Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-10
PEOPLE WHO DOCTOR THEN.
SELVES


4 Physicfan's observations ON the
Alarming Use Of Drugs i'm Families.
From the New York Sun.
1.-THE extensive use Of patent medicines and
the enormous quantity Of drugs sold without
prescriptions indicate how widespread is the
habit of self-doctoring," said popular physician
to Sun reporter. ITO those who know how
csrelessy and ignOrantly these drugs are used,
the thought Of the harm they do is absolutely ap-
palling. There is no telling how long pres
cription once given will be used, or with what
foolish risk it will be applied in case where it
will not only not do good. but is certain to work
HARM"
"Do you think this habit of seIf-doctoring de-
creases the practice Of physcians::'
by no means. The effect Is rather to in
crease our work. People who think to do with
out the services Of physician will not only do
themselves harm by the delay, but also with
the medicines which they do not know how to
use. 1t is like man trying to mend a leak in
water pipe by soldering it with the poker.
He generally makes the hole bigger It Is, of
course. the most difficult part Of the physi-
clan duty to diagnose the disease. to tell what
Is the real trouble with the patient. 1t Is not
uncommon for even educated physicians to
make mistakes in this respect. The science of
of the human body has been pretty thoroughly
studied and the treatment Of the ailments of
each part Is q speciality. 1t is impossible for one
physician to know all these diseases as we'll as
the specialists, and it is common practice
among honest physicians to refer patients to
those who have made special study of the dis
eases which atflict them. 1t is not uncommon
for man TO 60 from one physician to another
In the vain effort to discover his aiment Some
times patient will be treated by successive
r,l,.- Sto, f.yf
of the symptoms OF different diseases are SINH
lar. How unlikely Is it, therefore that persons
VINO have not studied medicine can find out
what ais Them"
Which do you think do the most self-doctOr-
Ing. women or lneDi'
Women, decidedly especially mothers and
Old women. The reckless temerity Of some
women in this respect Is wonderful. They rush
In where angels fear to tread. Hastily Judging
from few symptoms that case resembles one
which the family doctor has treated. they will
hunt up an old prescription and administer the
dose to some confding husband or helpless
child. could tell you some amusing stories of
the mistakes that are made in this way, as we'll
as some Instances where more serious cOnse-
quences resulted. Take for illustration, q
headache. 1t may come from dozen different
causes-trom hunger. from indigestion. from
Over-eXc!tement of the brain. from eating too
much. from nhang foul air. The remedy for
headache varies with its cause. Yet YOU will
fad women who have universal panacea for
headache REGARDLESS OF the cause. Beware of
such women
with what medicines is the most harm
dOne:"
'Opates and aperients. The hecdessness
with which morphine in various forms is now
administered in families is alarming. The
doctor comes to attend patient who is in pain.
He prescribes mOrphla and directs it's use. and
the patient Is relieved. This is enough to start
the average matron on course OF fell destruc-
ton with mOrphia. The next patient may be
OF different temperament. or SEX or age. re-
curing either a different kind or quantity of
the opiate. but the old prescription will be used.
OF. worse than all, will be revived from mem-
DRY. some drug stores watch carefully and
refuse to dispense such drugs without a pre-
scrlptOn IN each case. but there are many
too eager to make money to care much
whether the patient is being treated by
doctor The same is true of the use of bromide,
OF chOrOfOrm and of ether. The bottle that is
left partly filled in family after one patient has
been treated is pretty sure to be used for
another without the doctors knowledge. As
for paregOric and laudanum. the amount of
stupefaction that is practsed upon children by
their use Is so common as almost to cease TO at
tract attention Perhaps the child is naturally
peevish or is cutting teeth, or has some in
fantile ailment; out comes the paregOric or
soothing syrup bottle, and before long the small
dose ceases to have effect. Then larger doses
are given. until the unfortunate youngsters
system Is saturated with the drug and totally
deranged Sometimes the lazy and dishonest
nurse. to relieve herself from trouble admins
tiers the anOdyne on her own responsibility. and
the hapess child shows a dizziness and stupidity
for which nobody can account.
II met man once who was dOctOring himself
for dyspepsia and indigestion. He told me he
wondered why he had not cured himself He
was apparently Of muscular development and
good constitution, but he had somehow cot the
idea into his head that he must exercise vigor-
ously after every meal In order to promote di-
gestion. He took long and rapid walks after
his meals. OF course his indigestion got worse
ne was apparently man of ordinary intei
gence. yet he was ignorant Of the simplest law
of health. told him that if a COW could talk
She would teach him more sense than to take
any vigorous exercise either physical or men,
tai, Immediately after hearty meal. Most
horses are treated more lntelligently than this
man was treating himself.
''What puzzles me is the fact that people are
not afraid to NEEDLE with such delicate organ-
ism as the human body. Few persons who have
watches would attempt to repair them If they
should get out Of order; yet they tackle the
delicate mechanism of their own bodies with
the recklessness of a blacksmith attempting to
and reaches not only the cases have alluded to
but many other more difficult and dangerous
than these l have known of women expert
ment1ng with drugs in cases where simple sur
glCal operation OF minutes duration was all
that was necessary. The evil is insdious. and
one that it would be difficult to reach by legis-
lation. 1t is especially common among those
who have that little learning which is a very
dangerous thing. 1t is a question which are
most to be pitied those who know nothing
whatever Of their own bodies or those who
having the presumption to act on very slight
and insufficient knowledge, are perpetually dos
ing themselves with nOstrums. and. with blind
faith equal to the most abject superstition. put
ting confidence In panaceas
Waists.
From the Nineteenfh Cenfnry