Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-07
L1TTERS IRON THE PEOPL1.
Doctors Cha -ges, Again.

Editor Sar:-I have been an attentive reader
s OF me letters published in your paper On d me
cate ch Ses would like to put my oar In for q mo-
EFT. 1t should be remembered that young
COO ors Lave to study out OF expensive DOCKS;
that they have to attend lectures delivered by
snuny old pr ofessOrS who charge like blazeS LOT
their dry Instructions; that they have TO crawl
up back stairs once week TO the d1ssectlng
rot m TO ee some Gallilean fisherman cut up, an
operation which makes the class sick, but to
pay for " hich they have to take up collection,
and Il at finally, when the doctor has learned,
or thinks he has, all about the business, he has
70 buy new suit Of clothes and plug hat, also
pair of specs, and horse and buggy, like
wise lie must rent an office and have cards
gets chance at a patient he will knock the
Stumng out OF lin. That last remark Is ngura-
i've ana mas reference TO the doctor 8 Dill only;
Two dollars for looking at your tongue ana I
writing an order for blue pill, dose OF saits,
or some other stern necessity, for Wnlc1
q Druggist viii charge twice as much as ne
scr1ption, looks pretty steep, admit; but, as l
have minated. doctor don't get cnance
every day at man with money, ana Wnen 1r ne
does 1t is safe bet to ofrer that the flrst pre-
scription win lay the patient as nat as h Gun,
der, and, Of course. the doctor and the drug
man will have soft thing OF &c foT t %ae hard
times. would be willing to sit on mans chin
and look down his throat all day fof Two collars,
but don't see as that Is reason iol ar,,oa
Then, consider what strain 1t Is on physl-
clans conscience to be compelled TO act as
though he thought Old Browns liver was put.
ting on airs, when In reality he knew the Old
gentleman had been drunk; or TO appear SYM
pathetic over Mrs. Smiths nervous prostra,
tion," which was. in fact, a fit OF old fashioned
Mysteries caused by bad temper. On, pSnaW.
two dollars Is dirt cheap. e. w. NJ.
Somebody's Child.
Editor Star:-At quarter before eight Tuesday
%. m was crossing to the Post ONCE from the
northwest corner of F and eth streets. My at
tentiOn was attracted by Crashing, lolting
noise oceasioned by the violence with which
black girl. IS to 90 years old, was crushing"
baby carriage, with baby In it, across the
rough paving stones ard railroad track and over
looked after the girl and baby, and found that
as soon as they got on the wide smooth pave
ment In front OF the Patent Office the nurse
acted toward the baby as If angry at 1t, showing
the carriage along In a zig gag way. and after a
few words OF ScOlding at the Child, cried out
with great vim and venom I'm Kill you (en1-
either accidentally or Intentionally, ran the
carriage against the Patent Office iron fence.
No harm seemed to come OF 1t, however, unless
probably 10 brighten the poor Child greatly, but
the girl thereupOn started on run Up eth Street,
pushing the carriage quickly before ner. 1t was
raining slightly at the time, which would have
excused the hurry to get home; but the ITO the
child brutal violence of the manner In which
rough paving, and up over the curbStone, and
the viciousnesS OF the language, In both tone
anu WCIuS, addressed Dy Jne COARSE. VICIOUS
looking nurse TO the poor helpless child attract
ed my attention, and determined to follow the
nurse aid child home and tell the facts to the
ch1lds parents. / had. however, an important
letter TO mail and no time to lose, so hurried
to the Post Office, mailed the letter and re-
turned; but the girl and carriage were out Of
sight, ard as i could not tell which way they
went when they got to the corner Of eth and G
streets, gave up the attempt, and concluded
to address the parents Of that Child through
TIE EVENING STAR. / feel the more disposed to
do this because of the many cases / have
noticed OF neglect and even 1ll-natured and
almost brutal treatment OF children by their
nurses. Parents, it seems to me, should have
too much love for their children and solicitude
for their proper treatment to send out the poor
little helpless "bits OF humanity" with care
leSsly selected and perhaps brutal nurse, free
to abuse them as In her coarse bad, vicious
nature she may choose to do. 1 would never
trust child out alone with any hired girl whom
did not know to be Of gentle and faithful dis
position, as some perhaps many nurses are.
Yet i have seen many cases OF children out In
the streets and parks In the care of nurses who
seemed to be ''Out' entirely for their own
amusement and comfort, utterly regardless of
the poor helpless babies, who had no way of
communicating to their mothers on their returl
home how they had been wronged and abused.