The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-05-24
I By DIR. A. L. Knight, Of West Colum-
bia, West Virginia.
M. President.

Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is customary at the semi-annual
meetings of the Ohio Valley Medical
Society, that some one of its members
shall deliver a public lecture, upon
some topic in which the members and
the general public have mutual in
terest; as for instance: Sanitary
Science; The duties and obligations of
the public to physicians, and vice
versa. The character and necessary
attainments of physicians who merit
public patronage; whether the prac-
tice Of medicine should be viewed as a
business affair or merely as self
sacrificing charitable vocation. It has
fallen to my lot, by the appointment
of our worthy President, to try to
entertain you for short space of
time upon subject of my own choos-
ing. [ prefer not to name my SUBJ
iect, but rather to let that portion of
the audience who have the patience to
hear me, give it name.
| know that the topic of hygiene
should have, from its general interest
in lectures, upon occasions like the
present, a prominent place. But it
can not be discussed with any degree
Of satisfaction in the short time allot-
ted to an address Of this kind.
Besides, as | am a stranger to most
of you, I do not feel disposed to point
out your violations of the laws of
health, because many of these laws
are only accepted by the more advan-
eed in medical science. And for the
further reason, that the public is not
always fortunate in the selection or
appointments of its health officers,
even in these states having some
wholesome laws, regulating the prac-
tice of medicine, and for the suppress
sion and prevention Of disease.
I have been told that the pig-styes
Of some of these health offices are less
odorifferous in their estimation, than
are those Of gentry not decorated with
the red tape, or insignia of office. and
that these same officers, with the full
knowledge Of the physical derange-
ment caused by the use or abuse of
tobacco, fermented and distilled
liquors, are known to puff their clouds
of nicotized smoke into the very faces
Of those whom they order to abate
some nuisance, or spirits his disgust
ing. noxious saliva in all directions,
while expatiating upon the great boon
of sanitary science. The duties of
physicians to the public, and to each
other, are. / can tell this audience,
very we'll defined in the American
code of medical ethics, Of which every
practitioner of medicine has, or should
have, copy; and should he follow
the rules of action taught by his code,
the public would soon learn its duty
to the profession, from the various ex-
plantations consequent to his declina-
ture of those acts, explicitly forbidden
by the rules of ethics; and it would
further learn that the medical pro-
fession is not spontaneous growth,
for the benefit of non-paying patrons
and dead-beats; and while it may ap-
pear upon first impressions that many
of the laws of the code are arbitrary
and unbenevolent, yet, as they become
better understood by the public, they
grow in favor, and the physician
compels a recognition, not for his
charity, but for his learning and skill
property that belongs exclusively te
him, as his capital in trade, for which
the public should not expect him tc
dispose of except upon cash basis
Hence, as a rule, the most skillfu
physicians are the most exacting.
The public should take deep in
terest in the character, habits and at
! tainments Of it's physicians, upo1
whom the health and consequen
progress and happiness of societ.
largely depend.
It will not be disputed that the ad
vancement in the social organization
is due mainly to the health and vigo
of its members.
He or they who are most able b.
undivided and concentrated studies t
promote those qualities in the individ
ual, are benefactors to their race, an
,, deserving of substantial recognition
This is presuming that the physi
clan had at least an average aptitud
; for the varied studies involved in thi
special branch of learning.
[ can not endorse the trite sayin
of the old farmer, who being aske
Z, what profession was intended for hi
son Johnny, replied: "Well, Johnn