American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-02-02
Give the Doctor a Chance.

The number of wonderful tssimple
specifics for diseases of various sorts,
now floating through the columns of
the newspaper press, is astonishing If
one were creduloIs enough to believe in
| them, we do not see why he should not
expect that physicians are to be aboI-
| lshed, and Death himself arrested, by
means of slips cut out of newspapers.
Some of the remedies seem so harmless
in themselves, and so well vouched for.
that we have been tempted to giving
them currency in these columns and this
gives us an additional reason for urging
people to respect the rule, founded on
common sense and experience: Every
man to his trade.''
We employ cobbler to mend the
children's shoes, and barber to cut
their hair. We send our watch to the
jewelers., and entrust our business ar
bitrations to a lawyer. Why should we
assume the infinitely more complicated
and responsible task of mending or re-
pairing bodies that are out of order, or
OF managing our own case in the court
of NatureP
We have frequently entered protest
against the habit of 4" dosing" Some
people are never contented unless they
are pouring nostrums of some sort
down their throats, or experimenting
with new kind of patent medicine.
Others have nervous and over-anxious |
care of their children. If they talk in
their sleep, or sneeze, or have touch
of collie, they must be shut up and 'sdoc-
tored." All this sort of blind, thought
less, Ignorant practice is contrary to Ma
ture, and is worse than no medicine. |
Warmth, quiet, sleep, and corrected !
diet, will enable people to get well tin
der proper conditions, from all the or
binary ailments of life. The most that
intelligent physicians do nowadays, in
such cases, is to see that Nature has a
fair chance. They do not give grain of
medicine where the old-time doctors
used to give pound.
But in cases of actual and severe ILL
ness-dangerous epidemic diseases, and
the like there is no. time to lose in ex-
perimenting. Take that dreadful
scourge, diphtheria, for example. 1t
has so baffied the profession that every
intelligent physician eagerly seeks out
and examines all the latest discoveries
in relation to its treatment. The medi-
cal journals and conventions keep the
profession advised of whatever progress
IS made in any country, and in all
schools, in the treatment of diphtheria;
and if any physician anywhere is saw
ng 80 per cent. of his patients they will
aot be the last to know of it. II is a
disease that demands instant treat
nent. If -.curable at all, one
lays start will often save the patient,
when days delay would lose him.
Therefore we say, give the doctor
chance. If the child suddenly loses
'trength-complains of pain at the side
If the throat, and water. % tastes bad -
If the breath smells feted, or whitish
pots appear in the throat or on the
'ack part of the roof of the mouth-any
n all of these symptoms indicate diph-
heria, and a physician should be called
vt once. If some time must elapse be.
ore doctor can be had, the child NAV
'e given solution of Chlorate of Potash
half an ounce in four-ounce vial of !
water, in teaspoonful doses every hour,
md used as a gargle in addition when
he child is old enough. This has been
ecommended by eminent authority, but
imply as preparatory to the proper
medical treatment.
As rule it may be said that any un-
sual and severe symptoms, whether in
hildren or in adults-such as high few
r; sudden loss of strength, or vitality
sharp pains in the lungs, dur
ng the progress of a cold: all demand
prompt and intelligent diagnosis It
; worth a Doctors fee in such cases to
now that nothing serious is the matter,
hile many fever is prevented by a /
imely sweat, and many an attack of
neumonia-just now so swiftly fatal in
nany places-is warded off by prompt
reatment. 1t is the doctors business
D treat disease, and he deserves all the
dvantages of fair start Golden
pule.
WE can't say that the world is grow .
ng better, but we have been repeatedly
ssured by prominent citizens that it is !
good deal harder now to get trusted {
I L