The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-14
A CASE IN POINT.

closely enough to say whether Its defeat was
public calamity, but we do know that aome
sort Of legislation should be had ii the prem.
iaee. There ought TO be a Law TO punish I'm
posters In medicine Other frauds are pro
vided for. People are protected In their
neney their business, their property. Yet
In that which is dearer to them than all else
their health, their life. they are left to the
mercy of any and every impudent vaGabonC
who can manage TO surprise their confidence
This Ia all wrong. Ii there be penalty fol
obtaining money under false pretences, how
much more should there be one for that form
or swindling which not only takes money but
imperis llfe 1t is serious thing to he de
fraudeh nf ones means especially when TIKI
means are seanty, but money loet may be re
gained When health and happiness are gone
however. what ahall bring them back again
surely. II It be q legitimate function of gov
ernment To throw safeguards around the ma
terial interests of the citizen, II should b.
even more its care to protect him In thai
without which wealth and honors and promo
ton are as nothing.
1t seems to ua that New Orleans Ia a cit y
peculiarly In need OF some established ALL
thority to Inquire into the fitness Of per
sons claiming the right to practice medicine
among the people. Every winter we are
visited by number Of medical birds 81 pas
sage, who descend upon us with the begin
ming Of the winter and depart az the warm
south Winds begin to blow. They select the
season at which the city lie filled with 60
jo,irners, either strangers from abroad or
planters and merchants from the outlying
parishes, and they boldly lay claim to
powers which are not pretended to by our
ahlest and most eminent home phyaicians.
Indeed the danger lies III the very fact that
they assume to treat class of affections and
disorders which are most intimately aaso-
eiated with the vital organization. and where
ignorance or ineompetency will Inevitably
produce the worst consequences. or course,
1t is not competent for any one but skilled
physician to say authoritatiyely that all or
any of these persons are impostors: but 1t
would seem difficult to believe otherwise,
since, II they really possessed one-half the
powers they affect. disease would long ago
have disappeared. Perhaps the chief otrense
of these men is that they take peoples
money without giving them conaldera-
tion-rerhaps some of them actually
give temporary relief at times: but 1t is
unfortunately impossible to suppose that
much suffering cannot be directly traced to
the malpractice Of quaeks. AT all events the
people are entitled to some protection In
matter 80 closely relating to their lives. The
science Of medicine is involved In mystery to
the masses There is no branch OF human
affairs In which 80 much superstition and
eredulity exist, and In which a clever trick
ster or an unscrupulous fraud may find so
rich harvest.
If our legislators will take the trouble 10
will find a quantity OF flaming announce
ments In the line we refer to- Travelling doc
tors, hailing from all parts Of the country
California. New York, st. Louis proclaiming
that they are here for the purpose OF curing
all these afflicted ones whom the New Orleans
physicians have been unable to cure. They
have different methods. and resort to different
appeals to popular confidence, but there Ia
curious unanimlty In their claim to universal
and tnfallible power. One Of these may be taken
az typical-Dr. Q. Dodge Phelps ("of New
Apsn. AlG hoc 5SeA hslS lu1 SeN0Itl WeehS,
giving daily performances at a public hall,
and advertising them in regular circus fash
lon. These performances are free. He heals
the multitude without money aud without
price. According to the lurid posters" L.
sued by him. "the lame walk. the deaf hear.
the blind eee," His power is as comprehen-
sive as II Is miraculous. It is remarkable
fact, however. that whereas We are treated to
columns of references and certificates from
alleged patients In almost all the more dls-
tant States, we are not shown any of the hun
dreds Of wonderful cures which he claims to
inexperienced In this city during the five or
ak weeks Of his campaign. We are not con-
fronted with any Of those New Orleans blind
whom he has restored to the blessing of
sight, or with any one Of those legions OF deaf
whose sense OF hearing he has recovered.
DR.. Phelps may be all that he claims. but he
certainly claims great deal-qulte enough
to justify curiosity. which, however, he
cannot be said to crafty.
And here we find a case In point. It Ia
hardly probable that DIR. Phelps would have
kept up these free daily performances. In
volving large expense as they d. unless
they were the means Or bringing handsome
patronage from moneyed people to his prl-
vate consultation parlors. And the question
arises whether government might not fairly
inquire into the validity Of his claims and the
legitimacy OF his methods. He may be
genuine phenomenon-he may not be. He
has certainly persuaded great many peo-
pie that he Is. and the logical presumption is
hat he derives a considerable revenue from
heir faith. II we had law on this subject
.s we ought to have-it could do no harm and
night do vast deal u good to apply 1t to
Or. Q. Dodge Phelps cot New York;
THE NEW OANAT, AGAIN