The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-30

! n, earthly ssiast;ngsl to q dose, and leaves
him Without hepc beyond the gravel How a
ostass has our tth In remedies oeesl suaAen
nv aswant ofsasaion in scertain cases tnas
wass 81 mortifyiag as y was mexpilcap,es
until,, from inahality toakeep ND the , aecep-
don. q tight would be thrown on tne SUP
iecs BY the confession OF our patient tilas ne
was the victim Of hated haDits the KnomI,
eve t,aya been Kept. secret In the deepest
recesses OF hisown troubled breast? And,
again. ] would ask, How often has 1t been
our let to hear. both patient add friends
sneak in terms of condemnation OF some
physician who, was presumed to DC the
cause Of such nm unfortunate CONDITION
In the fufflment OF our mission to relieve
pain, and in compliance with the wish OF
the sufferer, we are too often called upon 10
administer, and sometimes continue the use
of, remedies which are potent for eVll as
well as for good. What the physician mas
done from the best and most. legitimate mo-
tiyes is sometimes made the excuse for con-
tinning the use 0f remedies long after the
necessity for them has ceased, simply In
obedience to an acquired taste too strong to
be overcome by any ordinary effort OF VIII
on the part Of those under its baneful IN
fiuence. Whilst no candid mind would
think of holding physician strictly respon-
sible for what would appear to be the fu-
ture voluntary acts Of his patient, 1t 10 re-
uuired OF us! to consider the remote as
we'll as immediate effect Of every dose OF
medicine of this class that we may feel
called on to administer. A want OF
foresight in this respect will, / fear,
sooner or later, be the occasion OF regrets
by those who heed not this warning, ana no
doubt has already given some foundation
for the charges alleged against members OF
our profession Of being sometimes the cause
Of the disease they are called on to treat.
These matters demand our serious consider
alton, and the action OF our Society Will 90
far in Influencing public opinion as to the
sincerity OF our efforts at reform. W nat
ever we do looking to correction OF this
evil will no doubt receive the hearty sane
| ton and cooperation Of kindred assocla-
tions of the druggists and pharmacists OF
our State. .-.s.H@ "a-: i."r.
The annual address before the Society
was delivered by DR.. MCDONALD, Of Union,
Monroe county, w. Va. His theme was,
"The Doctor "a treatise upon the delicate
duties, professional department, and re-
sponsibilities of the physician. Amongst
the many difficult cases encountered
by the physician, the orator numbers
those growing out of what he calls the
"mastcr passion, known as 1.-THE
strange psychological and physiological
"afinity that sometimes seems to draw
"people together who have nothing in COM
"mon, who do not seem to be congenial or
"adapted to each other physically, mentally,
"moralIy, or socially, with force greater
ethan chemical affinity, greater than the at
/" traction Of gravitation." DR.. MCDONALD
thinks the dreadful conditions that follow
| when this tremendous force is thrown back
on itself should not be treated by physician
who has never been in love. Fortunately
for lovers there is no such disqualified ply
stefan. The tender passion is foible in
the young NJ. Dit is professional. The
Doctor portrays the consequences OF unre.
Quilted love, and OF love frustrated by the
| many obstacles and disadventures to true
| love, as fearful indeed, and believing that
the surgical manner Of ending the ''heart-
| ache" III "RoMEo and JULIET" may be
avoided, he impresses upon doctors the
high responsibility that rests upon them in
| treating the manifestations. He tells them
that in this matter they must decide ques.
tians involving 20 character and lib.
"erty, and even life itself-questions
"involying the welfare and safety Of the
+" community" and, furthermore, the treat
ment of young people bereft of reason
Certainly lovers should be startled by the
picture; but while they should be made
more circumspect-if lovers understand the
woodland avoid indiscretion and trouble.
still they should feel some consolation at the
! idea which DR.. MCDONALD evidently enter
tains, that good, and sagacious, and kind
physician may do much to "minister to :
mind diseased" and "pluck from the heart
rooted sorrow"
The address is full of very good advice
and very practical reasons.
The Medical Monthly shows good sign;
Of success, and we are gratifed to see them