Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-17
From a YoIunteer Phrslcian.

change pubic sentiment, ana TO dlS- |
pei the arising feelings of personal |
animosity against Howard physicians
all volunteer physicians from abroad |
were termed so-called Howard physi-
clans. In the last issues of several
papers of your city divers articles
made their appearance commenting
more or less on the conduct Of certain
Howard physicians who had brought
suit before competent authorities
against certain class of their pa
tients in order to recover fees for pro-
fessional services rendered during the
yellow fever epidemic. If | deal
fairly and justly with my professional
brethren | must say, why is it thus
that distinction has been made be-
tween resident Howard physicians
and those volunteer physicians from
other States? Did you consider us
your professional antagonists? | will
not risk to state here my own views on
that point. You m ay speak for your
selves. In fact, the medical director
of the Howard Association has already
done so. He said he had engaged the
Howard physicians at ten dollars
day to attend to INDECENT CAGES Of yel-
low fever. 1t was understood that this
arrangement was not TO interfere with
what the physicians could make from
pay patients | shall not WELD the
weapon of ridieule in the matter, al
though such conditional terms should
be encountered by that formidable
weapon. A decision like that de-
priving volunteer physicians of a pro-
fessional privilege, and at the same
time granting to local doctors the
authority Of exercising that privilege
IL to its utmost extent, is very natural,
but open to severe criticism and COM
ments. Nearly every one OF us vOlun
teer physicians from abroad has more
or less made some sacrifices, We
came to your city at the risk Of losing
our lives. How many of our col
leagues are resting within the Howard
lot at Elmwood Cemetery | only re-
quest you to weigh carefully my ques-
tions. Was it hazardous for us to
leave our situations and come to help
you here in Memphis? | will not un-
dertake to say it was not hazardous at
all for the local physicians of Mem
phis to stay, for they themselves were
not safe from the ravages of yellow
fever. The unrelenting fever cut
fourteen of them down. However,
sense of duty, purity of morals, must
have made it compulsory for them to
stav and administer to the sick. Firm
ness and self-endurance have been the
prerogatives Of members of the medi-
cal faculty, which organized and in
corpOrated themselves under the name
of Howard Medical Society of Mem
phis.
So far as | know, not one of the
Howard physicians from abroad has
brought suit against one of their pa
tients. Why should not we, as a class
os professional men, be entitled
to the same prerogatives and
privileges, conferred upon us by
virtue of our diplomas2 However,
the people understood that higher
sense Of duty and nobility prompted
us to tender our services to your fever
stricken city. Beyond any doubt,
money possesses dreadful fascination
over mortal men. But say, taking
everything under due consideration
do YOU believe that we volunteer ply
sicians did grow rich by being paid
ten dollars a day? On the 10th Octo-
Der we were relieved from duty. Some
of us at an earlier date. The Howard
Association declined to furnish us
vehicles in order to reach our patients
The result was your correspondent
paid three dollars per day for buggy
hire to make sick visits in the Ninth
and Tenth wards. The Peabody Ho
tel charged us board bill at three dol
lars per day. Well, what do you think
of hospitality? 1t was all paid witt
ten dollars a day. That sum nearl!
every one of US could make at hi
home by Office and outside practice
Again. why did the city Of New Or
leans reward their volunteer physi
clans more handsomely? ] will no
appear as the champion Of the right
of professional men, still | respectful,
request information through your col
umns. What became Of the money
earned by our professional brethreI
who laid down their lives upon tn,
altar ofhuman philanthropy? In par
ticular let me say that no citizen o
Memphis can blame volunteer How
ard physician who may dwell i
Memphis now, for charging hi
professional fees from the dat
of his relief from the How
ard Association What we have don
for the INDECENT yellow fever patient
was for sweet charity's sake--for tel
dollars was no pay Weneyer becam
too weary to assist the poor classes o
your people, both white and black
They were burden to some Of you
local physicians. Nevertheless | here
by positively assert that certain physl
clans, whose names | do reserve now
did not hesitate in the least to dra'
checks for considerable sums from tn
Howard Association BE it here re
membered now, that ten dollars wa
paid to attend INDECENT yellow feye