Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-07-05
The Model Doctor.

The following Address of Prof. A.
b. Crosby, which we find in late is
sue Of the .New York WorM on the sub
ject of the Model Doctor" il OF suffi-
cient popular interest to Justify it, re-
production in our columns:
In selecting topic for the present
hour l have deemed it best 10 offer a
. few thoughts on the hachncyed but ever
important subject OF the ethical relations
of physician aud patient. Nothing can
be more sacred than the relation that
subsists between physician and patient.
AS In their intimate relations conscience
is the only tribunal before which the
medical man can be tried. 30 should be
his sense OF the grave responsibility that
devolves upon him. The best phvsi-
clan IL a commingling at once of ten
derness and frmness-cOndesccn
without being supercil!ous, authoritative e
without being tyrannical.
A good physician all our wounds to heal
Is more than armies to the public veal
We should never forget that a sick man
is but child. Even the great Cesar
cried when he had fever" and il is
our duty TO ndulge our patients in all
immaterial things. yielding gracefully
like the willow, TO the gusty whims OF
the sick when harmless, standing firm
As the oak when his vagary leads to dan
ger. Delicacy in the treatment of the
sick should be religious duty. In a
s"mew hat extended experience in great
hospitals have never seen a man or
woman So vile and abandoned who
could not be conquered by persistent
delcacy and kindness; and these poor
wrctchcs from the slums of our great
cities viii give the pas TO delicacy Of
treatment and kindness OF manner, hv
how much the more shall We win by
the same method appreciation and graf
itudc from the refined aud fortunate !;
A nobicman from the country, a. a last
resort, once consulted Mr.. Abernethy
for rheumatism, aud having paid an
unu>ally large fee lief. left the Office re-
JoioIng that he should now get relief
Here You fellow. shouted the
pli' Nttilt pdIk mere. III
that prescription does your rheumatism
any good let me know. have It like
hell, and | can't find anything that will
relieve me. Certainly such a speech
could not have increased the confidence
ot the patient in the ctiicac cv Of his treat
ment. nor can II do otherwise than de-
tract from MIR. Abernethy's great fame.
then at the zenith.
1t is matter of consratulation that
the day OF the old-time course surgeon
has passed away, never TO return. Il
is mo longer deemed necessary that
surgeon should have the methods of
butcher or the vernacular OF bully:
The requisites for the modern surgeon
are IAN eagles eve. a lion : heart and a
lady's hand" He must wear the glove
OF velvet, even though it covers the
hand OF steel. With an anasthetic to
bnng nepenthe, and the bandage of
Eicmarch 10 prevent all hcmorrhage.
the modern surgeon performs his labor
with the grace and dcliberation OF a
sculptor who discovers a statue in a
block Of marble. Nor is there any force
III the popular impre ssion that surgeon
Is of necessity hard-heartcd. Certain
ly, II he has proper sense of the dig
nifty and sanctiiy Of his calling, even
though he 'mutilate> Gods image. F." his
acquired GOODNESS will but I'll conceal the
pul<ations OF a heart which beats IN ever
increasing sympathy with human suffer
ing. Refine and cultivate ourselves.
however, as We may. we shall still be
IN no danger of being translated. As
the patient has no choice but TO confide
IN his physician, he has right TO ask that
his secrets shall be jealousy guarded.
And so the doctor must needs be dis
Greet man. He should study and affect
Burns's timely advice to young friend:
Az tree, aff han, your story tell,
When wi = bosom crony;
But still keep something to yoursel,
Yen scarcely tell To ony.
Conceal yourscl as wccl We can
Frae critical dissection:
But keck thru eyry other man.
Wi sharpen d, sly inspection.
Talleyrand said, IL NV night-cap
knows my secret will burn my night
cap and the rule Is a safe one for the
medical man to follow. The secrets of
the sick room are every whit as sacred
as thoss OF the confessional. and as the
priest N. court is not compelled to be-
tray the peni.ent, sothe physician should
not be compelled to testify to matters
derived from his patient under the du.
ress OF sickness and necessity. As mat.
tiers stand, we should never testify 10
facts derived in this way execp. under