express order Of the court,
and even then I can imagine where
[ should prefer to pay the penalty of
contempt of court and spend a season in
Jail than to betray the confidence OF my
patient. Even flaws and idiosynorasies
of character should never be exposed.
Humor is a very good thing i'll the sick
room. It is much better to carry a
cheerful air and excite a mild spasm Of
the diaphragm in the patient than to ap-
pear like an undertaken. But, while
humor is a good thing and, as has been
APPLY said, "lauehs with you" wit is an
edged instrument not to be used in the
sick-room, for wit, unlike humor,
"laughs at you" Another point OF
delicacy with young medical men is the
question of frequency Of visits. It is
difficult to determine the just mean be-
tween making more frequent visits to a
patient than the family wants to pay for
and making fewer than the case really
needs. In this case adopt the golden
rule, and 6 do unto others as you would
they should do to you" II in your own
case you should deem more visits proper,
make them, and if not, stay away. OF
course, there may be cases where the
family or friends are anxious to have
you call oftener than is really necessary,
but, if it is an understood thing, and
YOU conscientiously inform them that
the case does not really require 80 much
attention, and still they persist, why
then you will be justified in going six or
ten or twelve times a day, OF even sleep
ing a month 10 the house, and let them
pay you for it.
IN HOPELESS GASES.
Beware of making scarecrows OF your
selves. A medical man should refrain
from q doleful demeanor and not pre-
sent the appearance of an undertaken on
the verge of bankruptcy. To be sure
there are times when it becomes neces-
sary to give the signal of danger, but
this should neve be done by the doctor
to the patient. Give the warning to
some near and dear friend. The medi-
cal man is relied on by the patient and
for him to abandon the case as hopeless
would be apt Of itself to produce a fatal
depression and relapse. Confidence is
everything, and there is often more III
the manner of giving medicine than in
the medicine itself. The incurable
cases are the most difficult and distress
ing to the physician. he is conscious
that sooner or later the enemy must WIN
the battle, and he should conduct him
self 80 that when the struggle is over he
may be conscious Of having smoothed
the path and afforded all possible conso
lation. Consultations should be pro-
noted, but the greatest good to the pa
ticnt lies in the n man power. a
young man who is intrusted with sole
charge of q case is likely to give greater
enthusiasm and more study to it than
if he is obliged to lean constantly upon
the opinion and assistance OF older men.
An important matter is tho frequent ap-
peals Of a patient approaching dissolu-
ton for religious consolation. In those
cases T would never, whatever my own
RELIGIOUS convictions might be, tell 8
patient that the gray substance OF the
brain is the only God. Hold out some
hope in such cases.
KEEP CLEAN AND SOBER
Medical men should be clean. There
are a number of hrst-class physicians
who present a second hand appearance.
Soap is cheap and should be freely used.
The moral effect Of a dirty doctor is
horrible. Medical men should also be
pure men. Ibelieve there is more aver.
age morality among our craft than exists
in any other. For one renegade physi'
clan there are fifty renegade clergymen.
The physician whose purity is not above
suspicion would not be admitted tc
practice in any family. From practicine
honor out Of expedienoy it eventually
becomes easy to practice it for its own
sake. They should also be temperate.
1 don't believe any medical student is
ever improved by smoking tobacco OF
drinking rum. Not that I would object
to an occasional cigar or o glass Of wine
once in o while. But there are great
temptations in q city like this, and
though l am aware that medical students
are the most docile, lamblike and moral
young men in the world, yet l am afraid
they hear the strokes OF tho midnight
clock oftener than is necessary.
oUAoKs AND OTHER THINGS.
The first professional success is the
sweetest thing to a young physician.
next to the first kiss. he is apt to feel
q desire to publish it, to get his name in
the newspapers, or to tell it at the street
corner. If any OF you should ever do
this, I would call you quacks, and shun
you and 60 on the other side OF the way.
It is one Of the courtesies OF the profess
sion that ono physician should attend
another gratis. DR.. Alonzo Clark on one
occasion pulled o young student through
a severe illness and refused to take 8
fee. "But I'm not regular doctor"
said the young man; I'm only a stu.
dent, and not entitled to the favor
"Never mind" said Clark, "dogs don't
eat puppies" 1t is an extraordinary
fact that the greater number of medical
men die of malpractice. They call other
physicians to attend them, younger men
perhaps, who defer to the age and e1pe-
rience of their patients, and, fearing to
express their own opinion, do no treat
with the confidence with which they
would treat other cases. AS to the treat
ment Of poor patients, there are many
cases where they have to be treated free
of charge. Do not shirk the poor, but
do not treat poor shirks. AS to a system
of charges, remember that the laborer is
worthy of his hire, but do not follow the
example of o distinguished doctor OF
New York city, who, when asked what
his charges were, replied: why, I add
up what I owe, and charge it." Expose
quacks when they come in your way. II
isn't necessary to go across the street
and drag the quack out Of bed and scalp
him, but when you can, expose his pre-
tensions. do it calmly and nationally,