New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-27
PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE MEDICAL DIS.
PUTE.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: 1t Is no exaggeration to assert that
the public has more at stake In the proper solution
OF the code question: which sbsorbs the attention Of
the regular physicians Of the State Of NewYork than
the ply scans themselves and seems strange that no
has yet called attention to this fact One OF the
leaders of the ncwcode party in referring to the action
of the NewYork State Society last winter, says: "The
contest at Albany became virtually narrowed down to
this Shall the members OF the New York State Medical
Society be allowed to continue In the freedom
OF consultations gwen them by the new code,
or shall this be taken away from them
because the American Medical Association refuses its
assent to such beryl" II simply because the
code Of the American Medical Association condemns
consultations with homeopathic, and II the principle
upon which the regulation founded had reference only
to the mpoicy Of consulting with rival class OF pracu
TONERS Of medicine, then the controversy might Win
proprety be left where 10 originated But such Is not
the case The old code condemns consultations with
homeopathsno only because its trainers regarded homo
opathy as o system founded upon dogmas which can
lot be countenanced by the regular physician, but be-
Of the important consideration that the well
being OF the patient cannot be promoted by such NIX
ture OF diverse systems OF treatment. the old codc
asserts that 1.-THE good OF the patient Is
the sole object IN view" The "good" which the patient
consultation the remedy that IL to relieve
and him. From HIS point OF view the diagnosis ana
all other questions are preparatory TO the practical IT,
suit Of the consultation namely the selection OF the
remedies that are to be given. This consummates the
consultation; and II the consultation were arrested
aneoeden the choice Of remedies and the other de-
tails of treatment the patient would derive no benefit
from 1t.
The public has long believed and the new-code parti-
can has fosered this conviction by his action and public
utterances that the demands of humanity" call Tor
occasional consultations between the regular
aud the hOmeOpath IL Is an old charge against the
regulars" that they nhuman in refusing to con-
suit with these other legally qualified" practitioners
Now every physician knows that 1t would be an utter
impossbiity consummate consultation, in the true
sense of the term, between regular physician
and genuine homGopath; and he knows equally
well that any attempt to consult upon the
treatment OF would be mere pretence
and utterly devoid Of value the patient The relative
merits Of the systems have nothing whatever TO DO
with this question. The regular uses one system and
the home0path another and their lines of practice do
not parallel in single particular Neither, as q
rule any definite knowledge of the details Oh
practice pursued by the other If either were to state
what remedies he would use In gwen case, the other
would probably he unfamiliar with even the names
of some Of the remedies; and he would have no more
idea Of the ratiocination through which the
selection made, than the patient himself
Therefore {" the claims of poor suffering human
ty p-ess very severely upon the conscience OF
the physican who refuses TO stuty himself, ana de-
ceive a patient in tins manner II makes no difference
whether the case belongs to the domain general medi-
cine to surgery either OF the specalties The re-
suit would the for few in any department
OF the healing be conducted TO successful Ter
minatOn without the aid ri more or less medication
each OF the consutants honest in his convictions
and earnest in his application OF Them neither would De
willing TO the patient 10 the methods OF the other
They could not agree upon remedies and the consuta-
| ton would he a mere farce. =.
In contradiction OF this statement some one may ask II
monographs do not often take their patients TO special
st4 regulars. They do and the specialist VINO
is consulted treats the III accordance with ms usua
methods and by his therapeutic principles I'M,
is not consultation, can it be called ore by any
stretch oEsxact language. The hom9opah merely Sc
ccf tho specialist who Is TO treat the patient during the
emergency There can be consultation involving the
use OF remedies between the regular physician and
genuine homnOpah and the this Is definitely and
fhoronghIy understood by the public, the sooner this
0ncstion OF old code and code will be settled
| Morrlsto,rn " j., May IL, 1883. NJ D.