National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-04
MEDICAL CHARLATANS.
How 10 Get Rid or Quacks-yIews OF n
Physician.


To The Editor Of The Republican:
The State of Illinois found remedy
for the expulsion of medical chariatans from her
borders. and any other State Territory. or munich
pality can do likewise: but, if the people can en-
dure then. the medical profession, as such. will
probably moi complain. When they get in the way
they are generally knocked down. Il Ia Health Of
ieer, and there is an end of The public never
did and never viii fully appreciate the medical
profession. Its members do not expect Ii. The
true physician has the welfare Of his patients ut
heart and often iabors for them with no expccta-
ton of reward while the quack is ever on the qWi
UUe for his patients dollar solely But bad as the
quack doctors are, they do answer good purpose
sometimes. There are many clever people VINO
never pay the physician anything if avOidabie.
The doctors soon find them out, and It is not long
before they are deprived of their advice.
THEY THEN ENCOUNTER THE QUACRs,
who, while working for reputation and nOtoricty,
practice upon them. Then there are those who
prefer the services of charHtans, and for many
reasons contact with such is distaSteful TO the
physician. By contrast we Judge OF most men and
things. five were all good. goodness would lose
the sportsman thought he had in the Illuminated
steel barreled, muZZle loadiugshot gun ofGreener.
Scott, Moore, and other celebrated English makers
all that could be desired in gun; but 10 inyen-
tive genius has evolved the brcech loader and the
former is among the things that were. The same
may be said of the old winding watch ana
stage and our Pullman palace, of the barges of
forty years ago and our beautiful Bristol, of the
Washington Gaslight Company's stuff and cleo
tricity at the Riggs, and so at tnRtm through all
the steps and phases of our progress. To whom are
we indebted for all these blessings? Probably TO
no one man, but to honest men and women, who
had the comfort and convenience of the people at
heart, rs well as their own. What has the quacS
ever done to ameliorate the suferings of mp'kind?
DID HE DISCOVER VACCINATION, v
anesthesia, sulphate of quinia carbolic acid. the
n and 9TH
and appliances so useful to us Has he vermade
one surgical instrument that supplied a needed
would have patented his discovery and made
suffering humanity pay handsomely for his knowl-
edge. So all the material advances and discoy-
cries in the science of medicine and surgery have
been made by members of the profession and not
by 4uacks. Theoretically, medicine is popularity
given the second place among sacred vacations,
the first being allotted to the clergy but, practl
cally and collectively, say, in comparison, that
medicine is the most responsible, and what is most
responsible and vital is the most sacred. Medicine
should not be measured by men, but properly eS-
teemed; and those deficient in the requirements
Of what doctor should be will be repudiatcd by
the profession who are the only proper judges of
physicians. Ifany of these quackS could accom-
plish one tnousandth part of what they say they
do the public would not be long in making more
brass horses for city OrnamentatiOn. Iowa Circle
is probably the handsomest in Washington, and 1
firmly believe that the United States would not
deny to any man or woman who discovers
REMEDY FOR CONSUMPTION
REPRODUCTION OF their outlines IN SOld, mounted
on a magnificent pedestal of bronze therein, as a
feeble testimonial of gratitude for services rem
dered. The Star said there is nothing sacred about
the practice of medicine. The people know there
ought to be, and our confidence is the least shaken
in those men who live up to and inculcate by their
daily example lofty individual morality, regard
less of their vocation. To hold in the hollow of
ones hand the lives of hundreds of persons is q
sacred trust, the Star to the contrary, and honor
and distinction should be accredited to whomso-
ever properly discharges his duties under such re-
sponsibility. What would be thought of railroad
company employing inefficient locomotive en-
gineers? or ferry company placing inexperienced
pilots at their wheels? And yet our law gyerS
suffer the weak, the poor, the sick to be MANNED
and destroyed inyoluntarily by
MEN AND WOMEN PRETENDING
to be physicians and refuse protection the plea
that interference would be class legislation Is il
class legislation to require pilot to discern red
light from blue one? Ii 80, why? To prevent ut
some future time the destruction Of human life
which might occur were he color blind. Then
there ought to be some legislation that would re-
quire physician to discern measles frCrl small
pox, for color-blind quack can destroy about as
many lives as similarly possessed pilot: the only
difference being that he runs them under one at
time The physician, pilot, locomotive engineer,
ShOlIld he in